Hello, I'm aliasojo and I'm a hoarder. *waves* I'm in the loft today trying to empty it as I have 32 rolls of insulation to lay and no space to keep them so they have to go down soon. I've done well up till now, I've been quite ruthless about some things. I have a 'donate to charity' pile, a 'dump' pile and a 'not sure about' pile. It's the 'not sure about' pile I need help with. So fancy helping me out? I will list things I dont know what to do with (and any reasoning behind them) and you lot can tell me to keep, donate or dump. It'll help while away any bored moments. 1) From 22 years ago.......wedding dress, bridesmaid's dress and silver (not real silver) commemorative platter thing with our names engraved on it that was given as a present by our local pub. Obviously will never use them (nor will I ever fit into the dress again) so I don't know why I haven't just chucked them. I don't even have any fond memories of my marriage so it's not like I'm hanging onto the stuff for sentimental reasons. 2) Canteen of cutlery given as a wedding present but never used. Everyday set (not posh). Pattern would be seen as quite old fashioned now I think. Don't really need it but a knife is a knife and it might come in handy one day? 3) Big cardboard box full of material. Mum used to make her own clothes but the craft gene passed me by. Daughter likes making things though and it might come handy for making easter things? 4) Old Singer sewing machine (if memory serves, it was a bit temperamental and kept jamming but it was Mum's so was kept after she died and also it might come in handy ) That said, it's been sat in the loft for 20 years. 5) Old vinyl LP's, not in very good condition. Don't even have a record player but they are a reminder of the past. Some of them were even my Mum's so I keep her junk too. 6) China tea set. Old and also Mum's. Also been in loft 20 years. 7) Old wooden crutches. Found them in someone's bin years ago and asked if I could take them as I thought they'd come in handy for a school play or something. 8) Antlers (Shut up Pavlov) and a matching ship made out of antler I think. 9)Boxes of books from my childhood, my Father's childhood and also his First Aid books from when he was training. 10) An old mirror that's at least 45 years old. I have pictures of me as a baby looking into this mirror. It's got a little damage to it in a couple of places where the backing seems to have rusted (?). So, these are what I'm sat staring at at the moment, undecided about what to do with them. If I never had them in the first place, I wouldn't miss them but I've got them now. I've got loads more up there too, this is only a tiny drop in the ocean. Shout at me someone.

Can of four star, packet of Swan Vesta's. Stick everything in the garden, introduce the Swan Vesta to the four star, job's a good 'un

Put them all on Freecycle or Freegle. Someone will take them off your hands. Which means you don't have to go carting about dropping them off at charity shops etc, or wasting them by binning them. Someone will come and get them off you.

You know what Reggie, I really wish I could bring myself to do that. Why do some people have such a hard time getting rid of stuff....I don't understand it myself.

the box of materials, can you give them to the childs school or their craft lessons?

Offer wedding dress to DD. If she doesn't want it, ask local college that does textiles if they are interested in this, the singer and the fabric. DD1 says her textile class would kill to have access to things like that rather than just bits of cotton. EBay cutlery (it may have a kitsch value), teaset, LPs, books (some have silly values), antlers, crutches and mirror if you don't like it. Simple. Anything still there in a fortnight goes to charity shop. Big bag, hand it over and leave. Don't look back.

Job done I know how hard it is to declutter the sentimental stuff RVK2 xx

Hi It is also worth making a list of the older stuff and just checking with your local or any specialist museums. We found on one occasion that a workbook would have been very much appreciated by a specialist museum particularly because of the local link, until I pointed out that I thought it had been thrown the previous month.

Thanks peeps. It's only when I look at the things that I get undecided. Sitting here reading the comments makes it seem so straightforward and I think 'that's just what I'll do', then I go look at them again and waiver and I think 'but I might need it or find a use for it. I'd love to know what it is that makes me like this. I may have another problem worthy of therapy.

If you want to get rid of the sewing machine let me know!! I was the same when I was xh, then I just upped and left. No idea what happened to half my stuff. He even threw out my teddy I had as a child and denied allll knowledge. I'm nowhere near as bad now - it's not belongings that make you happy. My own theory is that lofts are just too convenient! How easy to umm and ahhh and then put it out sight and mind in the loft??

I would... Insulate the loft... Then pop boarding over the top... Then pop it all back up there... But then I can't throw anything away lol!

Got a shed? Stick the 'don't knows' in there. If you haven't missed them after a year you neither need 'em or want 'em. Then you can freecycle/ebay/charity shop/chuck the lot. Job done !

GET IT SORTED! I skipped 3 loads out of my loft, loads of carp............actually it was the wrong thing to do as now we have a drum kit up there instead

You know you have to do it. Off to the recycling. Good luck

Errata....all of this stuff started off in the cupboard under the stairs, then went to the spare (at the time) room before ending up in the loft. It's been doing the rounds for years. Family sized Mondeo AND a small trailer....done 9 (very full)trips to the dump so far. That will show you what junk I keep. I even have odd rolls of wallpaper and clothes I had when I was 20 and was a size 8/10. Spare wardrobe doors and bits of plaster cove. Why? I yearn to be normal and just have a wardrobe with no spares like everyone else. Btw, I'm not as bad as the peeps on grimebusters etc.....it's only my loft that's chocca.

I got rid of my pram........... loads of baby clothes. a broken bed that wasn't ours but was in the loft when we moved in 16 years ago. I have wedding pressies too boxed and packed away and probably my worst was top of the cake and my bouquet........thankfully they were artifical! I did bin them! I do have a way to go!

I still have these. I had 2 prams up there though, I gave one to the charity place. The other is my daughter's Silver Cross that might come in handy one day. I still have the first clothes/hats/mittens my lot wore...my eldest is 26. I also have school work and birthday cards ect. I don't like being like this, if I could change part of my character, it would be this I think.

Sounds like you're a lost cause

That's my worry.

Get a value on the Silver Cross before that goes anywhere. When I split up with DD1's dad, the first thing that went missing (after my purse and stereo) was the Silver Cross I had been given by his Grandmother. I don't know what it went for, but he had a new car the following month. Not bad for someone who didn't have a job.