Decluttering

I have completed a course of antibiotics, and am beginning to recuperate from the after effects of a vicious virus.

While ill I could not concentrate on my novel set in Edward II’s reign which I had hoped to finish and submit by the 1st January, However, although they were late I wrote and posted the rest of my blogs about the Twelve Days of Christmas, and I embarked on some decluttering.

Last year, I forced myself to declutter all of my bookcases, and to organise my books for research either according to date or subject. I highly recommend this because it makes it so much easier to find information on diverse subjects. So, while I’ve been ill in bed I went through all my copies of the Historical Novel Society’s magazines, Solander and Historical Review that dated back to the first editions.

It’s always painful decluttering but I enjoyed sifting through the magazines, reading articles and reviews. As a result I ordered some books which I had intended to read for a long time and reserved others from the library, and then it was time to let go.

Interspersed with the magazines were copies of Postscript and various articles and colour supplements, amongst them one on the late Queen Mother and another about the Lord of the Rings. Out they went after I admired photos of Elizabeth II as a child, a bride, a young mother etc., and intricate details of the costumes worn by actors in Lord of the Rings.

This morning I woke knowing I made the right decision to have a clear out, and decided to tackle all my gardening magazines in the near future. However, I shall keep my inspirational National Geographic magazines some of which date back to the 1950’s.