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What do you find it difficult to get rid of?

post #1 of 36
1/6/08 at 5:31pm
Thread Starter 
It's easy for me to pitch some things, but other things...well, some things I struggle with giving it the old heave ho.

Clothing is sometimes hard for me.

Crafty items my kids have made are impossible for me to toss.

I have a shelf in my basement full of old stuff...sentimental junk...that is taking over, spilling over...and the truth is I am not really all that sentimental anymore. But I find it overwhelming to go through this monstrous pile of memories, sort through it and winnow it down to a few things to keep.

I have two pair of red high heels...I RARELY wear high heels and when I do it is usually my pair of black heels. But I am worried that if I get rid of one pair of red heels, I will wish I had kept them and not be happy with the other pair I DID keep.

Jewelry...I have sorted through lots of it, given it to my friend's daughters. I might make up a little box to keep to give to any DILs or grandaughters I may have someday. I LOVE my jewelry, but I'd like to pare it down to a reasonable amount that I actually love and wear still.

I am trying...I have been tossing stuff for years.

But it still isn't easy for me.

Anybody else have things that are hard to let go of and others that are easy to toss?
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post #2 of 36
1/6/08 at 6:46pm
Clothes are my weak spot. Anything else I can pitch no problem, some things I hold in my hands for an extra second, but once its in the bag, I forget about it all together.

I think things like: I was in labor in that shirt, or we had a blast at Disney World in that outfit, and ds leared how to ride a two wheeler in that shirt, insert any happy memory, etc.

I'm doing much bette letting go, but I still feel like I'm throwing away my kids baby/toddler/childhood.
post #3 of 36
1/6/08 at 6:49pm
It is hard to give up things that have so many memories. Clothes aren't an issue for me. Books, the kids artwork/ crafts/ pictures, impossible

I also keep odd kitchen things I "may" want, like the chocolate pot
post #4 of 36
1/6/08 at 6:52pm
Ummm, everything that still has value, whether monetary or sentimental.

I'm getting better, but it's still so hard for me. I do love freecycle just because it's getting used but I still have the problem of I paid x amount, how can I just get rid of it.

Also sentimental things, not that they mean so much to me, but it's important to my mother (who has given me most of them). I try so hard to winnow everything down & then she gives me something else. This Christmas it was an 18" statue of a mother & daughter. It's fine, nice, but not something I would ever buy & I don't have any real display space in my small house.

I also have a hard time with dd's arts & crafts projects, but if I didn't I would be drowning in it.
post #5 of 36
1/6/08 at 6:59pm
For me it's books. We have hundreds and hundreds of them so many that we've run out of shelf space and they're stacked on counters, in closets, on the mantle on the floor beneath a console table.
post #6 of 36
1/6/08 at 7:39pm
Clothes. I gain 60 lbs in my pregnancies and then go back to normal a few months after delivery, so I have a complete wardrobe in at least 4 different sizes. I also have heaps of stuff that isn't nursing-friendly, and "going out" outfits that are taking a looooong vacation, but I don't want to pitch it all because I like the stuff and hope to use it once we're done having babies. Of course by then it'll probably be out of style!
post #7 of 36
1/6/08 at 8:15pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks for the replies, mamas.

It feels better knowing I am not the only one who has trouble getting rid of certain things.

post #8 of 36
1/6/08 at 8:39pm
James' books.

I can get rid of MY books no problem because I will rarely read the same book more than 3 or 4 times (unless it's a WONDERFUL book and those are few and far between) but James's books I CANNOT get rid of. He can read the same book 50 times in a row and never tire of it. He loves to read, he loves to be read to. Well obviously he's 3 so he cannot read, but he sits there and pretend reads for hours.

He has probably 300 books. I'm not even exagerating. I'm SO proud of myself for getting rid of as many as I did, but I cannot bear to part with the books. They aren't even all 'good' books IMO...many are disney/cartoon books given as gifts, but he still loves them.

Oh and shoes. I have so few pair of shoes I can't bear to part with the few I have. And stuff that belonged to my grandfather. I have a sweater, a polo shirt, a pair of slippers and a teddy bear that was my grandpa's...I'll probably keep those things forever. I never wear them, but I keep them anyway because they were my grandpa's. I also have a pair of Doc Martins that my grandpa and grandma bought me for Christmas like 10 years ago...I can't get rid of them, they are sooo uncomfortable after 3 years of almost constant wear...I never wear them anymore, but my Papa got them for me. they still fit, is my excuse...
post #9 of 36
1/6/08 at 9:33pm
Books. I have never, ever been able to declutter my books before. But somehow in the last few weeks, I have decided that I'm going to sell the ones I don't re-read regularly on Ebay. Then I can use the money I make to buy more books

And I have 5 pairs of jeans that are currently too small for me. I can't get rid of them - one day they're going to fit me, and then I'll be glad that they've been taking up so much room in my closet all these years lol.
post #10 of 36
1/7/08 at 3:31am
Gifts from my IL's is what I have a hard time with. Not because I like them but because I'm sure that the minute I throw out something they have given us they will ask about it or my kids will mention to them that I tossed it. I can't deal with the problems that may cause. :
post #11 of 36
1/7/08 at 3:53am
Quote:
Originally Posted by minta View Post
Clothes. I gain 60 lbs in my pregnancies and then go back to normal a few months after delivery, so I have a complete wardrobe in at least 4 different sizes. I also have heaps of stuff that isn't nursing-friendly, and "going out" outfits that are taking a looooong vacation, but I don't want to pitch it all because I like the stuff and hope to use it once we're done having babies. Of course by then it'll probably be out of style!
This is me - totally.

Books. I love books, especially cookbooks.

