MAJOR dejunking/downsizing--anyone later regret it?

[Ottakee]

Dh and I were talking (again) about how much stuff we have and how cluttered things are around here. Our house is not huge but we have plenty of space for what we NEED. It is all of the extra stuff that causes the issues.

 

We are thinking that when school is out in 2 weeks (2 of my 3 are in public school settings) that we will take 1 day per room/area and do a MAJOR dejunking/downsizing, etc.

 

Not all of it is junk but if we aren't using it, do we really need to keep so many of the little kid type books and videos or would a few choice ones be good for when the nieces and nephews come? Even though the clothes are nice, do they really NEED that many shirts in their drawers? Do we really need 12 coffee cups when no one here drinks coffee and we rarely have even 1 guest here that drinks it? Can I sell/donate homeschool stuff that while great, is not being used?

 

Did anyone ever get rid of a lot of stuff and then later regret it?

[HollyDay]

Yes, there have been a few occasions when we have gotten rid of things and regretted it later. In fact, we just had this conversation over the weekend.

 

But, for the most part, it is necessary. There is only so much storage space in the house. I will not rent a storage facility for our stuff. I am constantly amazed by how many people I know that rent storage for their holiday decorations and out of season clothing. Our budge won't allow that. So, we must be on guard for clutter and excess.

 

I read a book a couple years ago about the Amish who said that material possessions will start to control you rather than you control it. You will spend all your time managing, cleaning, sorting, putting away, your material things rather than spending your time with people. Now, I'm certainly not amish and I do like my things, but there is wisdom there. Like you said, do you need 12 coffee cups?

[Gratia271]

My children and husband dislike it, but I find it quite liberating! :001_smile: Of course, I am the one who has to organize and manage it, hence their sadness and my joy!

[MamaT]

I'm :bigear: because I'm getting ready to start purging in a couple of weeks. There are three floors on this house, and I'm going to take one floor a week. I do this every summer, but it is usually just deep cleaning and organizing. I'm tired of organizing tons of stuff and I think I'm ready to just get rid of a lot of it.

[melissel]

I'm :bigear: too because I struggle with this immensely. (In fact, I have a spin-off question I need to post about decluttering and kids.) My main problem is that I'm a packrat of the frugal mentality, so I hate to get rid of anything because I might need it someday! I also keep things around because I hate forcing the kids and DH (with that ding-dang box of CDs that has lived in my pantry room for two years now!) to get rid of things. There's only so much of my own stuff I can get rid of! I'm trying to let go of these issues, but it's really hard :blush:

Edited June 1, 2010 by melissel
subject-verb agreement!

[fivetails]

I used to be a terrible packrat ~ with a love for flea markets and yard sales, at that. Bad combo. REALLY BAD COMBO. :laugh:

 

Then, I found the cure. (Or it found me)

 

A year and a half ago, I had to turn our entire 3 bedroom house into 6 suitcases for a cross-country move.

 

By myself.

 

In three weeks.

 

 

= one cured packrat with a new appreciation for the powers of Red Bull. ;)

 

 

GET RID OF THE *STUFF* ~ donate, give to friends, have a yard sale so that other packrats can come & buy it. :tongue_smilie:

Edited June 1, 2010 by fivetails
font

[Mejane]

No. Usually I even forget what it was I gave away within a few days. Think of it as "stuff" and it will be easier to let go of.

[Melinda in VT]

I have felt a twinge of regret at times. Usually over very minor things. (For example, I need to pull a costume together for one of the kids, and I wish we had a certain article of clothing that we decluttered because no one wore it.) These twinges are always passing, and the missing item has never yet caused more than a momentary inconvenience.

 

Stuff I haven't yet decluttered causes me many more problems. Many, many more.

[Greta]

Did anyone ever get rid of a lot of stuff and then later regret it?

 

Not only do I NOT regret decluttering, I honestly don't think about or hardly remember what it was that I got rid of. Maybe that's the up side to having a terrible memory. :D. But, truly, it was very liberating. I need to do it again, though, because old habits die hard and I have been hanging on to too much stuff since then. But it was like a breath of fresh air into my life. Not only did my home become more peaceful and enjoyable, but I just felt more calm and in control in general.

