My mum had three spare kettles, packs and packs of towels, flannels, curtains, Christmas cards --which she said she'd hope would last all her life so that she didn't have to buy any more -- ( true, and I must have put a good 200 in the recycling bin).
I recently tried to help Mum clear some space in her house after decorating and before my brother and his family come to stay. She lives in the family home which has 3 bedrooms one of which is now a computer room / sitting room downstairs next to the livingroom.
In the cupboard alone she had 3 kettles 'just in case' yet she bought a new one recently when her's broke recently - she forgot she had the spares! She has sheets hand or machine sewn from old sheets; bags of plastic bags, towels, blankets for the bed she never uses.
She has a HUGE wall to wall wardrobe, a small cupboard wardrobe, 2 x double wardrobes; a downstairs outdoor jacket and shoes cupboard and a hall coatstand - COMPLETELY FULL of clothes and shoes.
She has old picture frames which are covered in tape to hold them together "but they are okay when they are up"; toiletries that are out of date; cupboards full of dishes, glasses, gifts (even novelties), cameras, cutlery, crockery................. honestly, I cannot even begin to tell you. There is hardly anywhere to sit. Not as bad as the hoarders you see on TV though.
After one full long day of trying to clear out one cupboard with all the kettles, cases, blankets and lots more, I came away with several empty cardboard boxes, an electric fire that was absolutely done and worn (had to wrench that away from her) and a couple of old towels. I thnk that's all I managed. And that effort caused a really huge argument and tears all round.
She wont move house because she does not know what to do with everything. I recognise the syndrome where they did not have much and had to make do and mend. As I tried to explain, that was 50+ years ago and a different time. It served its purpose then, however, it is a new age, she can buy almost anything she wants and now there is no room for that unless she disposes of some of the rest. New strategy for new times. Didn't work though, so I don't go to help clear out now. She has to take responsibility for her decisions and deal with the consequences (sounds harsh, doesn't it). Much easier to leave her to it though.
Fx
