Moving. Do you regret getting rid of stuff? Or regret keeping stuff?
 

Regarding clothing, I've already donated all of the stuff I know I will never wear. Looking at the rest, I think I am ready to give away at least 2/3rds of what is left. These include nice clothing that I simply don't wear because we never go out to places where I would wear them (concerts, parties) and clothing I have outgrown (for the last 10, 20, 30 or so pounds). I would keep maybe two complete dress-up outfits. I have many single pieces -- skirts, tops, pants, scarves -- that really don't go together. My daughter talked me into some of the dressier clothes she likes to wear, but I never feel comfortable in them.

Anyway, I think I'm okay with giving away a lot more clothing.

It's the quilting that I wonder about. I've already packed up a trunkful of boxes full of sewing items, magazines and fabrics to give away (planning to give to a Project Linus group locally). But I still have a couple of bookcases full of books and magazines, more fabrics than I can probably ever sew in my remaining lifetime, etc. I am wondering if I will regret digging deeper into this stuff, even though some of it I haven't looked at in 5 years.

I know that no one can really make the decisions for me, but I am wondering what some of you who have been there - done that can advise, looking back.

The last time I moved, I didn't have the massive amount of "hobby related stuff" I do now. But I hope the next move, I will look forward to it as a chance for a new start, disposing of a lot of the fabric, patterns, etc. I have accumulated. I mostly try to work from my current inventory of fabric, but sometimes think how nice it would be to go out and find something new to work with. So in my opinion, I would sell or donate as much as you can before you move. It is a strong motivating factor that only comes around in a major change like a move.

I have a stack of stuff I want to sell on QB but just not enough time in the day to take photos, weigh the fabric and see what the postage rates are, they have changed again, correct?? I did give most of my sewing patterns to a resale store that has a important cause to assist abused women.

I've moved several times. And gotten rid of lots of fabric, books and crafty items. And a good lot of it, I have never thought of again. There have only been a few select things I wish I had kept. But, that was several years ago and I've done just fine without it. It really is up to you. I can't stand clutter. I crave order and everything in its place. So, it was a no brainier for me. Good luck!

It made me feel really good to clean out many items that no longer made me happy. I can't think of a single thing I wish I had kept. Start with some of the things you really don't want and see if you don't feel "lighter". Stuff can weigh you down.

When we cleaned out my mother-in-law's closet I counted over 100 pairs of black pants. You will be doing your relatives a great service by cleaning out now. Think of it as a gift to them.

I have been donating on a regular basis to linus and I have never regretted getting rid of any thing so far. If it is out of sight it should be out of mind.

So far, I've kept most of the quilting stuff. I'm working on a quilt now that will be completely made out of stash. That feels so great! My family knows that my quilting and knitting are important to me so they have helped me find ways to store things in the new place. (We downsized and moved in July).

when we moved in here 6 yrs ago, i really downsized the cloths. I'm disabled so i'm not wearing dressy cloths anymore. if i need it, i'll go buy one outfit, thats what i did.

fabric, i kept the stuff i couldn't part with, and rebuilt the stash. got rid of alot of little pieces. good luck.

I think I could get rid of all books and magazines as the internet has more than I would ever need with more all the time, cloths if they do not fit or I do not wear them, keep one or two nice dressy outfits, I am a great talker but not such a great doer! LOL Good Luck!

I have not moved since I started quilting, so haven't gotten rid of any of it. But as far as household stuff or clothes, I keep working on getting rid of stuff and never missed anything!!! But a long way to go....

I moved just 18 months ago -- from over 4000 sq. ft to just over 1500 sq. ft. Had surgery last year and lost 40 pounds and had to get some new clothes. I am afraid to get rid of the larger clothes in case I gain it back. I got rid of some of my fabric (the pieces I wonder why I bought it), but could not get rid of much -- I just don't have the resources to replace it. I am gradually going through it and organizing it into plastic bins that I can keep in the garage (I had help packing and things are a bit jumbled) . I am working slowly, but I think this will work. My new sewing room is not too big, so I don't have much room for storage. I am not sorry I hung onto the fabric -- won't know about the clothes (I had already gotten rid of my fancy clothes when we could not cruise any more).

