A lot of declutterers seem to be one-woman outfits, so I imagine you can ask them to do whatever you like. I agree so much that the faff of ebaying stuff is a major deterrent. And then of course the money raised can be disappointing…

Good point about photographing things for sale. It is what holds me up from finally despatching stuff…the whole photo process takes too long…especially with thinks like trainsets that my Dad so wonderfully collected for my children who preferred lego sadly.

Just a day, but they work very quickly. There are different set-ups doing different things, so I should think you could find an outfit which is prepared to photograph things for sale. They are very good at persuading you to part with stuff, because they give good reasons. I reckon your geology books would go, if nothing else!

I will!

I’m hoping other people might have had the same toys and ornaments! It’s lovely to have these things from childhood.

It was a massive emotional shock to see the stuff from Paris – I had no idea that Dad had kept it all, and I’d forgotten that I ever wrote diaries myself. A most peculiar feeling. Yes, you’re right – I’ve still got scraps of cornflake packet with my dad’s scrawled memories on them.

Wow, that sounds really interesting, Lyn. I think women’s lives in particular are so multi-faceted; we often move through many, many personae. The elves are trained to be sensitive: they look after you if you come over all funny (as we would say in my family).

Needs must, Diana!