You’re standing in front of your desk, staring at the stacks of paper, frustrated and overwhelmed.  “Why are you still here?  Why can’t you find a file to climb into and make yourself available when I need you?  Somewhere in there is the invoice I’m trying to get paid for – how will I ever get paid if I can’t even find the invoice?”

You open the closet door and glare at the contents.  “I hate you and I love you.  Ugh, how am I ever supposed to make this closet work when a bunch of you don’t fit, some of you I don’t even like and I don’t even know what’s at the back?!”

Your youngster is finally in bed and hopefully soon asleep.  You return to the family room and flop into the chair realizing you can’t even walk on the floor any longer because of the piles and piles of toys.  “Just put yourselves away, why don’t you!  Can’t you find a nice basket or box or anything and do the Mary Poppins thing – jumping right into them.  And while you are at it, sort yourselves out and take the toys that no one has played with for the past 6 months to the donation centre.  I’m going to bed.”

If you’ve ever talked to your clutter, or think you might like to say something to it, I’d like to hear from you.

Write your clutter a letter and send it to me for inclusion in a project being published later this year.  Your letter doesn’t need to be long, 200 – 400 words is perfect although longer or shorter is also welcome.  Start your letter off with “Dear ________ (item or items of clutter i.e. Paper, Baby Clothes, Garden Tools), What am I going to do with you?” and tell the clutter what you are really thinking.

Your clutter might include one of the following items or you might have your own version of clutter.:

• Costume jewellery
• Inherited jewellery
• Inherited dishes, flatware, glass/crystal
• Paper
• Sports equipment
• Particular sports equipment e.g. A bag of balls, an old croquet set, a bag of hockey equipment
• Clothes that don’t fit
• Clothes that aren’t liked
• Clothes in general
• Childhood books
• Memorabilia
• Photographs
• Someone else’s items e.g. a spouse’s sports gear, clothes or other items
• Tools
• Leftover renovation material e.g. tiles, paint, fabric
• Craft goods

Identify yourself only by your initials and your town of residence.  Individuals will not be identified in their submissions and any particular identifying information will be removed.

Letters can be sent to me, Carolyn Caldwell at [email protected].

Looking forward to hearing what you have to say to those trinkets collecting dust on the shelf.