You asked for my opinion, so here it is.

When DH and I moved to SC, we brought very little of the stuff from our home. I don't miss it, and really enjoyed shopping for new furniture, area rugs and so on. i didn't worry too much about money while i was shopping, either. Furniture wise, everything in the other house was mismatched because we were always watching pennies - even though we didn't have to watch them that closely. Note that penny pinching was not a bad thing, as it helped us retire comfortably.

About half of what we bought for the new home came from thrift stores. It seems we have a penchant for 1930's furniture and complement it with oriental decor, also purchased from thrift stores. Bedroom, dining room, and living room furniture was purchased new. Somehow it all works together, and, after 8 years, I still love it.

I wasn't quilting yet when we moved, so didn't have to worry about fabric and equipment. MY DH, on the other hand, carried a good part of his antique radio and 45 record player collection, albums, 45 records along - with the stipulation that only a small part of the collection would be displayed in the house. However, we did not down size; if anything we up-sized - not my idea - and bought a home with 5 garaqes, so his hobby stuff is mostly in 3 of them.

Sadly, my DH will not sell the other house and he doesn't like spending on maintenance - so the future does not look good for that house! It is still fairly packed with stuff, too. My sister rents it at a very good rent, so it has her stuff and my DH stuff.

Now we are finally to my opinion. Take only what you love to your new home. Pare your fabric collection down; you can buy new fabric, if need be. Quilting/sewing books - donate all but a few. With the internet, it is easy to get plenty of free patterns, You tube tutorials abound, and so on.Sewing tools - take the ones you use the most and/or like the most. If you haven't used it in X years, you probably won't. Clothes - same thing. If you can afford it, get new everything for your kitchen, buy a new washer and dryer if your new home doesn't come with them.

I hope you will love your new home and have many happy years living in it.

I got rid of lots of stuff and don't miss it at all. It feels so good to have what I need and not a bunch of stuff that just sits. When I need fabric I buy what I need and use as much as I can from what I have! Clothes? I have 5 pairs of shoes, including 1 pair for winter, maybe 6 pair of pants ,1 dress (God forbid I have to wear it) and a dozen tops. If I want something new I get it and pass on something I have. I love the freedom of not being buried in stuff!

I have purged everything 5 times in the last 10 years, twice after losing wonderful husbands (apparently part of my grieving process), three moves, and 134 pound weight loss. I felt lighter and much better after each downsize. The majority of what I have now is quilting (stash and related) and my clothes. I can get by with very few possessions otherwise. The wonderful thing about traveling light is so much less to worry about and keep up. Very freeing.
Even though I am pared down, every January I go through my quilting fabrics and tools clearing out anything that does not bring me joy. I am independent and, if I choose, can move my life in a different direction at the drop of a hat. If my family needs me, I am almost always readily available. All I really need is a home base for my quilting. How I wish I had learned not to acquire unnecessary things much, much sooner!

Out of sight...out of mind. Purge!

Sandy

I never had a problem giving away clothing. There are always pieces that I come across that I probably haven't worn in months and sometimes years, so away they go to the donation shop. Shoes are another thing, I have a weakness for shoes and since retiring I don't wear dress pants, well rarely, mostly it's jeans, anyway, I just packed up nearly a dozen pairs off shoes with heels, not the really high kind, can't wear them at all, but lower, kind of dressy and they are already in the car waiting for me to drop them off at the donation place. As for fabric, books and magazines, there again I don't really have a problem selling them off. There is no way I will ever use up all the yardage I have and there are many pieces of fabrics that I have several yards of. Usually I cut off a yard of so for myself, if I really like the fabric, and have been selling much on several different Facebook groups.

When I'm cleaning out stuff, I always have in the back of my mind all the stuff I had to clear out of my mother's house after she passed. She kept everything, and I mean everything. Once, several years before she got sick, I said to her that we should really consider getting rid of alot of the paperwork that had been accumulating since they bought the house in 1955 and she would't budge. I told her that once she passed I would just throw it out and she looked me straight in the eye and said, "well, that's your problem". And, it wasn't just paperwork, there was a lot of other stuff that served no purpose except that it took up space. I spent months going thru everything and vowed that I would never leave a mess like that for anyone.

