De-cluttering and Re-cluttering

Clutter. What's it good for? Absolutely nothing ... except to attract dust. I've been increasingly becoming frustrated with the amount of stuff I've accumulated over the years, more so since clearing out my Dad's house and importing more clutter. Too many books and CDs, too many knick-knacks picked up on trips, art gallery catalogues and theatre programmes. So much stuff.

So, enough is enough, I will re-cycle what I can and the rest will go in the bin. I've been making trips to my local British Heart Foundation book and record shop, donating piles of books and CDs, shelves are being emptied of things and either packed away, donated to Oxfam or, in some cases, end up in the bin. I've made a start, but there's a long way to go. At my age, it's nice to have things around me that remind me of my personal history but you can have too much.

I brought a load of stuff from my Dad's house - my parents were hoarders and I follow in their footsteps. I've been through a pile of papers and old photos this evening and about half of it is now in the waste bin. But some things must be saved, the best of the family photos, photos of me when I was unbelievably skinny (yes, even I was thin back in the day), my graduation photo (that I've never liked), my students union card and, of course, my SLADE programmes.

Back in the olden days most bands had tour programmes as a matter of course. I am proud to still have the tour programmes for SLADE from 1973 and 1974 and these will be kept. Of course. Some things are important. On the inside back pages is an advert for the Sensational Alex Harvey Band's 'Framed' album - SAHB was the support act in 1973 and the first band I ever saw. In 1974 the support act was Becket and I can't even remember who they were.


As well as the tour programmes and a lyrics and photo book for SLADE, I also found lots of sheet music. It's not like I can read music or play an instrument, but it's a fan's job to support their heroes and buy stuff. So I did (and still do). It's lovely to see the sheet music covers again. I won't use them for anything, of course, so they'll all go into a folder and back into a cupboard until the next time I have a clear out and find them again - and it'll be a surprise again.


So, some things are going out and some things are staying. SLADE materials are staying. Some of the lacquer boxes I got in Thailand in the '80s will be going, the big tribal wooden busts I got from Senegal or The Gambia in the '90s will be going, a lot of theatre programmes will be going, more CDs and DVDs will be going... but not everything. No, some things are too important to let go.