A clutter club helped me clear out my life

LIKE most people I have boxes of clutter that I’ve  never sorted out. I’ve moved house several times over the years and transferred these boxes from location to location. I’ve  kept some in case they contain something that might come in handy. Others hold family letters and papers that bring back  strong memories.

Over time, however, the boxes have multiplied and I’ve wondered how to tackle them so when I heard about Clutterclub, a workshop run by decluttering experts in London, I was intrigued. The idea is simple: you take your clutter to the club and the consultants go through it with you, giving advice on what to keep and what to get rid of.

LETTERS

I have letters my mother and I wrote to each other in 1982 when I was living in France as an English language assistant. My mum was newly divorced and we poured our hearts out to each other. I kept them in a drawer after my mum died in 2000 and thought I might use them one day to write a book.

Advice: Buy some nice boxes to keep them in. That way they will be to hand if they are ever needed for research and will be easier to access for a nostalgic read.

Decision: Keep them.

BOOKS

As a journalist I get sent many books for review. I read most of them, then cram them on to my bookcase, keeping them just in case I need them for reference.

Advice: Keep the books you will reread and put the rest in a charity bag. Use the internet for reference and libraries for fiction.

Decision: Send 75 per cent of the books to charity.

GIFTS

I still have three cuddly toys that my husband Ian gave me before we had our son Jack. I also have some embroidered mats given to me by a woman I once interviewed. I’ve never used or displayed them.

Advice: Romantic memories are important as they remind you of earlier stages of your relationship. Put them in a nice box. Don’t keep mementoes from people you can’t remember.

Decision: The toys stay, the mats go to charity.

OLD TOYS

Jack is 10 yet I still have his xylophone, a globe he had as a toddler and various cuddly toys.

Advice: Spring is a good time to go through old toys with children because they are well-established and confident in their school year.

Decision: I talk to Jack about it and he decides the xylophone and globe will go to a car boot sale. Favourite teddies are to stay in his bedroom or go up in the loft.

PICTURES

I have an oil painting of Malham in the Yorkshire Dales that I inherited from my dad. The painting holds mixed memories. My first school trip was to Malham and I loved it but it also reminds me of my childhood home where I wasn’t happy. The frame is faded so I don’t display it.

Advice: Leave it propped up somewhere and see how you feel about it. If your feelings are positive invest in a new frame and display it. If it makes you feel bad, send it to a charity.

Decision: I’ll prop it up for now.

SHOES AND CLOTHES

I bought some unattractive plastic sandals to wear on the beach in Greece in 1989 and have never worn them since but I always think I might use them one day on holiday.

Advice: With all clothes ask yourself whether you’ll wear them and how they make you feel. If you decide they make you feel less than great, recycle them.

Decision: Take to charity.

TOILETRIES

I collect bottles of toiletries from hotels where I have stayed. I also love buying products, especially ones with free gifts.

Advice: Go shopping at home and use up all the shampoos, conditioners and bath oils you have before buying any more.

Decision: Keep and use.

OLD DOCUMENTS

I have my late mum’s driving licence, bank book, bus pass, passport and even her Land Army certificate, not just as a memory but in case Jack needs them for history lessons at school. I also have birthday cards, Mother’s Day cards and funny postcards from her plus a few of her ornaments, even though they’re not to my taste.

Advice: Keep cards that have special words written inside and ornaments that have special memories. Then buy a box and keep everything in there. Looking through them will be a pleasure, not an energy-draining reminder of things you haven’t done.

Decision: Keep most but throw away a few run-of-the-mill cards.

JEWELLERY

I’ve inherited a lot of jewellery over the years. I wear some of the key pieces but there’s a lot that’s broken or not to my taste.

Advice: Choose some pieces to give to friends as gifts and get the rest valued at a jeweller’s but bear in mind that there is usually a charge for this. Some charities such as Marie Curie Cancer Care accept jewellery and turn it into a donation.

Decision: To have the jewellery valued, then sell or give to charity.

FOREIGN COINS

I have various pre-euro coins, such as deutschmarks, francs and schillings that I have kept in case Jack can use them for a school project.

Advice: If you haven’t needed them by now, get rid of them. Some charities such as Marie Curie Cancer Care and Oxfam take foreign coins. If they are worth a lot of money take them to the country’s national bank in London where they can be changed into usable currency before 2012.

Decision: They go to charity.

lVisitclutterclub.co.uk for more information.