I have 3 surrogate granddaughters and their mother who all quilt. Guess who will inherit this fall all my gadgets, fabrics, etc. I won't have storage space in my new 1-bedroom apartment for all that stuff. They are getting dishes, kitchen tools, etc. also.

3 yrs ago we moved about 70 miles,in order to be closer to DD & her family. Sold & donated antiques,furniture etc. Brought all my quilting stuff. After illness for both of us,I found going to basement sewing room a chore.It's very nice,well lit,tons of shelves & tables.Finally figured out,it's not the illness,it's interest.Just have No interest in sewing.Can't make quilts as I have more than I can use,family has the same.

Haven't missed a thing from moving.Have recently sorted & donated 3 large garbage bags of clothes,shoes & purses.Doing the same with kitchen stuff. Takes very few pots & pans cooking for 2 ppl.

Now time to clear out my stash,machines etc. Just the idea of getting it done is overwhelming!
So...it's put off for another day,shame on me!

I agree with posters saying there comes a time to sort & get rid of all the junk
that is never worn,never used,a chore to clean,that needs
to be in someone else's house.
Haven't been in Joanns or any quilt shop in well over a year.That tells me all I need to know. Good luck with your decision.

I moved last summer from Missouri to Texas. I had loads of quilting and crafting stuff. I got rid of all my yarn to a really good friend. She still sends me pics of what she has made with the yarn. I had a garage sale with quilting and needlework items. Made over 1200 dollars in two days. I sold fabric for $4 a yard. I did give a car trunk of stuff to my quilt guild. Filled over two long tables. I gave what was left from the garage sale to three woman that quilt for charity. Then I still moved a lot with me to Texas that I did not get to go through. I have started a area for stuff that I will not use here, or do not want still for a garage sale in early fall. (This includes other house hold stuff too). I am now using some of my quilting fabric to make grand daughters summer outfits. I have 5 grand daughter from size 3 to 12. There has been stuff I got rid of and wish I did not and plenty that I am really glad I did not move. But I am enjoying my new home and love not having clutter. Yea

We moved almost 2 years ago about 160 miles closer to son and his family. We purged our furniture by selling or donating our antiques, etc. we had decided to take only a queen sized bed to use in the guest room. Everything else was purchased new or used. My fabric and sewing things, however, were packed and came with us. Since that time I have done some purging of the fabric. Donated some to the small guild I belong to here and use some for practicing FMQ. Still have some clothing to go thru although I did a purge before moving. Taste and activities differ. Ongoing process.

I have been trying to clean up my stash as I plan on selling my 1600+ sq ft house and moving into a smaller home. I'll be leaving a 16 x 24 sewing room to a probably 8 x 10 extra bedroom. I'll try to sell fabric at a garage sale and what doesn't sell, donate. I have been sorting out all the JoAnn fabrics from LQS fabrics. When you have a piece of each in your hand, you can sure tell the difference. Of course, my JoAnn fabrics are all about 15-20 years old. It's a chore to go through this house and try to get rid of 44 years worth of accumulation. When my husband passed last September, my son took out 44 fishing poles, plus tons of fishing equipment. We have filled two dumpsters in the last year, just from the garage and basement. My husband, left to his own devices, could have been on "Hoarders" if we didn't get rid of stuff. He saved everything. Thank goodness, he never missed half the stuff my son would pitch when he came to visit. Once, the fabric is straightened out, then I have to go on to all the other sewing stuff. I know I'll give one of my three machines to the middle school. They just started a sewing club and I'm sure they can use it. It's an older Pfaff, but runs beautifully. No one in my family has any interest in sewing, they like the completed product! Then there are all the knick knacks and pictures and china, etc. Isn't it funny how when we are younger we accumulate all this stuff to "decorate" then when we reach a certain age, we want to get rid of it. Just something else to dust!

Cathyvv, I'm with you, get rid of it all and start over!

