Jingle

I donate 'stuff' every so often. We live in a small house and if it doesn't fit in closets or cabinets, out it goes.

Diana Lea

I keep going places and bring home more stuff. It is like chocolate, I have to have it and then hate my weight.

auntjo

I have spent the past year going thru my house for a move. My DH died a couple years ago & I am restarting my life w/a reconnect from hi school. In my old home in AZ we had everything from raising five kids & running a daycare plus my late DH's collections of just about anything & everything you can think of + a 2400 sq ft shop building packed to the rafters. We had converted a double car garage originally to my daycare, then to my sewing studio. The home I've moved into in CA is by no means a downsize, but we both have downsized our stuff in this process (his mainly thru his divorce & mine thru a reassembling process of what do I really need to keep in this transition). I've sold roomfuls of furniture and donated truckloads of "stuff" this past year. In my new home I have a room a bit larger than before designated as my studio in the ground floor basement area. Two U-haul moving trucks later I am just now to the point where the living area of the house is almost unpacked & melded together. Getting ready to tackle the downstairs basement area & set up my sewing studio again. It almost seems strange as I haven't been able to sew for pretty much this past year w/all the family stuff (my dad died at Xmas & I spent a couple months w/my mom in Iowa) & I'm finally getting close to starting up again in a whole new life.

It is totally amazing how much stuff we manage to accumulate over the years - & how hard it is to get into the mindset of letting it go. But it is true what everyone says - it's amazing how freeing the process is.

Therese

The way we did it when we moved was #1, have your child buy your house that you raised them in for 20 years, #2, leave all that "stuff" in the basement, including their childhood toys. It worked out great!

cricket_iscute

I am at the beginning of a major decluttering, and you gave me hope about how freeing the process is. I hope that is true for me, because I am not looking forward to this. The only categories I intend to keep is books (my library) and most of my sewing stuff. Even so, I gave away 450 books and a couple hundred yards of fabric.

mjhaess

It will be well worth the effort and just think how satisfied you will feel when you are done..

Mornigstar

I did the declutter this spring but I think I could do it again. I find it very freeing. Did not get rid of fabric / sewing stuff but organized it . I always say we spend 50 yrs collecting things we wanted then spend the next 50 yrs getting rid ot that same stuff. Today looked for a sm 66 manual that I can not find but know I did not throw it away only have many parts I will eventually put for sale later.

kareno

My kids are both in college and decided that it was time to get out of my huge house and move to something more manageable. They don't come home that frequently during the year except on holidays, and they agree it would be easier. So I am also cleaning house to put it on the market and find an 3 bedroom apartment for the next 6 years till I can retire and move to a warmer climate. The first thing I did was clean the garage so I had somewhere to put all the stuff that I am going to put into a garage sale. The two car garage just isn't big enough!! Keep going - it will get there eventually.

Carol34446

I would give them a set date, a few months out, tell them to come and get it or it goes in a big yard sale or donated because your moving and CAN NOT take it. Let it be their choice what they do, they are adults now.

MargeD

I really believe that our "stuff" multiplies itself when we aren't looking, especially fabric. I realized this when we were downsizing and I combined all the totes of fabric from the basement sewing room, upstairs sewing room and 2 closets. I think I need "birth control" for my fabrics in the future. LOL