It's all about sorting, decluttering. My house isn't overly cluttered (well, maybe the basement is but a lot of that is not my stuff!), but we have a lot of stuff. I am trying to sort through it but I feel like I am getting absolutely nowhere. I have been working on some cupboards upstairs. It is really a catch-all for all kinds of things. I have sorted through it, have a box of blankets for the animal shelter, donated some stuff and thrown away other things but there still seems to be a lot of it left.
Most of it is dolls. My MIL bought daughter lots of dolls. My MIL had no daughters of her own and our daughter was her first granddaughter. Some of them 'special' and were quite expensive. Daughter knows Grandma will be upset if she gets rid of them but daughter is in an apartment and doesn't have room for them. I have agreed to hold on to them for now. The other granddaughter got rid of all her dolls and MIL was quite upset.
That doesn't help me. Other son still has things up there too. He lives in a studio apartment which is a temporary thing and he doesn't have room for some of his stuff. He really needs to sort through it. Sigh.
I guess I really need to just deal with it or tell them to take it or else (probably not!). This is obviously just a venting post. How do others do with decluttering? What about those 'special' things people gave you. Do you find it easy to get rid of them? Or do you hold onto them?
Have included this just because it makes me happy - Shasta with her new toys (which are at daughter's place).
It's such a nightmare isn't it this decluttering.
ReplyDeleteSome things I find easy to let go and others I cling on to for dear life.....even the smallest piece of paper that Ruby has written on....lol.
We also have her collection of dolls here...underneath the dining table.
Good luck with the rest of your sorting out-x-
I admit I have kept a couple of pictures the kids made for me when they were little. I'm not quite ready to let go yet lol
DeleteCan the kids' stuff be stored in an attic, basement, or garage? If so, they'll not be taking up room in what might be primary storage space in your house.
ReplyDeleteI have a hard time with decluttering. I tend to hold on to a lot of stuff for sentimental reasons. It's not the item, itself, that is valuable to me; it's the memories attached to it. It's very difficult for me to let go of things. For me, it is like peeling an onion; one layer at a time.
I'm getting better at it. We just seem to have a lot of stuff accumulated. It's difficult to even know where to start sometimes, but I am tackling it one space at a time. Most of it is out of sight so it's not something I have to think about or see all the time lol
DeleteAs I think we have talked about before I am doing a declutter too, and it is tricky. I don't think that anyone should be compelled to keep anything for any reason, but perhaps if the things are expensive - the dolls - your daughter could sell them and then purchase something that she really likes to keep the memory of them. It is difficult if she feels forced to keep something that she doesn't want or have space for. Perhaps she could just keep one or two and let the rest go. Also, will Grandma actually know if no one tells her. We cleared my in laws house and they kept stuff that I am sure they kept just because they had it or were given it and thought they could never throw it out, well we threw it out or donated it, so I am strongly of the opinion you should keep things because you want them, not because someone else wants you to. Family heirlooms and really valuable things are perhaps slightly different and should if possible be rehomed with other family members who want them, but otherwise sell them and reinvest in something more appropriate. Donate everything else. That is my twopennorth for what it is worth! Less than two pence I am sure!! Good luck with it.
ReplyDeleteThanks Amy! I think I'm getting to the point of keeping only the things that really matter. Some of the things of the kids I was holding onto (because of the memories I associated with them) I ended up taking photos of and getting rid of the item.
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