We tend to hang onto things in our family — all of us, except, perhaps, our son. If I give him things, I’ll later find out he sold the items.

I recently offered him a chair — one we bought him when he was in college — from our basement.

“If you bring me that chair, I will sell it,” he said matter-of-factly.

I kept the chair. Guess who is probably getting nothing for his next birthday.

I’m trying to reduce clutter. I even have several magazines and books that provide decluttering information. Unfortunately, they are adding to the problem.

Do you have any extra stuff? Most of us do. About 10% of people rent storage space at $90 or more per month, according to the Self Storage Association. If you do, add up the worth of the items in storage versus the storage cost.

Spring is a good time to assess the items in our home, including ones in our kitchen.

Let’s start with kitchen spring cleaning. You will feel a sense of accomplishment if you shed some extra bowls, pans and utensils from your cupboards, counters and drawers. Selling at garage sales, sharing with young adults or donating to thrift stores are all good options to reduce clutter.

Spring cleaning of kitchens can potentially reduce the number of germs that promote foodborne illness. Cleaning and sanitizing are two separate steps: cleaning removes visible contaminants, such as spills, while sanitizing takes cleaning to the next level. The invisible contaminants, including many types of bacteria associated with food, are more hazardous than the visible ones.

Wash counters and other kitchen surfaces, including refrigerator shelves and drawers, with hot soapy water, then sanitize with a very dilute bleach solution and allow to air-dry.

A solution of 1 tablespoon of unscented bleach per gallon of water is typical for cleaning, or you can use another sanitizing agent prepared according to the directions.

Be sure to clean your microwave oven. Place a microwave-safe bowl filled with water, and microwave on high for 4 minutes. Don’t overfill the bowl. Simply use hot, soapy water to wipe down the interior, then dry with a clean paper towel.

If you use kitchen sponges, have you ever caught the aroma of a damp sponge past its prime? I have a radical suggestion: use cloth rags instead of sponges and launder them on the hot cycle of a washing machine. Change the cleaning cloth daily.

Sponges are like hotels where germs like to set up their living quarters and have large families of little germs. A 2007 microbiology study in Germany found more than 362 types of bacteria in the sponges they studied, with 45 billion bacteria per square centimeter (1 inch equals 2.54 centimeters).

Bacteria in the presence of warmth, moisture and food can double every 20 minutes or so. In other words, one germ can grow to thousands, millions and billions in a number of hours.

Some researchers have studied whether zapping damp sponges in a microwave kills germs. A 2007 study found that microwaving a moist sponge on high for a minute or running the sponge through the hot cycle of a dishwasher killed nearly all of the bacteria.

However, once you use a damp sponge to wipe up spills again, the sponge becomes contaminated. At any rate, avoid using a sponge to wipe up meat juices. You could have multiple sponges available, then use the clean ones once before putting them in the microwave or dishwasher.

Most people are busy and would use the same sponge repeatedly and risk spreading germs around their kitchen.

Next time, my column will focus on food storage and just how long food remains safe in your cupboard and fridge.

Cowboy Caviar

1/3 cup olive or canola oil

2 tablespoons sugar

1/3 cup white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon chili powder

2 medium tomatoes, diced

1 cup red onion, chopped

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (10-ounce) bag frozen corn, thawed

1 cup chopped cilantro

1/2 cup diced red bell pepper

1/2 cup diced green bell pepper

Whisk together olive oil, sugar, white wine vinegar and chili powder in a large bowl. Stir in the remaining ingredients, cover and refrigerate.

Makes 12 servings. Each serving has 170 calories, 7 grams (g) fat, 5 g protein, 23 g carbohydrate, 5 g fiber and 100 milligrams sodium.