Clear out the clutter

It's 3 months since my dad died and the first time I've spent any length of time at mum's house. Before you think I'm a bad daughter, I have taken up the mantle of Sunday lunch, although luckily it's usually only mum and not the siblings and their partners that turn up, and she comes over one night in the week for tea, also as oldest but not nearest offspring, I usually receive and respond to those early evening calls about the telly not working or the back door lock being knackered, I say "I", what I really mean is Chris! Anyhoo, since dad died mum has been religiously divesting the house of near enough everything that belonged to dad: clothes; books; and all those bits and bobs that men seem to accumulate over a lifetime. Today Chris thought it would be a good idea to check out the garage and I went with him. Dad built the double garage, that seldomly had room to house a car, himself and it is chock full to the gunnels of things that he bought believing that one day they would come in useful. Chris was like Aladdin, discovering the cave, I on the other hand got a little emotional, picking up wood chisels, boxes of screws and nuts, sander belts, fan belts, T cut and all manner of paraphenalia all new and unopened and never to be used by the funny little man who thought they would come in handy. I swear there was even stuff in there that I had thrown away more than 20 years ago. I try to live by the addage of William Morris - have nothing in your house that you neither know to be useful or believe to be beautiful (neither use nor ornament) and on the surface you might believe it to be true, but my loft lies testament to the fact that I am my father's daughter! Years ago, when dad was still in reasonable health, having only had one kidney removed, I told him to have a clear out, I told him we would be upset if we had to do it after he had gone. He didn't listen, but I was right! Tomorrow I'm starting on the loft! PS Anyone after some Beetle headlights or a jaguar hood ornament?