Tidying Out The Junk

No matter how ruthless you are about selling on or chucking out your stuff, if you live somewhere for over 20 years, it will build up. It's quite amazing: a storage box here and there gradually builds up to become a lorry load of human baggage. Hobbies you thought you'd take up, art projects you started, half bags of sand and cement.

Of course, holding onto physical things is part of our human nature and good in a way. From memories of the children growing up to anniversary cards that spark a memory, they are part of our life journey - although we may only ever look at these items once or twice again in our lives.

Putting the house on the market has spurred us into action - let's get stuck in, sort out then move rather than move then sort out. So, Liz has gone tearily through the children's old books, remembering bedtime stories with small girls, lapping up every word and eagerly asking for 'just one more'.

Looking now at the tiny baby clothes I've saved for the last 20 years I'm both disappointed that I can't pass them down to our children, and also relieved that we are not grandparents yet! The big box of the best selection of baby clothes surely won't be needed for a while and must appeal to someone. So, for the first time in 20 years I did a wash load of baby clothes and hung them out on the line before sticking them on eBay and Facebook Marketplace. I did keep the christening outfit my mum made, a couple of cardigans my grandma knitted and a little crocheted shawl and bonnet. Some things are just too special to give up...

The kids, with a bit of encouragement, have been a great help in sorting out what they want in their keepsakes boxes and what we can review for 'out' or 'in'.

We always review the 'out' by working out what to try to sell - not necessarily for raising funds, but trying to help avoid un-necessary landfill. It's amazing what sells and what

doesn't. Big pieces of quality furniture lose themselves in the myriad of MDF and Ikea items that have been taken apart 3 times and knocked around. Quality doesn't necessarily translate into an item of value that someone either wants or will pay cash for, and of course some stuff has gone out of fashion in 20 years.

Kids clothes and toys, particularly for those first few years, have got loads of life left in them - and 20 years ago things were relatively more expensive, but better quality. We've managed to sell some items, but also gift forwards to local charities who will hopefully help folk that would ordinarily have to do without.