The story of my life as told in 100 objects

THERE was an exhibition at the British museum, linked to a BBC radio series and a book a few years ago, entitled The History of the World in 100 Objects.

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The premise was to try to sum up history through the things that have had the most significance for the human race across two millennia.

From Stone Age chopping tools to the first plastic credit card, the objects were chosen in an attempt to tell the story of humankind through our inventions and possessions.

For the past few days, I have been immersed in my own personal history in many more than 100 objects - clearing my parents' flat of their personal possessions in readiness for a tenant to move in.

It will be been exactly a year ago tomorrow since my father died. He passed away some three weeks after my mother, who died on Boxing Day 2024. Since then, my sister and I have made several forays to their flat in Wiltshire, taking away bits and pieces, going through photograph albums and trying to decide what to do with all their possessions, often with a good deal of prevarication.

The imminent arrival of a tenant, however, forced the issue, and for a couple of weekends we've been clearing the clutter.

We're letting the flat furnished, so most of the big stuff is staying put, for now. But the minutiae of Mum and Dad's daily life had to be sorted. Judgements needed to be made about what to keep and what to ditch, what could be donated to charity and what was good only for the recycling centre. Dithering had to stop. Action needed to be taken.