I opened my desk drawer this morning and realized something: Every year at bbcon I scoop up swag like Homer Simpson at a doughnut shop.

My drawer is filled with branded pens, post-its, breath mints, and weird squishy things shaped like ducks, stars and earth (is “earth” a shape?). All of it untouched and gathering dust since schlepping it back from bbcon. For every piece of swag I still have I’m sure there are at least three more that went directly in the trash upon returning home from the conference.

Not this year. This year swag needs to answer a few questions before I put it in my bag.

• Do I already have 100 of them in my office?
  • No pens.
• Can I eat it?
  • If I can eat it I’ll take it (duh!), as long as the packaging can be recycled.
• Can I wear it?
  • The real question is will I wear it?