Stuff that is useful and has plenty of life, but I'm just not using or have too many of - particularly kitchen items. I'm trying to pare it down, but it's hard, especially when I think , "but I use those at Thanksgiving or Christmas..." Is it worth taking up all that space in my cabinets for the once or twice a year I actually use it?

Handmade, sentimental baby items. Like the 3 crocheted baby blankets from DS1, 3 crocheted blankets and 2 quilts for DS2, and 1 (plus who knows how many on the way) for DC3... I keep them in an underbed rubbermaid storage container, but honestly - they'll likely never be used again.
post #12 of 36
1/7/08 at 11:14am
Books.

I have purged this house of just about everything else that is superfluous. Books are my downfall.

We have five full bookcases of books, and five boxes in storage of books - DH and I are both huge readers, and I used to be a teacher.

I did just post 60 books on paperback swap in the past week (and sent out nine!), though, so, I'm awfully happy about that.
post #13 of 36
1/7/08 at 11:36am
Thread Starter 
:

We just bought a new bookshelf, and my brother is picking up two smaller, collapsable bookshelves for us soon.

And the boys have books in boxes in the basement.

Okay, so I guess I have a book problem, too, even though I DO regularly send books out of my house! I need to stop buying books and use the library more, except for books I REALLY love.

:
post #14 of 36
1/7/08 at 12:55pm
the many things in my home that once belonged to my grandmother (our beat-up table and chairs, tons of china/crystal/etc we don't use) and a stash of vintage jewelry mil gave me that belonged to her mom and grandmas. i would feel guilty.

with mil, i could always ask if she wanted things back before i got rid of them - like if she wanted to hang on to it for her granddaughters, which she didn't have when she gave the stuff to me. but with my grandma . . . she's gone. most of her things don't have any value to anyone else, yet i think my mom and brother would think it was wrong of me to dump it. some of the things actually do have resale value, which is even worse! lol, what to do. it sits in my garage and my car sits on the street.
post #15 of 36
1/7/08 at 9:40pm
Things that I swear will be used for some amazing as-yet-undetermined craft project. Old calendars, personalized cards, yarn, wool sweaters from the thrift store that I just know I'll make into soakers someday... the list goes on and on and on.
post #16 of 36
1/7/08 at 9:53pm
Books, books, books. For some idiot reason, I feel compelled to read them before getting rid of them...so I'm only getting rid of one or two a week. On the other hand, I've been surprised at how many books were on my shelves for YEARS that I had never read; in the process of decluttering, I would read the first chapter and realize I hated the book. Those are easy to get rid of!

I saved all DS's baby clothes for DC#2, so haven't had to get rid of anything sentimental...but I know I will struggle with that.

Getting rid of memorabilia from school is difficult. Not sure why, I haven't kept in touch with most of those friends, but it's hard to get rid of the old letters and notes that remind me of who I was all those years ago. I need to pare it down, and just haven't been able to.

Anything that belonged to my Grandmother, who died last July. I have quite a few family heirlooms that she passed on to me, mostly glassware and other breakables, which are living in cardboard boxes until DH builds me a display case. I'm sure I kept way more than I will have room for, but her death was so recent, I'm not yet ready to let ANY of it go.
post #17 of 36
1/8/08 at 2:56am
[QUOTE]
Quote:
Originally Posted by JamesMama View Post
James' books.

I can get rid of MY books no problem because I will rarely read the same book more than 3 or 4 times (unless it's a WONDERFUL book and those are few and far between) but James's books I CANNOT get rid of. He can read the same book 50 times in a row and never tire of it. He loves to read, he loves to be read to. Well obviously he's 3 so he cannot read, but he sits there and pretend reads for hours.
I saved all my boy's books too, but the ones that were really special to each one I put in a large rubbermaid along with other important childhood treasures. I did this every year or so. We sometimes go in the attic and look through everything, it is wonderful!

This makes it easier to let go of the not so special books, knowing I have the ones they really loved tucked away.

Blessings,
post #18 of 36
1/8/08 at 3:03am
]
Quote:
Originally Posted by Peppermint Poppies View Post
Books. I have never, ever been able to declutter my books before. But somehow in the last few weeks, I have decided that I'm going to sell the ones I don't re-read regularly on Ebay. Then I can use the money I make to buy more books
Consider www.paperbackswap.com, it really is so easy and your old books easily turn into new ones that you really want to read. I had such a difficult time decluttering my bookshelves until I found this site. I have sent about 70 books and received about 65 books. It is absolutely free, you only pay postage for the books YOU send. Approx. 1.80 each. It feels like Christmas every week at my house!

Blessings,
post #19 of 36
1/8/08 at 4:26am
Quote:
Originally Posted by doubledutch View Post
but with my grandma . . . she's gone. most of her things don't have any value to anyone else, yet i think my mom and brother would think it was wrong of me to dump it. some of the things actually do have resale value, which is even worse! lol, what to do. it sits in my garage and my car sits on the street.
Maybe your grandma didn't like all that stuff either?! Maybe someone gave it to her and she felt guilty getting rid of it? Are you going to keep it around, with no one really enjoying it, until it gets passed down to someone else who doesn't really want it but keeps it because it was yours?

Not really aimed at you or your situation, personally. (Of course, it could easily apply.) Just something that literally popped into my head as I was reading your post. I'm just realizing this possibility for the very first time...

Amazing how decluttering changes your perspective.
post #20 of 36
1/8/08 at 7:15am
Quote:
Originally Posted by MonkeyPrincess View Post
....
I think things like: I was in labor in that shirt,....

ok laughing at this one! I just did a major wardrobe purge and couldn't throw out the old black strappy nightie that I wore for both births/labours.
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