After yet another day sorting through things at Mum's bungalow while we were waiting for some painters and decorators to come and give us a quote, I realised that while Mum was never a hoarder of things in the same way that my Dad was, she still nevertheless has lots of stuff.
In Mum's case it's lots of little stuff.
She has saved every leaflet that came with every bill, every shopping list that she wrote out to phone through to my brother, every paper clip that came on a letter, every photograph whether good or bad. It's been as slow a job sorting through Mum's things, slower even than Dad's garage that was packed to the rafters.
I can't rush any of it as I have found important documents hidden in old birthday cards. For example, we searched high and low for Mum's DNR when the carers needed it and nothing, then last week there it was in a Mother's Day card from many years ago. A treasured photo of my great-grandmother tucked in with old receipts for electrical items that Mum bought many, many years ago. There's no rhyme or reason for where things have found themselves being deposited, well maybe Mum had one, but she never told us.
So while we wait for various deliveries and things to be quoted for I have been sitting and sifting through the minutiae of my Mum's life. It makes me come home and do my own. In little corners of my home tins are being tipped out and small things that might have been saved 'just in case', if they haven't been used since I moved here over three years ago, they will most likely not be needed anytime soon.
One thing for sure they will not be there when my son's have to rifle through my possessions in the future. Even living simply and small as I do now, there are still little things hidden behind cupboard doors, in boxes and in tins that are just not necessary. Yesterday I sorted through my ribbon stash and got rid of virtually everything, this morning it was my handy little box of screws, nails, hooks and the like. It's not that handy if it contains nothing that I need to use.
I thought I had finished my decluttering ... well I have for the bigger things ... now it's the turn of the little ones.
Sue xx
We have managed to give away a printer, a Cricut machine, a binding machine, a clay rolling machine and an unopened picnic rug! All because I was looking for something else and decided that they could all go to someone who would use them. Catriona
ReplyDeleteIt does make us feel good getting rid of things doesn't it. It's like we have been almost persuaded in the past to purchase things that although useful for a while, are just not really needed. Knowing that they are going to a good home is even better.
DeleteBig things are easier; it's just one thing occupying a lot of space. A million little bits and pieces can fit into such a small space..
ReplyDeleteThat's exactly it, it takes so long to go through a box of letters, it was so easy even just to put all the books into bags and drop them off at the charity shop.
DeleteThis hit home!
ReplyDeleteMy elderly relatives have always left behind letters, photographs, theatre tickets, receipts, airline tickets - in every drawer, on every shelf!
I'm determined to break the habit!
Lost my mom 15 months ago and we are just getting to end of clearing stuff out, no birthday or Christmas card was ever thrown away! its been a real slog, her and my late Dad were both hoarders but it was on a much bigger scale than I ever anticipated. Its such an emotional thing too - like sifting through the highs and lows of life in letters and documents is very bittersweet.
ReplyDelete