after 5 years it's about time

I live in a small house in a moderately small city on the East Coast of Australia. The house is high set - which means that there's enough space under it to house a car, with room around it (same spacial size as the house) for storage. When I moved in 13 years ago, I had a small box of "stuff" that I stored in the space under the house ... together with my car. The children have grown up and left home, my darling husband (who moved in after me - complete with his own lifetime of memories, family archives, clutter and massive collection of books and objet d'art has since departed this world and I am left with ... a whole stack of stuff crammed in under the house. There's not been room for a car for years. I've not been able to stick with the job of sorting thru stuff for years ... haven't been detached enough and not emotionally ready to "let go" of the memories. Well, this Easter I decided to boycott the opportunity to go camping, or go away to lovely places, or to just do nothing .... and I have got "stuck in" to downstairs. I'm really proud of myself. I felt ready to do it, drew up a "strategic plan" and have made headway. Albeit really slowly - into the world of clutter. I'm only about 1/6th of the way thru (and had foolishly thought i could get it all done in 5 days) but I really feel committed to keeping on going. Back to work tomorrow so after today, it will have to be a couple of hours each weekend. I am finding it exhausting - if not a little dusty. Emotionally sifting thru the memories is the hardest part ... and there's so many.

Making the right decision about what to do with a lifetime of memorabilia is a perplexing moment. Why is it that some people need to keep paraphanalia relating to every hobby, job, interest, person, country they've ever visited whilst others may lead an equally interesting and dynamic life but feel the need to keep no memento's?

So now that i've had my little break and started this, my first ever blog, I will get "back to it" as today is my last day off work and i want to be at least 1/3 of the way thru by close of day.

Cheerio