We're pre "downsizing" "de-cluttering".

We've had 3 "married" houses:- 9 yrs, 18 & now 10.

The garage is pretty full, no car room. Loft is boarded & chock-a-block. Some of the stuff in Loft 3, was simply transferred from Loft 2! We have four or five book cases of books, some of which have a) not been opened for 30-40 years or b) never been opened.

Our offspring have long since quit the nest. But their cuddly toys, computer games & the like? Not stirred at all.

It's all got to change! Why have I kept umpteen editions of Social Trends? Why keep books of lists, quiz planning reference books, 4 atlases, 3 road map books...I could go on.

I don't think I'm material for one of those "hoarder" programmes. But I was told in no uncertain terms to be decisive.

Travel guides & first stage language books in French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian & German - their days were numbered.

It's already taken six - eight person hours, I wasn't allowed to work unsupervised.

Photos. I've never thrown a negative away, dabbled in slides for a while, got 114 albums, not put one photo in an album since the advent of digital. Wonder where all my pictures are since, what, 12-15 years ago?

"Progress" was slow, the shredder went on strike, bits of carpet saw the light of day for the first time in quite a while, it was dusty & at times emotionally painful.

My first trip abroad, with school as a 17 year old, all those momentos, went. Nostalgia isn't what it used to be!

About 10 bags full, suitably sifted into recycle categories, went into the car. Off to the Tip or Household Waste & Recycling Centre. All went. The plastic bags duly recycled even. The dropping into those huge hoppers took 10 minutes. The drive away gave a sense of cathartic well being. Should have happened years ago. One room a quarter sorted. 2 "children's" rooms to do & the garage.

The dread is the loft, filled when were 10 years younger, stronger & more agile! Dread!

So, have you decluttered, should you? What's stopping you?

If anything our criteria got harsher. Although we're only just coming round to realising we aren't immortal, the yardstick was if no-one else would keep it, why are we?

Oh dear, just remembered that bag of ties & jumpers not worn in decades...off I go...