I'm 81 and decluttering my house, so that my kids don't have to deal with the mess when I die. It's a strange but important task.

The author is decluttering her house, especially her book collection.

Courtesy of Cynthia Wall

• Now that I'm 81, I've decided to declutter my house so that my kids don't have to when I die.
• I love giving away items I have around the house, but my large book collection is my biggest hurdle.
• It's a strange task, but I feel it's important to do this for my kids.

I love my Edison phonograph, my antique wall phone, and my grandmother's quilts. I have two sets of china and enough table linens to serve royalty.