Clutter in the Loft

 Clearing the Clutter

It's a job we all mean to do - clearing the clutter from our homes.  Sheila Walker (57) my protagonist in Novel 1 (written but as yet unpublished) tackles this job.  Her eldest daughter, Lily-Anne is getting married and needs something that's stored in the family home's loft.  Retrieving it Sheila sees the mess and is determined to tackle it.  In doing so she gets more out of it than she bargained for.  

I wonder what you would find in your loft space?  Having just moved house I had hoped that downsizing would see rather less between the new rafters but alas it still seems to be a lot of 'stuff'.

We have sold things, given items to charity and thrown stuff away.  But when a home has more than one occupant, the amount of 'stuff' is doubled, trebled, quadrupled etc.  Many a bag or box goes into that space without a label so sifting through to find something becomes a bind. 

I am guessing like me you would probably find old school books, childrens toys, curtains, rugs, boxes of bank statements/bills etc., spare kettles or toasters; folding chairs; things to be mended; material; Christmas decorations and the tree in your loft?  My husband and I have numerous framed pictures which we know will never be on the walls again; and ornaments too never again to adorn shelves or window ledges. They too must go! Letting go of memorabilia is not always easy.

A loft can be a problem area of the house in other ways - squirrels, rats, bats, bees, flies etc can become unwanted residents.  Or they can be a delightful conversion space for a spare bedroom or office.  

Only one property I lived in temporarily, didn't have a loft.  This was in a village flat roofed house in Paphos, Cyprus, where there was very little storage space too.  However, as our UK property was rented out whilst we were away for 6 years, all our worldly goods/treasurers/junk was locked away in the roof space, the hatch battoned down for safe keeping.  On return it was some time before it saw the light of day again.  An access ladder was installed, flooring fitted and an electric light to make it safer to mooch about in.  Part of Sheila's story was inspired by my own experience though I love how it differs as my imagination took on Sheila's life.