Don’t go in there!

I was reading this post on 365 Less Things, and with a frisson of horror, realised that this was me:

…rooms that were “No go zones”, “Forbidden entrance because this-is-where-I-threw-all-the-stuff-people-were-not-supposed-to-see”, “Clutter spaces”.

When I have visitors I madly cram junk, more often than not it is paper-related junk, generally into places that I don’t let visitors go. My bedroom. The empty front room. The study, junk room. Precisely when the study became renamed as the junk room is not clear. But it is a floordrobe of stuff.

And the madly stuffed junk, or lazily left stuff, spills over all surfaces.

But even worse, the spaces left clear do not remain so for long. More junk collects. To be dumped on top of the other previously removed junk now in the junk room. Or the removed junk flows right back out to other rooms.

I cannot organise or decorate the junk room, until I dispose of the detritus. Yes, I need a routine to deal with the paper flow. (And yes, I need to deal with the blockage that is my not done tax. Oh god, don’t mention that beast.)

But I need to get the stuff out.

So here is some stuff that has languished on the floordrobe of the junk room.

Paper bits, envelopes, a business card, packaging from magnetic photo frames that have finally made it to the fridge:

More bits of paper, advertising material, a bag from a conference that is no good for grocery shopping (and I already have dozens in this style), a broken spray bottle, a stationery folder from a conference, a pad of invitations from about 10 or more years ago for one of my son’s birthdays.

A craft activity, donated to a charity shop.

An old pencil case and a stupid, blow up bat from the Easter Show.

Still more bits of paper and a plastic container from an old fridge. The container doesn’t even stand up as the base is uneven so it is unusable except for its original purpose.

An old phone from our old house. Tried it and while it works it makes a loud buzzing noise. Yet more paper; hanging files that have sat on the floor for 5 years, just in case they are needed; a bay blade piece (think that is what is is called, a toy from my sons’ passing craze); an unused pad (think it came from yet another conference).

Book stand I had bought when my children were young. Too childish for them and we have bookshelves enough. No need to clutter other tables. Donated to charity shop.

Packaging from a gift. Kept in case I needed to gift a small item. As if I needed anymore small boxes!

OK, you still can’t go in there but that is enough for today. I will attack another corner next weekend.