I’ve been having a good clear out and was hoping a local museum would accept a donation of artefacts from Papua New Guinea. Here are some of the things I’ve kept in storage since leaving the country in 1984.

Unfortunately, the museum turned down the donation because they wanted items from before independence in 1975. A dealer offered me £3 for each of the coins (I have 13 in total) but I turned him down. An auction house I approached wasn’t interested in this metal picture by Waki Waikali (see below) even though other works by the artist have sold internationally. I still enjoy the image of a highland tribesman in ceremonial dress so I’ll hang onto it for a bit longer. According to the auction house, much artwork from Papua New Guinea has yet to find a market.

I’ve also been sorting out the teaching resources that I once used in schools and when I worked with undergraduates studying creative writing. Most of the paper resources have been recycled but I still need to go through my electronic files. Or should I just leave them on my desktop? Who knows, one day I might use them again.

Photo albums are next to be scrutinised. Back in the days before digital photography, I found a place to display every print. It should be a straightforward task to ditch the not-so-flattering images of family and friends, yet this feels like a challenge. Oh well, with the winter months still ahead, I should be able to complete this task. And don’t get me started on books! I now have a one in, one out policy on physical books to prevent overflowing bookcases and piles. These days, I’m much more likely to consume stories through ebooks or audiobooks and avoid the clutter.

Do you have difficulty getting rid of stuff?