My everything,

This celebration comes around again, and each year it feels bitter sweet.

I can only imagine you must be enjoying your life with someone else now, and I can’t blame you. There is no way back to what we had. After my betrayal, I can’t ever hope that you will return.

What we had was special. I knew I could rely on you, that you would always be there as long as I needed you. You let me be independent. You never asked anything of me.

All you ever wanted in return was a little space in my life.

I guess you could see the writing on the wall before I did. Where we used to hang out together, we started spending more and more time apart. Then there were the separate rooms. We had clearly lost our passion.

I know I took you for granted. A lot of the time I stopped even noticing you were there: too busy with work, always out with friends, the gym membership got in the way and my priorities had clearly shifted.

You began to look dishevelled, neglected even. I told myself that we could always spend the weekends together.

Then I met someone.

It was completely platonic at first, and you guys seemed to get on. He would compliment you, show an interest in your life, and for a bit, I thought he actually liked you more than me.

Things got more serious, and it was time to part ways. You see, he wanted to move in and there just wasn’t room for all of us so I had to give you up.

It broke my heart! I never knew one could experience such elation and despair at the same time. I had met a new love and had to give up the loves of my past.

So now I have to apologise:

• to my guitar, I was always going to learn to play you, I promise;
• to my dresses, you got too claustrophobic after I gained those comfort pounds, and now I have lost them and where are you?
• to my paintings, I am sorry I believed him when he told me they were no good, that I was no artist;
• to my first editions, I’ll admit I didn’t even see you get put in the charity box, or I never would have let you go;
• to my coats, I tried to make it work, but the loft was too damp, and the moths loved you much too much;
• to my dad’s imported vinyls, you paid for our wedding – I wish I could say it was worth it;
• to the ceramic cats from my Auntie Susan’s round the world trip, I wish I was still a cat lady.

They say for love you have to make sacrifices.

Today my sister came round for a visit. She has just moved into a bungalow and told me she had moved her things into Rent A Space. She says she is going to keep them there indefinitely!

If only I had known that home storage was so affordable. I could have kept you all safe and dry. You would have been looked after by all that state of the art security equipment. I could have visited you any time, day and night. We would have spent hours upon hours in our own den, enjoying each other’s company.

It was not to be, and I can only promise to remember you all by making sure no-one else succumbs to the same fate.

Bye-bye my old belongings, I wish you all the best in your new homes and that someone else is taking care of you better than I ever could.

Much love,

Your ex-owner, a reluctant declutterer