Help! Am I a hoarder?

Living in a dormer bungalow means that you have very limited storage. We effectively live in the attic with a traveling convoy of utility boxes full of 'stuff that needs sorting' that tours around the house. Occasionally one or two boxes make it into the boot of a car labelled charity only to return into the main thoroughfare because the charity shops are full and are not taking donations. Back it the hallway they pose a tripping hazard for weeks at a time, collecting sweet wrappers, socks and tennis balls whilst mysteriously accumulating more stuff that doesn't really have a set place.

Ian doesn't have a sentimental attachment to things and is not a use, re-use, re-purpose kind of guy. Binning stuff is not an emotional rollercoaster for him. I need time to process stuff and make sure I've considered a future and alternative use for everything.

Ironically the biggest box of stuff is currently a box of wires that he can't part with., because he can remember what they are for! Meanwhile I've been making good progress and things are looking more organised than EVER!

We've inherited a lot of DVDs and VHS tapes. I've assembled all the necessary tech to watch and digitise them. All I need now is the emotional bandwidth to do it.

I've rationalised the tech and recycled and rehomed lots of it. I've held onto a first edition IPod and kindle. I regret letting my Gameboy go. Actually I did not let my old tech go. Mum sold it at car boot sales otherwise I'd be tripping over than too.

The books are problem though. Even though I did not buy all of them them. There is something criminal about destroying books and I know the charity shops will not want them. Some of the more weighty books are the guide books that helped us usher in all this technology and there is something lovely about seeing how tech got sold to us with all it's usable applications before everyone was online. How to build a website with glossy expensive to print photos.

If anyone has ideas for their use, let me know. Until then I will keep them on the box tour of the living room, landing and hallway.

Jenny x