Old and new

Out with the old began today..with a loft raid..why do we keep so much old stuff in our lives? Is it the fear of letting go...memories...a tangible connection to the past, to happier times perhaps? What would actually happen if you did let go? You still have your memories in your head and heart. There's a lot of guilt surrounding clutter...guilt for having it, guilt for the waste, guilt for not reusing it...we seem to also inherit stuff which we don't necessarily want either..and the person giving it is passing on the responsibility, passing the buck and because I'm not very good at saying no I accept which is why we have collections of other family member's china and furniture which we will never actually use. I aspire to having a minimal loft space worth of stuff...just Christmas decs and the odd toy....not sure when that will ever happen...I mean it took my parents 40 years to finally sort their's out..much of which we inherited I might add!. And whatever he says, it's not just me that hoards...Why did I think it was important to keep dozens of pairs of children's shoes (in boxes I might add) for children we'll never have to never wear, cos I'd have bought new ones anyway if we had had any! Bags and bags of their clothes that I just couldn't bear to let go and toys OMG so many it's like a depot for Toys R Us!!! Well the declutter has begun..it's now taking up space in the dining room awaiting removal to the charity shop. There are of course things I will hold onto...the cot bed and moses basket and baby bath. Lots of pictures (no Van Goghs unforch) and there are boxes of old drawings and sketchbooks awaiting discovery not to mention old correspondence which will make interesting reading. Happily there were no spiders or mice about up there and no sign of bats or wasps...mind I didn't look too closely....I don't mind bats and I can cope with mice..but spiders and other creepy-crawlies.....AAAGHH!!!