Ruthless

I have been busy and industrious as the grand clear-up continues. As you can see from the picture, I can now see some wallpaper which has not been visible for a good long time now. As you will also see, there is still much to do, but at least I feel as if I've been doing something.

Essential to the business of cleaning house is the ability to be ruthless. I gained this just recently, having woken up to the realisation that much of my clutter is a result of boxes which I haven't unpacked since I first moved house something like 19 years ago. Even a compulsive hoarder like me can work out that anything not touched in 19 years is probably not likely to be missed.

So, colour me ruthless. I heaved a big box of rubbish into the bins earlier today, and so there are now several possessions which I am now without:

- If, for example, I wish to play a nice game of Monopoly, I will have to buy a new set, because I threw my old one out!

- Should I need, for any reason, to consult the 1992 Laserdisc catalogue from Thames Valley Laser, I will be fresh out of luck, because I threw it away.

- If I want to punch a hole in something, I won't be able to, because I threw away my old pointy tool doodicky that is used for punching holes in things.

- If I need to consult the 30-year-old electronics book which I was given for Christmas in 1980, I will be disappointed, because I threw that away too. OK, it was pretty useless back then too, but even so.

- If I ever want to complete a nice crossword from that vast collection of unused fifteen-year-old puzzle books I threw away.. well, that might not be possible.

- In the event of my needing that old Rubik's cube which I peeled all the stickers off (rendering it entirely black) I will not be able to, because I even threw that priceless artifact away as well. (But rest assured, kids, the special edition 1981 Charles & Diana wedding commemorative Rubik's Cube remains safe.)

I'm not sure what I'm going to do without these things. If ever I need them again I am sure the pain will be quite unbearable. But in the meantime, it makes me feel as if I'm doing something. And, as I said earlier, I can at least see some wallpaper now. It must be a good sign.