Quiltingboard Forums - View Single Post - Those of you who have downsized,

06-13-2014, 07:33 AM

#55

Mousie

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Join Date: Jan 2008

Location: Florida

Posts: 17,636

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prism99

do you have any regrets either way? For example, do you regret giving up too much stuff? Or do you regret not getting rid of more before you moved?

We are getting ready to downsize, and I'm finding it really difficult to get rid of stuff. Last time we moved I just moved everything we had and didn't try to weed things out. This time I really only want to move the stuff we will actually use. My biggest quandries are over my sewing and quilting items -- quite a few plastic bins of fabric stash, many small plastic bins of "to do" quilt projects, my 10' quilting frame, tons of batting, etc.

I remember once getting rid of all my black fabrics, only to then find the perfect pattern for using it. Makes me worry about getting rid of fabric, although I have a lot of calicos I can't imagine ever using in the future.

Anyway, I'm just wondering what kind of advice those of you who have "been there, done that" might have for me. It won't be too long before dh and I are in our 70's, but we are active and in good health (so far).
Edit: I should add my mil is 98 and still living in her home of 60 years. My dh is going to have his hands full cleaning out that house some day! Lots of knick knacks and bric-a-brac that are not our style. She did sell her old hats to a lady who runs a vintage clothing store......

I am in the process of weeding out some of my fabrics bc i have used up so much room and like you, won't use them all.
It will be difficult, but I'll pull out family projects first, THIS IS THE KEEP PILE (mountain, lol),
then I'll have a mt-pile that are for me, hubby, gifts and just my favorites.
I'll choose what to purge from what is left...however, I will not let go of any solids, backing fabrics,...you know, anything highly useful in various ways.
I haven't started and i don't think it will be easy.
I'll probaby "over-keep", but at least i will have made a big dent and that's a good place to start.
My m sewed most of her adult life and then in later years became visually impaired.
They moved and she got rid of all her sewing stuff.
Then she went to blind school.
Yup, she is sewing again and misses her stuff.
I will be giving her...shhh! she doesn't know, a good portion of the "purges", but this has taught me to never-say-never.
However, I am finding cleaning, and reorganizing the same things over and over is exhausting and getting silly, as well as annoying

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