Our flat is in desperate need of a major clear out. I made the first serious pass this morning, but there's a big problem. In order to decide what to keep, what to sell/give away and what to bin - I must go through it all. Going through it is where I get stuck.
Attempted dd's toys this morning, and both of us got sentimental about her old toddler toys - just hearing the sounds of her alphabet bus brought back so many vivid memories that would have been 'lost' without the 'prompt' of the familiar squeaks/squeals, etc.
Next I tackled my lingerie drawer, which I am sad to say contains bits/pieces from my past - old nursing bras alongside sexy bits of lace from a almost forgotten free/single girl's life (can't believe I ever fit into them!).
Now clearly, I am not going to spend ages playing with toddler toys or staring at old knickers/bras, but throwing everything away makes me nostalgic for past phases of my life that are long in the past. And, for whatever reason, the physical items somehow give me access to intense memories that aren't prompted in other ways. Clearing out feels like binning large bits of my past.
How can I ever balance my sentimental leanings with a need to de-clutter? Please tell me I'm not the only one... Anyone got a method of clearing out that would suit a packrat?