We had to downsize from a 3-bedroom house to a 2 bedroom apt. about 5 years ago, and both my DS and DH, were adamant that I give away most of my fabrics. Because I had a sewing room upstairs and downstairs, the fabric got spread around; then my sister passed away suddenly and my nieces sent over all the fabric in her apt. My sister had been giving me fabric over the years; but the last batch was difficult to deal with, for obvious reasons. I thank God every day for my best friend who helped me sort through my stash, and finally telling them both that I had done enough. What she couldn't use, she passed on to a mutual friend who belong to a group that made quilts for children in hospitals, so it went to a good cause.

We are also in the process of downsizing, and it's hard work. Clothes I have no problems with - I've been retired for 5 years, and haven't worn most of my 'work' clothes since I retired. Everything we do is more casual. Even weddings just require black dress pants and a dressier top, which I have.

I'm struggling with the things I do use, but just occasionally. The Christmas platters that have been used for cookies for years. Sure, I could just use a dinner plate, but those platters seem to be an important part of Christmas, even more important than the tree.

I don't have a big stash, so I'm keeping it. Most of my quilting/sewing is for charity, and my stash works fine. It's become a challenge I enjoy - to make something great from what I have on hand.

I'm not getting rid of anything. Living in an empty home doe not appeal to me. When I die my Daughter and oldest Granddaughter can get rid of whatever they don't want. They are both okay with that.

I could easily get rid of all my stuff except for my most needed sewing/quilting stuff, and a few things from family that are sentimental. I am one that would be just as happy living in a tiny house as they show on HGTV, as long as I had a sewing space, and my house now is almost 1,300 square feet not including a large front porch, and small back porch.

LOL I was just thinking about that. Sometimes I just want to have stuff there because like you I do not like living in an empty home.

Re: moving
 

I recently moved ( 1 month ago) and organized and sorted - what a job it is to move but I kept my fabric stash and threw out many of my old quilting mags after clipping articles that I put in big binders. I was ambivalent at first but glad about my decisions . I got rid of 3 boxes of shoes , 5 bags of clothes , old coats and old appliances to charity.
It is freeing feeling but purely individual- the price of fabric is so high that I couldn't
part with it and I do have plans to use it in many ways .

I'm not moving, but thanks for starting this thread. My sewing room has needed a good cleaning and re-organizing instead of just moving stuff around, and after reading this, had a "well,DUH", moment. I'm going to do it as if I were to move and I think I'll get a lot more accomplished.

We will be moving to a much smaller home in September. I will also be loosing my sewing room - until we can put one in our airplane hanger at the new house. I am excited about the move but not the sorting out. I will keep all my fabric but undecided about a machine I have not used in about eight years. I am spoiled where I live now as my machine dealer will service my machine while I am in the town shopping. I know where we live that may not happen, so I hate to get rid of the machine if I may need it while my regular machine may be in the shop. Before I knew we would be moving I sorted out my magazines. I think I need to be strong and sort them again to get rid of more. It is so hard. I hate to pay to move stuff I may end up getting rid of on the other end. I just need to be STRONG! Good luck in your downsizing and move.

When I moved from Florida to Iowa most of my sewing room had already been packed and put into storage to declutter the house to show. So didn't get rid of too much back then except my folding cutting table and mat I used from JoAnne's. Bought it twice no less as I got bored waiting for the house to sell so bought another one along with a simple sewing machine to keep me busy.

Now that I've moved up to Iowa, I went thru and destashed some of my fabrics I know I'll never use, in fact don't know why I bought it back then. Guess my style has changed. So took mine to an organization for retardation that resells items. Had a garage sale the 1st month after I unpacked and what didn't sell went to this organization too. I've still got some apparel and fleece fabrics in plastic totes as I ran out of room but slowly I'm using what I have and continually reorganizing as I use stuff.

Do I regret getting rid of the stuff, nope not one bit. Do I regret not getting rid of stuff, no as I find a use for it sooner or later or I find a new home for it.