 

I'm really glad you posted this. You're getting me motivated to do it again!

[alpidarkomama]

2009 was the Year of the Great Decluttering. We got rid of tons of stuff (and we weren't even collectors/shoppers!). In January, DH got a new job across the country and we got a house 20% smaller in a city with a much lower cost of living. We LOVE it!!!!!!! Housecleaning is easier, our things fit very nicely into this space, and living is cheaper. :) Very, very glad we did it, and I can't think of anything I've missed since getting rid of it. Feels great!!!

[AuntieM]

No regrets here! In fact, it's cathartic. I am busy decluttering and greatly looking forward to down sizing in the next few years. I am surely sick of spending so much time managing stuff.

[Giraffe]

I just "downsized" two massive storage units and a two bedroom condo into a three bedroom house. I still have a ways to go in decluttering, but we did purge about 50%. The easiest way to do it is to not think about it. Don't think about nieces and nephews to come. Don't think about potential coffee drinkers for your mugs. Simply get rid of them. Donate, sell, whatever, but do it. You might regret one or two items later, but that's nothing compared to the mountains of stuff you won't even remember.

 

DH and I are both packrats so I understand. I am proud of him for letting go of as much as he did, and can't believe how much I let go. Now I'm ready to let go of more. It's amazing how liberating one feels afterwards!!

 

Good luck!

[5forMe]

We are a family of 7. We live in a large home, but if I am not careful our large home becomes short on space. We do not need all of the stuff that comes into our home. When I shop, I say to myself "do I have a place for this item when I take it home?". If I can't think of a place for the item, it stays in the store. If I have a necessity than something has to go in order to make room for the new necessity.

 

I have, on occasion gotten rid of something and regretted it, but more often than not, I was relieved to clean out unnecessary clutter.

[ChristusG]

I despise clutter. If it is something we dont use often (and it is not sentimental), then we get rid of it or sell it. I have never regretted it. Last month we thought we were moving and I did another major declutter. Never regretted it.

[Heather in AL]

I am awful at decluttering because I have emotional attachments to a lot of things. Because of this, I allowed myself one big rubbermaid tub for each child to keep some of their teeny outfits in~~ones that I loved to see them in, ones that grandparents bought, etc. Just the faves. First Halloween costume... things like that. They are packed tight, but knowing that I allowed myself to keep them made donating the rest easier. I have something similar to keep special toys/stuffed animals in.

 

As for general 'things'.... the only thing I regret getting rid of would be some tools we were sure we would never need again... things like a post hole digger... who'da thunk we would have needed THAT again?

 

I would think twice about getting rid of small kitchen appliances, too... I got rid of something I hadn't touched in several years (I can't remember what it was now), and then our eating habits changed and I had to go out any buy another one. Funny that I can't remember what it was... I also regret getting rid of my pressure cooker (don't laugh, but it scared me), as I have often wanted to use it, but haven't had the nerve to buy another one.

 

Anyway, if there is something(s) that gives you a hard time, put it off to the side in it's own bag or whatever and get rid of the rest. If, after, say a month or so, you don't remember what's in the 'set aside bag', go ahead and get rid of it. It's easier said than done, but I have done that and it does help.

 

Getting rid of things we worked so hard to buy/enjoyed using/wearing, etc, is hard, but it really does make one feel better.

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

I've never regretted getting rid of something that I haven't used in at least 2 years.

[hillfarm]

I had to do a major decluttering when we moved from Florida back to Ohio. I had to ask myself as I picked up each item for packing, whether it was worth paying to transport it. If it wasn't, then off to the Boy Scout rummage sale it went.

 

The only two things I regret getting rid of were a dog exercise pen and a big plastic popcorn bowl. Both of which could be easily replaced if I had a serious need to do so.

[H.S. Burrow]

Dh and I were talking (again) about how much stuff we have and how cluttered things are around here. Our house is not huge but we have plenty of space for what we NEED. It is all of the extra stuff that causes the issues.

 

We are thinking that when school is out in 2 weeks (2 of my 3 are in public school settings) that we will take 1 day per room/area and do a MAJOR dejunking/downsizing, etc.

