I have accepted for quite some time that there is too much clutter in my life: I keep hold of far too much.

I have impressed myself somewhat with a recent cull of socks – about 20 pairs of socks that I don’t wear. Yes, look impressed at my reformed-hoarder ways. I also gave a mixture of clothes that I don’t wear and clothes that don’t fit me to a charity bin. I still own over 55,000 t-shirts and jumpers. I don’t wear more than 60,000 of these.

Today was time to conquer a new demon. Clothes I don’t want is one thing but could I get rid of clutter? Could I remove things that there is no earthly reason for me to have not binned the moment they came into my life?

I did it. I managed it. Things I managed to put in the bin included a box I’d received a Pretty Green order in. I think the order I received could have even been a cardigan that I gave to charity about six months ago. So, I kept a cardboard box six months longer than a cardigan. I often throw the instructions to electrical goods away some time after the electrical good has ceased to be. The question remains: why did I keep the box in the first place? It wasn’t made of ivory. It was a black cardboard box.

Another notable victory was transferring the contents of four blank CD containers onto two blank CD containers. Think that’s it? Not on your life – I also put the cover of a the aerial part of a TV I haven’t owned for 18 months in the trash.

My mission had been to box up and throw away some CDs and DVDs that I don’t have any reason to keep. It seems like I failed for not doing that – but remember, I did throw away a cardboard box…AND several carrier bags I had stored because at some point I’d (mistakenly) thought, ‘This carrier bag is a cut above; I can’t put this with the other carrier bags in the kitchen as it might end up not having a noble use. I must wait until I am transporting something special – but not so special that something more than a carrier bag is used. I’ll just fold it up nicely and put it between the bookshelf and CD tower for safe keeping.”