How Many Mugs Does One Person Need?

My newest decluttering inspiration is Marie Kondo's The Magic of Tidying Up. I read all the online articles I could find on her and then finally purchased the book.  One of her big things is not to declutter & organize room-by-room, but rather by category.  For instance, you may have books scattered all over the house.  You won't realize how many you actually have until you bring them all together.

I haven't been following her plan in the order she recommends. I've been working on whatever category seems to need attention.  Today, my coffee mugs begged to be culled.  I pulled them all out.  There were 15 of them in the cabinet. I also have a few special hand-made mugs that I use in other ways. I'm not including those in this category.

Despite the evidence, I'm not a mug hoarder. Most of these mugs were gifts, collected over many years. The most functional ones are scratched or chipped.  Many are colors or designs I don't like.  I'm keeping 5 and tossing the rest.  In true Marie Kondo style, I thanked them for their service and sent them off.

Unfortunately, I'm not all that thrilled with the ones I'm keeping. In this case, the decluttering hasn't left behind what I consider to be beautiful.  One day soon, I'll replace them all with a matching set of simple mugs.  They'll be the perfect size and the perfect color and will feel just right in my hand.  They won't have quotes or cartoons or distracting designs.

Tidying up really is a bit magical.