There is a definite difference between me and a hoarder - there are similarities too, but the hoarder loves every item in the hoard, I am just too idle to go through the heap and sort things out to where they should be. I have heaps and empty cupboards, things out of boxes, pairs separated, and a lack of housework. My wardrobes are empty the laundry room is full of clean clothes.

Having watched the hoarder programs on TV those 'true' hoarders have a real problem in their perception of the worth of physical items.

I just have a problem with putting things where they should be - and having made a start on the one corner of one room I am now busy with what I found, so I will go onto another corner in a while - but there is now a distinctly different daily routing which includes using that corner to do things rather than just walking past the pile. This month I am going to clear the dining table and suggest eating there - if that is not taken up I will use the table to do jigsaws - I used to love doing them but did not have a large enough flat surface for them - I do the big ones.

Having started on the first one, now heaps in other rooms have been turned over a little, so things are turning up and I have had to put up a second row of hooks in the kitchen for all the cooking utensils I found. I used to joke that people were pinching them - there are still some missing... but having two rows of shiny doo dads is good for the spirit first thing in the morning. You can better face the day when you have the doo dads hung up on the wall.