h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I have some books I can't possibly lose - mostly given to me by my Dad by George Mackay Brown, an Orcadian author.

A lot of my CDs I can't part with I know I could buy them again, but somehow the music is crucial to my well-being.

Then there are various paintings that I've bought, or been given over the years.

Photos - well... I'm culling them at the moment. From 30-odd albums to one A4 envelope

Some kitchen gear - a dinner service that Dad gave me, a set of really cracking knives that I cannot live without and a few other oddments.

Apart from that; probably about 20% of my clothes, some ornaments, all my throws and sarongs.

Oh, and all my diaries which I have kept for 20 years or more now

That's enough

Five Fb

I'm in awe! I know Roy as pruned his belongings over the years, particularly since his divorce, which left him in one room, so he simply didn't have space.

I have an overfull three bedroom house, cellar, loft and somewhat ramshackle conservatory. Wherever I look there's stuff to do. I had a particularly bad night last night, waking up at 11.35pm, then again around 4am so even though it's 6pm now, I'm very tired. Need to feel little . Want a bath and to chill out. Should be subbing my outstanding h2g2 entry and doing preparatory work for my second new qigong course tomorrow.

Presumably you need to 'feed' little ?

How long have you lived in the same place? I've only been here four years and have always intended to return to Australia, so I guess I've not built up too much of a snowdrift of belongings

I did feed little , Fb ! I've also done a white crane qigong set and I feel much better now that I did before. A bit more awake. I'm still heading for a bath and an early night, though.

How long have I been in the house? Since little was three months. Mind you, I moved in with a lot of stuff and in the beginning I wasn't in any condition to sort things out properly and I didn't have a great deal of help. Given that I wasn't in a position to buy stuff like clothes for myself and little , I put out a call to the universe and it delivered in bucket loads. People whose children had outgrown stuff gave them to me. Friends whose waistlines were bigger than their previous wardrobe gave me stuff. I have thinned a lot of it out a couple of times, but there are still too many things to go in the storage I have at the moment. When I went through my undies drawer at one time and counted my knickers (no-one gave me these - they were just an accumulation over the years), I had xx pairs - you'll have to guess the number. Needless to say, swathes of them went for recycling.

I'd glad you're heading for bed early It always helps heal me.

Clearing out clothes is one of my greatest pleasures at the moment My winter wardrobe is beginning to emerge and I'm realising that it is mostly way too big for me since I lost weight I have a pile growing in the spare room - for the Cancer Research shop.

Because I had nothing else, I ended up going to work in old stuff today. I felt like a kid who'd been picking clothes out of Mum's dressing up box It was all hanging off me and made me feel really frumpy. So I dashed into BHS at lunchtime and bought a pair of jeans and a jumper - that fit me I'm a sexy again now

Just about to run a bath before going to bed. I really do want a *good* night's sleep after the stresses of today (all work-related).

Good for you, Fb. I might have another go over the weekend.

Thy Queen of Links shone forward with a beautiful light and it was good

That sounds really nice, Gazongola!

I went into the loft today and have thrown out or recycled several pairs of little 's shoes (he's too big for them) and looked out some clothes I was given when he was very small for him to grow into. A few he has outgrown and can go to the charity shop, some needed recycling, some are OK for now and some he will grow into and need putting back there. There are some baby things which really need to go to the charity shop. Baby steps at clearing the loft!

I am clearing paperwork accumulated over years. The paper is collected for recycling on Thursday so I am rapidly filling up bags and boxes, except for that which I shred. This is burnt in our open fire so is recycling in a way as it keeps us warm!! Fb is right, it is liberating.

I read a letter in the paper today which really made me laugh. It was about children who leave home but leave their unwanted stuff behind, then keep "giving" parents stuff they don't need at the moment but might need later! I have a number of things that I can't get rid of in case mine want them again later. My younger son is presently de-cluttering and minimalising and all the things he can do without are coming my way, either to sell for charity or to use myself. Some of it has been very useful and some has sold well, but I need a bigger house Oh, for a usable loft , a cellar and a conservatory But then I would only fill that too wouldn't I

I am gearing up to be ruthless but I need a car Unless I can get it out of the house PDQ it will all go back. I will look at those links later. I hope there is some inspiration there.

Websailor

Good for you, Websailor!

I've heard of that phenomena before. I too have lots of paper stuff to be sorted - OK, I've done the preliminary easy sort, but not the more difficult ruthless pruning. So be ruthless, Websailor!

Still, I'm getting better.

Well done Websailor

I've been ruthless with my photo albums. I'm down to the four most recent ones now, which are the hardest to cull. I shall have a break for a few days, then go back to it with greater resolve

I just remembered, I have to keep my sewing machine too

I'm sure you would put me to shame, Fb! Mind you, one thing I wouldn't like to be without is my computer and I have some nice photos on there now. I gather you're not taking your computer to Oz, but you may want to back-up onto a CD or a disc, so that you could transfer stuff onto a new computer once you're there?

Yup. I'll be doing that

i need to sort out a backup for my stuff, however I'm afraid of losing things like my photos, e-mails and especially my mp3 downloads (as I've paid for these!). Funny, I can do lots with my computer, however I'm definitely afraid of backing up, particularly as I want to reinstall OS9 on my hard disc - I've only got OS10 at the moment, so some of my applications don't work properly.