Lessons in art of living from men on a mission

They descended on our house like paratroopers. Everything was turned topsy-turvy in a day. Though they didn't land up uninvited, we hadn't anticipated the scale of upheaval they would bring in our otherwise unhurried lives.

- Dr Rajiv Sharma

The house was in dire need of whitewash, so the painters arrived like men on a mission. They began to clear the rooms of furniture and showpieces. My wife, who was supervising the operation, pitched in by gathering knickknacks and stacking them in the lawn.

I was surprised by the sheer scale of possessions we had hoarded over the years. We were sitting on a pile of seldom-used or never-used items, many of which were prized possessions once upon a time but were now literally biting the dust in the open. As I scrambled to save fragile vases and trophies our children had won during their school and college years, my wife declared, "I'm getting rid of the clutter."