 

Not all of it is junk but if we aren't using it, do we really need to keep so many of the little kid type books and videos or would a few choice ones be good for when the nieces and nephews come? Even though the clothes are nice, do they really NEED that many shirts in their drawers? Do we really need 12 coffee cups when no one here drinks coffee and we rarely have even 1 guest here that drinks it? Can I sell/donate homeschool stuff that while great, is not being used?

 

Did anyone ever get rid of a lot of stuff and then later regret it?

 

I don't think I've regretted getting rid of anything...not really. The question that I always ask myself is this: Will I ever purchase another one? In other words, using your coffee mug example, if I had a Christmas/Winter party and were serving a hot beverage would I purchase coffee mugs? Would I purchase styrofoam cups? IF I would, then I would probable keep the coffee mugs, but store them with seasonal dishware (if you have that!) in a separate hutch and not have them taking up cabinet space for daily use dishware.

 

As for the books & videos for the visiting nieces & nephews.... How often do they visit? For how long do they visit? My sister-in-law ALWAYS bring toys, books, and DVDs for her boys when they visit. This is in part because it's a 6 hour drive for them, but also because they are several years younger than my youngest. What's appropriate for my kids is not always appropriate for hers. I would box the videos, books, etc for the nieces & nephews and store it in the attic/garage until their next visit. See how you (and they!) do without them. If all goes well and you don't end up opening the box, then get rid of the contents without a second thought!!

[melissel]

I would think twice about getting rid of small kitchen appliances, too... I got rid of something I hadn't touched in several years (I can't remember what it was now), and then our eating habits changed and I had to go out any buy another one.

 

:lol: I just starting using a waffle maker that was given to us 11 years ago but that I was too intimidated to learn to use. Turns out it's SO easy to make waffles! I nearly decluttered that thing several times, and now I'm glad I didn't. But that's the only example I can think of!

[Giraffe]

As for the books & videos for the visiting nieces & nephews.... How often do they visit? For how long do they visit? My sister-in-law ALWAYS bring toys, books, and DVDs for her boys when they visit. This is in part because it's a 6 hour drive for them, but also because they are several years younger than my youngest. What's appropriate for my kids is not always appropriate for hers. I would box the videos, books, etc for the nieces & nephews and store it in the attic/garage until their next visit. See how you (and they!) do without them. If all goes well and you don't end up opening the box, then get rid of the contents without a second thought!!

 

Or send the box home with the nieces and nephews and let their parents deal with it! :tongue_smilie: They might actually find things in there they need and you don't have to face the stuff anymore.

 

Just a thought.

[Jeannie in NJ]

I have started decluttering. One thing that inspired me was that I got tired of stuff getting lost and then I would have to go buy another so I figured the worse if I throw something out is that someday MAYBE I might have to buy it again.

 

DD, age 15, had about 6 bins of craft kits, yarn, etc that she had not touched in years. She decided out it goes. It was such a relief and I am glad that she will not have any packrat habits. My son, age 12, on the other hand, I have to toss stuff when he is not around. He does not like to throw out anything, must get it from dh who has his dad's movie projector in the attic. Last year, I did finally talk him into throwing out the BETA vcr lol.

 

so no, I have not ever regreted anything that I have got rid of.

[ereks mom]

 

I read a book a couple years ago about the Amish who said that material possessions will start to control you rather than you control it. You will spend all your time managing, cleaning, sorting, putting away, your material things rather than spending your time with people.

 

This is where I'm finding myself lately. :( I'm a neat freak who lives with 3 messies, BUT who also tends to be a packrat, which is NOT a good combination. I want to simplify, but it's overwhelming: what to do with all this STUFF???

 

I feel very convicted by that statement by the Amish; I have a constant nagging feeling that I need to get the clutter under control--to the point that I can't really enjoy time with my family, and I'm embarrassed for guests to come over when the house is a mess--so I guess it's true that the "stuff" gets in the way of spending time with the people I love. :(

Edited June 1, 2010 by ereks mom

[stripe]

Did anyone ever get rid of a lot of stuff and then later regret it?

No. I have never (or virtually never) wanted anything I got rid of. I have only found it to be a good thing. It's much easier to go to a closet that has only appealing clothes that fit, for example.

[KellyinAr]

My family moved a year ago out of state and we took only about a third of our belongings. It has been wonderful and liberating. I am now trying to get rid of everything we don't use. It frees up so much space in the house and in my brain and makes living in my home so much easier. I highly recommend it!

