K.I.S.S. (keep it simple, silly)

Using what I have... In a quest to simplify this year, I'm working very hard at NOT bringing useless items in my home. I read Organized Simplicity by Tsh Oxenreider last month (free on my Kindle!) and it really struck a chord with me. A few months ago, right before moving, we cleaned our ridiculous garage and had a sale. The amount of things we sold, gave away, or just trashed was astounding. I'm not a hoarder by definition of that disgusting tv show, but it is amazing what items we carry around with us...or store! I decided to be relentless in this quest. If it was sitting in an unpacked box (since the last move) I had to get serious about whether or not it was really worth owning. My only legitimate excuse for this monstrosity was the fact of fitting more into less square footage. There were items I wasn't willing to part with. The old rule of "if you haven't used it in a year, you don't need it" doesn't apply to ALL things! For example, I have tons of photos and special momentos from my children or lost loved ones. These items deserve to be stored properly though and not sitting in unorganized boxes in my garage. My husband would also appreciate the garage being used as it was designed...parking the car!!! The big garage clean-out and move was a very freeing experience. Most of the items that we did keep sat in storage for a while and that further helped us realize what items we really needed.  Now, fast forward to our new home. Even though the square footage has increased and the storage in this house is amazing, I have realized how free I feel. I plan to work through Tsh's book. I still have a lot of work to do. First of all, I'm trying to make this house into a home. This is something I'm usually pretty good to do quickly. This move...? not so expedient. As I decorate I'm asking myself about the various items two questions. Is this useful? Is this beautiful? Not everything is making the cut. Simplifying isn't all that simple.