(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) I have a confession to make: I am a hoarder and Im not proud of it
ONE MAN’S TRASH is another man’s treasure. Truer words have not been written as far as I’m concerned. After nearly seven years of lugging new stuff into the house without any thought of throwing off what we had accumulated over the years things came to a pass last weekend as the momentous task of shifting house finally dawned. The months of planning and drawing out lists and the hours spent rummaging through my cupboards to pick and choose what I wanted to retain while putting away what needed to be given off to charity all came to naught as the movers swarmed in and within seconds I knew we had bitten off more than we could chew. A fact the foursome who came with loads of gusto were quick to catch on as they ran out of boxes bubble wrap and finally patience as clothes crockery books and other knick knacks came out of every nook and cranny of the house.
House shifting while an inevitable part of Gulf life for many expats is still a dreaded chore – but after what we went through recently I fervently believe all of us should move houses more often. Or at least take the term spring-cleaning a bit more seriously than I for one had done in my 10-year stint in the UAE. At the risk of being judged and condemned as a hoarder I have to confess the amount of paper bags plastic containers and other knick knacks I have collected over the years came as a shock even to me. Forget the crucial degree certificate which I had toiled over for years to lay my hands on the old issues of KT and the inevitable recipe cutouts and my most prized possession- every article I have written since I set foot in the UAE back in… okay let’s not get pedantic here have been lovingly preserved for God alone knows what. Not to forget every salary slip and bank statement I have been sent – perhaps in the hope that 10 years down the line I could look at the money I was making and have a chuckle?
So with a bit of a heavy heart but feeling a lot lighter than I had anticipated I left behind the covers stuffed with bags and the shelves loaded with containers.
Only to come to the new place and realise I’d have to throw off more stuff if we are to fit into our spanking new residence. And so the sifting begins anew...
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