[manylilblessings]

It's funny, I just posted something about this on the other thread going. When I started my decluttering life, I took Don Aslett's advice. He says, "If you regret getting rid of something, give yourself permission to buy it again." In 15 years of decluttering, I've only repurchased 4 items. Oh to think of all the junk that I don't have to live with because I spent the money on 4 things. It's a bargain.

[melissel]

This is where I'm finding myself lately. :( I'm a neat freak who lives with 3 messies, BUT who also tends to be a packrat, which is NOT a good combination. I want to simplify, but it's overwhelming: what to do with all this STUFF???

 

I feel very convicted by that statement by the Amish; I have a constant nagging feeling that I need to get the cutter under control--to the point that I can't really enjoy time with my family, and I'm embarrassed for guests to come over when the house is a mess--so I guess it's true that the "stuff" gets in the way of spending time with the people I love. :(

 

Oh, I feel the same exact way :grouphug: I just posted in another thread that I feel so paralyzed by this house and everything in it; I just can't take it anymore! I quit my job a few months ago because it was taking up precious time with my family, and three months later, I'm spending all that time managing STUFF. It breaks my heart. I'm about to start dejunking big time.

[melissel]

It's funny, I just posted something about this on the other thread going. When I started my decluttering life, I took Don Aslett's advice. He says, "If you regret getting rid of something, give yourself permission to buy it again." In 15 years of decluttering, I've only repurchased 4 items. Oh to think of all the junk that I don't have to live with because I spent the money on 4 things. It's a bargain.

 

:lol: I saw your post in my thread, and it's so hard for me to do, but I've started maintaining that same mindset. And as Jeannie here said, there have been times when I've brought something new home because I needed it, and then discovered that I already had one, but it was buried. So if I'm spending the money either way, I might as well aim toward freedom!

[QuirkyKapers]

Once I decluttered things in the kitchen and got rid of those visionware pots since I never cook with them. My husband wasn't happy since he uses them and went out and bought another set:) Ooops!

 

I usually don't remember what I decluttter. If I am unsure about something I will put it in a pile. If I haven't worn it or used it by the time the next call comes for a Purple heart pick-up, it's gone.

 

It has taken a couple years, but I now officially have two free shelves on my bookshelves! Yeah. My kids clothes are now down to 10 days of shirts, shorts, pants, etc. It really feels great to get rid of all the junk. I just keep asking, where did all this stuff come from in the first place! I also have stopped taking freebies from people. If it is clothes,I will pick out what I want instead of just having them send a whole bag home. If I am unsure about an item, I leave it.

[lauracolumbus]

We are a family of 7. We live in a large home, but if I am not careful our large home becomes short on space. We do not need all of the stuff that comes into our home. When I shop, I say to myself "do I have a place for this item when I take it home?". If I can't think of a place for the item, it stays in the store. If I have a necessity than something has to go in order to make room for the new necessity.

 

 

 

 

This is good advice.

 

I have regretted a few things (a bicycle that dh got rid of and now we need to buy a new one for the next kid), but like everyone else has said, the pros outweigh the cons.

 

Laura

[shastanarnia]

it's so freeing to get rid of junk...i love it!!:D

[Ottakee]

We WILL do this over the summer. I don't have emotional ties to much. I am not a knick knack person, etc. My kids though are SAVERS---empty glass pop bottles, papers, old clothes and shoes, magazines, etc.

 

Like someone mentioned, this JUNK is keeping us from having others over, keeping our house picked up, etc.

 

We got into this problem when we were foster parents and we had over 100 kids through our home. I HAD to have clothing for boys and girls from infant to teen as most kids came with nothing. I had to have baby gear, diapers, bottles, toys, etc. all ready as well. Now that we are no longer foster parents, we don't need to keep so much stuff.

