It was never just about the clutter
Treasured belongings on their way to the St Francis Hospice charity shop, donated after a recent move.
"From the very beginning, I could sense how overwhelmed he felt. My first priority was simply to put his mind at ease."
Last month I had the privilege of helping an 86-year-old widowed gentleman declutter, pack up and move from the home he had shared with his late wife for 35 years. His four children all lived out of town, so he was facing this enormous transition on his own.
Room by room, we worked out what to keep, what to donate and what no longer served this next chapter. He chose St Francis Hospice as the benefactor of many of his treasures, and I put him in touch with my furniture dealer and arranged his movers.
But my favourite part of every day was our coffee time, when he would lovingly share stories of his late wife and the life they built together. The day the moving truck finally pulled away from the empty house, I knew he simply needed a big hug.
Like I always say, I just love my job.