"I moved into my house in 1987 and when I first moved in there, it was empty. The neighbours actually gave me some curtains, which I've kept, and gradually it got fuller and fuller and all the cupboards are full. I've got loads of cupboards and they're just full of stuff.
I don't like housework. I don't like tidying up and putting things away. I'm a bit embarrassed when people come around, like workmen and things like that.
I bought a washing machine a couple of years ago and I thought, right, well I better have an effort at tidying up the house. So I spent a lot of effort getting the kitchen nice and tidy and then all the junk I just shoved upstairs and everything was fine. They delivered the washing machine and then one of them said, "Can I just nip to your toilet please?" Oh no! Because I suddenly realised that upstairs - it was just mess everywhere.
I really find it hard to throw away stuff. I also keep a lot of things because I think it would be useful for art. I do a lot of installations that uses found objects. I've done a piece that uses found gloves from the street; in fact I've got a collection numbering over a hundred found gloves. So yes, I do keep a lot of things thinking this will be useful for art, or it would be useful for fancy dress... lots of things like that!
I'd been away for about three weeks and I came back... and in fact I had actually been burgled... but I didn't actually realize straight away. When I came in through the door and just thought something wasn't quite right and there was a lot of mess on the floor... and it wasn't until I went to switch the TV on that I realized, there's no telly! I realized actually I'd been burgled.
They took a black and white television which I've never bothered to replace and a strimmer, which I was very pleased to see go as I hate gardening aswell, so I had an excuse not to do any gardening.
I get very attached with stuff and I think that is the problem... junk just reminds me of people and places and happy times. And despite the mess of maybe because of it, I love my house. "
