For the record, I am someone who hoards just about everything. I keep all sorts of things that would make one wonder what is it that really makes my mind tick. Let me demonstrate to you the extent of my hoarding. I have my 18^th birthday banners and the champagne corks too. I have my birthday cards from all these years and I keep things for the event of ‘just in case’. By this I mean I will not throw out that piece of fancy ribbon that I got off the packaging of a posh chocolate box because you never know when you’ll get to use it again.

You must understand at this point that I’m big into recycling things and because I really enjoy making my own greeting cards, I will use the oddest of objects to stick on the cards to make it unique, so I rarely end up throwing bits and bobs. I have special drawers for all my crafting supplies and I know the day I throw something out because I feel it won’t have any use, chances are high that I will need to use it as soon as the bin people have taken the taka-taka away. Sod’s Law!

The hoarding has continued with my kids’ stuff. I have their first outfits they wore home from the hospital after birth, their blankets, first footwear, heck, I even have their teeth! Usually the Tooth Fairy is meant to replace the tooth with some cash and probably flush the tooth down the loo or something but I save the teeth. Sometimes I wonder why because a mere look at those teeth just grosses me out completely. Ewww.

It doesn’t stop at my kids. I have pictures and colourings and cut out flowers given to me by my vast number of cousins, nieces and nephews. I’m just too sentimental and absolutely refuse to throw away my memories like that.

A fortnight ago I was on leave from work and I decided to clear out my home. Being at work the whole day I tend not to have the time to give it the full attention that I do at the weekends so it was actually therapeutic clearing up. First of all I did my filing. All my papers were stuffed in a purple floral gift bag and more kept joining that bag until it started tearing from the sides. Then I got rid of clothes and shoes and handbags that were in great condition but I wasn’t using them. Most of the stuff I just sold it off at a very nominal amount and the rest I gave away. The kids’ toys, books and clothes also followed suit and I felt really good to have taken out so much stuff from the house.

The only area left to clear up now is my study. No one is allowed to touch anything here or move anything at all. The helper has strict instructions to NOT TOUCH ANYTHING on my desk and leave all noble intentions of wanting to tidy up because she will just mix everything and I will have a nervous breakdown. In my pile of papers, books, pens, craft supplies and what not, I always know where to find whatever it is I am looking for.

Having said that, I’m actually glad that I have managed to sort my stuff out. It’s amazing how, when you clear one aspect of life up, all other looming aspects seem to get sorted out too. Or maybe it’s just me…!

They say a cluttered environment is a reflection of a cluttered mind but I just like to call my clutter ‘organised chaos’.

Share your clutter and clutter-free stories with me…