As a journalist, I own a front-row seat to historic events. I witness moments that become reference points for our lives. And it is my professional opinion that one occasion destined to become as noteworthy as, say, Arbor Day is National Declutter Day.

Never heard of it? Well, I had no clue either until I received an e-mail announcing that National Declutter Day is scheduled for Nov. 15.

The affair was conceived last year by a decluttering expert and Kijiji.com, eBay's free classifieds site. The intent -- aside from making a few bucks for the sponsors, of course -- is to help Americans cure themselves of ``packratitis,'' defined as ``a condition that causes people to hold onto unused items when they are no longer useful, resulting in unnecessary clutter.''

A Kijiji survey found that the average American household has 35 items it doesn't use, with a resale value of $670. If my home is typical, this is a gross underestimation. Me and mine, like patriotic Americans elsewhere, have fallen victim to the malaise that eventually leads to packratitis: chronic consumerism.

On the one hand, we're enticed by advertisers -- economists, even -- to buy the latest and greatest. On the other, we're inundated by TV shows, magazine articles and books advising us how to rid ourselves of the clutter we've charged on our credit cards.

Only in America, the land of walk-in closets and rented storage units, do we accumulate in a frenzy and then divest with the same passion. That is why I have a hand-held massager for aching backs in my linen closet that nobody uses, though everyone thought it was a great idea at the time. It's also the reason three different video game consoles gather dust in my son's closet.

While packing off unused items to Goodwill or selling them for extra cash may be the responsible response to a lifetime of accumulation, it's important to note that not all clutter is created equal. There's good clutter and there's bad clutter, and every woman knows the difference.

Bad clutter blocks the bathroom door. It becomes a fire hazard. It's a guilt-inducing reminder of a hobby that never caught on.

Good clutter, however, makes a house a home. It is personal and cozy. It can even be artistic, such as the pile of unread magazines in the corner of my bedroom that resembles an art-in-public-places sculpture.

Good clutter can individualize the most sterile of rooms. Our formal dining room, for instance, is used sparingly for its intended purpose. We usually eat in the kitchen, like most people I know. Yet, the long table plays host to all manner of miscellany, from forgotten homework to misplaced coupons and advertising circulars.

National Declutter Day may guarantee a clean dining room table and a bedroom that isn't a modern art museum, but I doubt most of us really want that. We're content with our stuff. As soon as we sell or donate an item, we'll replace it with another. It's the American way.

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