House Hushing

I ran across this term a while ago. Turns out it’s a fancy name for de-cluttering, something I don’t need much help with, which is surprising as—in my early years—I demonstrated great potential for becoming a hoarder.

In a hushed house, no one can hear you scream……except the dog, of course.

As a child and teenager, I saved everything—schoolwork, report cards, letters, magazines, college notes, my baby teeth, scraps of paper that one day might prove useful, and an impressive collection of...