Purging: hoarding in reverse!

Hi guys!

It's not much of an excuse but between my clearing efforts, recovering from my op, work and an impromtu visit to the seaside at the weekend, I've not really been around to blog very much and for this I apologise. After yet another visit to the doctor today I'm once again back on antibiotics to clear the infection that's hanging on, plus I'm back to work and trying to catch up on the almost three weeks I missed. It's a little bit hectic in my head right now, so any blogs I'd have time for would most likely be gibberish!
To make up for it I seem to have written you an essay. Quite fitting considering the topic - from one extreme to another! I hope you find it interesting rather than rambly and boring. :)

For the first 20 years of my life, I was a hoarder. Not to the extent you see on those shows on Channel 4, but still enough that my room was always a mess. But since moving out and having my own place (kindof) I've completely switched into reverse - getting rid of everything I possibly can without throwing out the stuff I still need. No matter how much I throw or give away, I always feel like I could do more, get rid of more... I wondered if there was a word for it and trusty old Google let me know that this habit is called Purging. Another quick search got me the official definition for you: Purge: to free from impurities, to purify.
Another word that was closely related was Minimalist, which I suppose counts too. I'm not as extreme as some - I keep sentimental stuff, I still go shopping when I know I don't need things, but I do get to a certain level of 'stuff' and think enough is enough. And that's when everything goes in a black bag, a charity bag, or a car boot box, depending on the worth I deem it to have.

Today's task was probably the hardest of all; facing the shoes. The pictures you see here were taken in March 2011 and they show all the shoes I owned at that time. I'm sure there are still some at the back of a forgotten cupboard at my parents' house that I failed to count. Up until this point I'd never really gathered them all up - some hid in the wardrobe, under the bed, various cupboards around the house, not to mention the pile that accumulated by the door... So it was easy to look around and think I didn't have that many. In a fit of tidiness, with the knowledge that I was approaching the age where I would like to move out I decided to gather my shoes and see where things stood. And this was the result; 42 pairs of shoes that were in varying states from falling apart to pristine and unworn. Amazing!

It was at that point I knew it was time to cut the collection down. Some were sold off to family and friends who were grateful to pick up new shoes at bargain prices. Some disappeared to the charity where someone else could claw a little more love out of them. And some had to go to the great Shoe Heaven in the sky. But when it came to moving out in August I still had about 30 pairs and I just didn't have time to do anything about it. So they came with me and I squirreled them away where The Boys (Tom and my landlord) wouldn't be able to see the extent of my collection. The garage, the under stairs cupboard and our wardrobe became accomplices in my crime of hoarding shoes.

We're now into the 9th month of living here and things have naturally accumulated over that time - christmas and both of our birthdays presenting us with more 'stuff' to fit into an already limited space. We only have a bedroom and a bathroom, which were starting to overspill into the rest of the house much to the dismay of our landlord. Once again it was time to get out the black bags, the charity bags and the car boot boxes. So far I've thrown possibly an entire wardrobes' worth of clothes away and still I could probably throw more if I really wanted to. It doesn't help that some of the clothes are Tom's and I can't force him to get rid of his stuff.

We've also put most of our CDs and DVDs in a car boot box, started a collection of 'When we have our own place' things to go in Nan's attic (good old nan!) and thrown more stuff in the bin than I can count. But still, I couldn't face the shoes. But today the time had come for the shoes to come into the spotlight. I cannot justify owning 30 pairs of shoes when over half of them sit in a box in the garage.

So once more I gathered up my shoes into one place and had a 'keep' box and a 'sell' box to hand. It was surprisingly easy this time, possibly because I'd already made so many tough decisions on the rest of my possessions. I dithered over a few of the much loved but rarely worn pairs and even some of the beautiful pairs I bought but never wore out of the house. But ultimately I knew which ones I could keep and which had to go.
Now I have an overflowing box of shoes that will be put on facebook to sell. If they don't sell well on there I'll be putting them on e-bay or to a car boot, but those seem so much more effort. Out of interest - would anyone like me to post pictures of the shoes on here? Most of them are heels - all lovely I promise. :)

And drumroll... just 14 pairs of shoes are left in my wardrobe. I'm feeling extremely smug right now, looking at the huge box of shoes to go and the small box staying with me.

Overall I'd like to think I've been successful in my endeavours, but when I look in our bedroom and spot the messy bookshelf or the shelf in the wardrobe crammed with more 'stuff' I realise the battle is over, but the war will never end. I guess I'm okay with that though - I get a certain sense of satisfaction when I give away yet another bag of clothes, knowing I still have plenty left in my wardrobe. Or when I throw out a black bag of rubbish that has accumulated over time. I can't profess to being a clean freak, I doubt I'll ever live in a spotless house. But at least I can say I've kicked the hoarding habit for good!