[justamouse]

Yes, but it was treasures I knew I shouldn't have parted with, but in my zeal got rid of anyway. It's not the junk, it's the heirlooms. I have tons of heirlooms and love everyone of them. All of the Nana's give them to me because they know I'll take care of them. that said, I edit every September and have a garage sale. I keep all of the family stuff, but all of the other stuff that we accumulate I sell. And I'm trying to not accumulate it now. Use it up, wear it out, make due or do without. I'm making a huge sign and hanging it in my kitchen. :-)

Edited June 1, 2010 by justamouse

[BeckyFL]

I think that question is a sign of that little bit of hoarding tendency we all (or most) of us have. Should I hang onto this do-dad because I might need it someday? Will I be sorry later that my precious do-dad is gone? What if my kids grow up and wish they had a do-dad to help them start their lives on their own and I could have helped them by hanging onto my do-dad? lol

I'm trying to tell myself that hanging onto things is really selfishness. Why should something be sitting unused in my closet or garage when someone else could be enjoying it or Salvation Army could use it to raise money or to give to someone needy? I'm glad this came up because I JUST saw a box in the garage today. I need to tell myself to LET GO! :)

[mom2abcd]

I've regretted it. We moved from a 3300 square foot house to a 1500 sq. ft. house. We got rid of tons of stuff. Almost half our stuff is in storage. Even what we moved, much is not unpacked. We are moving again and I can't wait to get at what was in storage. I have people waiting to hear from me on genealogy stuff that I stored. I want to get at my photos and scrapbooking that I moved, but never unpacked because of lack of space. There are work-related items I put in storage that I could have used in my job (not realizing I would need them).

 

Much of what we got rid of we can buy again. But there are memories, papers, etc. that I have thought of over the last two years that I regret getting rid of.

 

This probably isn't what you want to hear, but at least you know someone understands.

 

The bad thing is it appears we will have another small house. Who knows when I will be able to get at all my stuff? Very frustrating...

[Heidi7Sue]

I am a packrat who would like to stop being one. My dh is a packrat who thinks he isn't one. One of our 2 dc can't stand to throw anything away either. I keep telling them, if you can't find it when you want it, you might as well throw it away now. So either find a place where it can belong, or get rid of it!!! It always falls on deaf ears.:glare:

[kalanamak]

I have felt a twinge of regret at times. Usually over very minor things. (For example, I need to pull a costume together for one of the kids, and I wish we had a certain article of clothing that we decluttered because no one wore it.) These twinges are always passing, and the missing item has never yet caused more than a momentary inconvenience.

 

Stuff I haven't yet decluttered causes me many more problems. Many, many more.

 

:iagree:Go for it. I recently "halved it all" and it was terrifically liberating.

[Aubrey]

Yes, it sometimes feels as if I have to mentally hold up the entire contents of our world. Can't forget this bill on this day or that prescription. The posters are behind the sofa in that folder, & the artwork is behind the same sofa in the other folder. You need to reinstall Adobe? Ask Mom, Keeper of All Things. She also knows where you left your wallet & cell phone. (But *you* should call her Sweetie & quit leaving your wallet in the dirty clothes.)

 

When the house gets crazy messy, my mental juggling act falls apart. I just took 10 bags of stuff to the Goodwill & 2 to the trash. I don't care if I regret it; I'm preventing an anurism. ;)

 

Fwiw, I agree about sm kitchen appliances--ours sat in storage for yrs while we lived w/ ils, had babies, finished school, *learned* to cook. Things Mom (who doesn't cook) said I'd never need are on my counter for everyday use now.

 

The one thing I regret giving away? I've always wanted a *real* picnic basket, & my grandmother gave me one right after dh & I married. When we came to seminary, space was so tight, I decided someone else would love the picnic basket. I'd never used it. I hate picnics.

 

Still, though. Sometimes I wish I had it. We did technically take dd on a picnic for her bday this yr. My luck, though, if we had it, I wouldn't have been able to find it in time, & I would have been cussing mad to finally have a reason to need it, to have to put up w/ bugs & heat, & NOT HAVE MY CUTE PICNIC BASKET. :lol:

 

As it was, I had a lovely basket that worked fine. So I guess I'm good.

[Kate CA]

We just did a whole house (floors, paint) remodel and we purged big time. It was marvelous!! My children are growing and I just don't need it all anymore. I got rid of eight boxes of books, all many pieces of furniture. We gave away bags and bags of things to the Goodwill and various friends and still have a huge entertainment center to go. I love it!! It is entirely freeing and wonderful to have LESS STUFF. Do it!! :D