HaHa - I had to laugh at your dilemma! For years, I sewed for my kids, and saved the scraps, hoping that one day when retired, I'd have a chance to make them memory quilts, and do some fun things with my fav. materials. Well, life got in the way, and things were all akimbo with a divorce, and new work, and grown kids, etc, so I sold all my stuff in a gigantic garage sale when I came here 17 years ago. Then I met the neighbor, who is a quilter, and wanted to start a quilting group! Of course, I wanted to participate, but had to start all over again with fabrics. It all worked out, but I thought it was quite an irony that finally I had the time to do what I wanted, but had to start over again!

All that said, I firmly believe that each person has to make her own assessment of what must stay and what must go, and trust the cosmos that it will all work out in the end ---- and it does!

Go through your things... you will know when it is time to part with your items. I very seldom regret giving away my unwanted stuff. On the flip side, I like to remind myself of how many times my things get lost in my house and never are found until after I needed them. Less stuff makes it easier to find the things I really want and use.

I alternate between being a hoarder and a purger. When I am in a purger mood, I focus on a particular area and try to get things out of the house before my hoarder mood hits! I also like to donate and/or sell my unwanted items, so I know someone else will benefit from these items.

Good luck with your choices.

I'm glad I'm not having to make that decision now. I weed out clothes on a seasonal basis. As I take out the new season's clothes I look at them and decide if I want to keep them. If I don't, they go in the charity bag. I have kept a lot of my dressy clothes because most of them are wearable art that I have made or vintage kimonos. I only dress up once or twice a year so I just keep wearing the same things.

I would probably be able to get rid of some of my stash but I hate to because for the last couple years I've sewn mostly out of my stash with one trip a year to quilt festival to buy stuff. My stash keeps me sewing and inspires me to use what I have and find new ways to combine fabrics.

I've made it plain to my husband that when we retire and probably downsize, I still need a large sewing room to keep me happy. He doesn't want me unhappy! :D

I cleaned out my drawers and closets and didn't look back. Had some of DHs socks that mission said no to. They wanted new even though they were mended. The people hanging outside the mission snatched them up. One of the women hanging outside the mission mentioned she used to sew. Mostly hand sewing. We set a time to meet the next day. I took clothes and put together a sewing kit for her with extra thread and needles also for darning socks (with an extra darning egg) and a pair of scissors. Threw an extra blessing bag in form of an old backpack dh donated. He threw in some canned goods and couple juices. She said she was suppose to be heading out of town and that was ok. She could do with the bag as she wanted.

In thinking about a move in the future...Tartan says it for me. I will have a hard time getting rid of sewing items, but think I could easily downsize in clothing/furniture.

We have moved twice in the last 4 years after living in one place for 45 years,,SOOO, I had already downsized to move south, but the second move here had me getting rid of lots and lots of clothes and all my quilting magazines. I find I enjoy looking up things online, or downloading rather than saving so many books. All my sewing tools I kept, but did get rid of a lot of scraps. Enjoy your move. I actually enjoyed going through things and pitching what I didn't need. Helps that there is a Goodwill place across the street and other charities very close.

Well I just moved from Pa to Calif. And I might not have as much quilting stuff like you but I kept mine cause you never know. Id go thru it again and really look and decide what you would use. That is great that you gave alot to project Linus.
The only thing I regret is getting attached to too much of everything else that I had kept for years .knic knacs other books records and stuff I should have gotten rid of. It turned out to be an expensive ordeal.
IF and I mean IF I ever have to move again I will not take anything other than my quilting stuff and my clothes. As they say you can always replace the other stuff.
I wish you luck and safe travels on your move. God Bless.

Sold our home of 35 years, put 90% of what we kept into storage, and have been living in an apartment since early January. DH and BIL will go get the stuff from storage by the end of this month, but I've already been wishing I had brought a few spring clothes with me!
Quilting, I've picked up some thrift shop remnants to add to the one tub I brought. I know I stored more sewing and craft stuff than I'll ever use, even though I got rid of a quarter of it.
Are you moving to the same size place, or something smaller? That makes a big difference in how much you keep.

I got rid of a bunch of magazines a few years ago that had been given to me. Probably only kept about 10% of what
I had. Don't miss them. However I cannot imagine getting rid of books or good quality cotton fabric.