THERE used to be a loft space in our home. But since we moved in, there has been a lot less, well, space up there.

That’s because anything we are not sure what to do with inevitably ends up in this very useful dumping ground.

I admit that I am not good at throwing things away.

Five-year-old phone bill? You never know when you might need it.

Graduation suit? Kept for posterity even though I will never wear it again and, let’s face it, I can admire it just as easily in the pictures.

After having my son the situation worsened.

A survey recently showed that parents collectively spend millions of pounds on baby stuff they don’t need.

We were no exception. I couldn’t resist the Bumbo seat because my son looked cute sat in a friend’s – but he probably only used it twice.

Ditto the bouncer that hung from the door frame. He loved it, but only for 10 seconds at a time.

And as that was a fraction of the time it took to get him in and out of it it’s safe to say we both quickly tired of it.

One by one all of these things ended up in the loft – which has become frighteningly like the wardrobe to Narnia.

But the situation has now come to a head. The catalyst was mysterious late-night creaking noises and the realisation that my predominant fear was that the ceiling may be about to topple in on our heads.

On investigation, the situation was far worse than we thought.

“Do you realise,” said my husband, “that these boxes are ones we put in this loft unopened after moving them from the loft in our last house?”

In fact, they had survived – intact – through two house moves over seven years and neither of us had any idea what was in them.

It reminded me of a friend who once told me she had dumped similar unopened boxes at the tip after moving house.

Her theory was that as she hadn’t missed whatever was in them so far, it was unlikely she ever would.

At the time I was horrified but I’m starting to see her point.

Trouble is, I’m not brave enough.

That box may contain a bill I’ve already paid for a telephone I no longer own.

And you never know when you might need that.