Moving house can often lead you to see your possessions in a new light.
Especially when you have packed in a hurry, without making much effort to thin your piles of stuff before beginning. And are then distanced from that stuff for half a year.
Because who the hell brings tea (from the new world, at that) to England?
Us, apparently.
Amber just posted round two of her Tea Stash Challenge, which reminded me how overwhelmed and somewhat incredulous I feel every time I look at the shelf containing all our tea.
It doesn’t look too bad, until you unpack it all onto the kitchen counter:
There are multiples of different types of tea, thanks to my old work-desk stash making its way back home, some tea gifts, and impulse purchases of various lemon/ginger-type blends bought on a whim when I’ve felt sick. There are random bags and samples I’ve picked up along the way. There are tins from at least two tea shops that have gone out of business.
The small green tins down the right side are all leftover wedding favours (we gifted tiny tins of mint tea, to tie in with our Moroccan honeymoon) from nearly five (!) years ago, and the large tupperware on the left is Moroccan mint tea, bought on said honeymoon.
Does tea even last that long?
Honourable mentions go to two tins of drinking chocolate, a box of spiced cider sachets, and a couple orphan packs of Starbucks VIA coffee; also on the shelf, but not pictured, since they’re not tea.
Of course, the tea that actually gets used is the box of standard PG Tips, going through a pot or two a day. Runner-up is the loose or bagged Rooibos, for when I’m feeling overcaffeinated.
I would never describe myself as a “tea fiend,” but I clearly have some sort of tea hoarding issue.
It’s obviously time to start introducing some variety into my daily cuppa, or bin the lot and reclaim a shelf.
Are you a tea fiend and/or unintentional hoarder? Do share!
