For those who are destashing why do you think you have so many things?....

[Duckyiam71]

For us, it is a lot of the above..kids and some really good deals on things that had a purpose once. But the biggest items I would love to destash are my husbands military stuff. Talk about bringing your work home. All the uniforms and supplies take up room. It is so expensive to replace but the current unit may not use it but you want to hang on to it because the next one will? My DH is deployed right now and I keep telling him, I will destash for him...but it is a no go. But my goal is to donate most of my over abundance of scrapbooking supplies to the community building on post.

 

[DawnM]

I am a kitchen gadget collector. My kitchen is not large enough to accomodate my obsession!

My kids love toys and they outgrow toys or lose pieces.....so we are needing to re-shift and get rid of.....

Add to that bikes, trikes, ride on toys......all that rust or become outgrown.....

Clothing.....boys grow!

I yard sale shop and buy too much, period!

We homeschool so we have the last 3 years' or so curriculum sitting around.

We love to read so we have a LOT of books.

The list goes on and on.

 

[Jill in Chicago]

In your garage or basement have a large box. Every time you pick up something that you don't use/like anymore it goes right into the box. When the box gets full donate it.

The only "trick" to this is to resist the urge to go back through the box "one more time" before you donate. Do NOT do this! Close the box. You didn't miss it before you don't need it now.

Kid's clothes. Again the box system. For many it helps to have the box near the washer and drier. Clean clothes that no longer fit get washed, dried and boxed.

Hope this helps someone!

 

[mafibisha]

For us, it is a lot of the above..kids and some really good deals on things that had a purpose once. But the biggest items I would love to destash are my husbands military stuff. Talk about bringing your work home. All the uniforms and supplies take up room. It is so expensive to replace but the current unit may not use it but you want to hang on to it because the next one will? My DH is deployed right now and I keep telling him, I will destash for him...but it is a no go. But my goal is to donate most of my over abundance of scrapbooking supplies to the community building on post.

God bless your husband!!

And yes, I kwym. A friend's husband does the same thing because the government doesn't issue enough of it to begin with, and they often have to pay out of pocket for stuff he needs.

Tell him we said thanks much for serving!!

 

[kahblue]

Over the years I have found a lot of satisfaction and less stress by getting rid of stuff. I always have a box being filled and as soon as it is, it's gone!

One thing I'd suggest to those who hold onto sentimental items but have them packed away, collecting dust or simply no home for them: take pictures! Making a photo album of these items with a little blurb or story on what it is and why it's important to you is so much nicer. You can enjoy these things anytime by looking thru your book.

KIM

 

[Ericandjenng]

In your garage or basement have a large box. Every time you pick up something that you don't use/like anymore it goes right into the box. When the box gets full donate it.

The only "trick" to this is to resist the urge to go back through the box "one more time" before you donate. Do NOT do this! Close the box. You didn't miss it before you don't need it now.

Kid's clothes. Again the box system. For many it helps to have the box near the washer and drier. Clean clothes that no longer fit get washed, dried and boxed.

Hope this helps someone!

I don't have the room or the access (garage is too full!) for that one but I like the idea about next to the laundry. I always wind washing and rewashing too small clothes because they get laid around, knocked around then tried to wear again...

 

[Happy Mom2]

Ours is a combination of a small house 1100 sq feet, with 4 people and a dog. We just don't have enough storage. DH just finished building some custom builtins in our living room, and dining area to help with the storage. I really don't feel we have too much stuff. We just don't have room for it. I'm always cleaning out. In fact I have two clothes hampers (1 for each child) full of last year's winter clothes. I'll be taking it all to the resale shop next weekend. Also, DS is 2 1/2, and we are not having anymore babies, so we are finally getting rid of all the baby stuff.

 

[OceanAnnie]

Over the years I have found a lot of satisfaction and less stress by getting rid of stuff. I always have a box being filled and as soon as it is, it's gone!

One thing I'd suggest to those who hold onto sentimental items but have them packed away, collecting dust or simply no home for them: take pictures! Making a photo album of these items with a little blurb or story on what it is and why it's important to you is so much nicer. You can enjoy these things anytime by looking thru your book.

KIM

I have been doing this with the some of the kids clothes. I know some things will not store well. Some things show a little wear, have faded some already, they just won't make it until adulthood to pass down to their kids. That's a long time to sit in an attic in the elements. It does help to have something to show them later. Of course I have pictures of the kids in most of the really special things they wore. But I'm still sentimental.

The infant and toddler toys are so hard to let go. I do want to keep some for their future children. I get so sentimental and misty over them, I usually pick up a tub of those toys and reminisce awhile until I put them away again for another day. I need a solid number that I will keep. I think that will help. And more criteria for what is best to keep. I have ideas, it's just doing it.

Don't get me started on stuffed animals! I am as sentimental about their stuffed animals as they are. Maybe more so. I can remember when they got them, their favorites over the years, and who gave the animals to them. I swear those animals are procreating! I wish I could bring myself to have a limit and we could come to an agreement. But for now, I guess I'd rather they enjoy them. One day they won't be as attached. I just hope I'll be on the same page with them!!

I can part with my things much easier than the kids stuff. Although I get sentimental over some of my things too.

 

[ColoradoMom!!]

I was motivated to go through my closet yesterday, and came up with 4 large bags to donate. I had the dress I wore when I got engaged 23 years ago! Not only could I never fit in it again, it is so out of style!

What encouraged me was an article in Good Housekeeping (which is a hysterically titled magazine to show up at my house!) about Jamie Lee Curtis. A large article with about a million things I could never do - but her closet was amazing. She hardly keeps anything and just has a small number of blouses and pants she knows she will wear on a consistent basis.

I have to admit that the only good thing about the boys getting older and playing xBox, etc. is that the toy issue is gone. I did save Woody from Toy Story and set him up on a shelf in my 16 year old's room - ahh that Toy Story 3 did me in!!

 

[patsal]

After sending DS off to college this year I finally figured out our issue. It was DS. My cooking sheers seemed to always disappear... I now have 6 pair...found all 5 others in his room...I cannot answer why. Three vaccumes..my old upright, my stick vac and my dirt devil hand held...no one knew where they went but alas they were burried in his room...his room looked liek an episode of hoarders. It took me 5 days at 5 hours per day and 8 trash bags two boxes of recycling and 15 loads of laundry later everything has a place and is in it. You can bet that I will be goign into his room daily when he returns to pick up and throw out. Meanwhile I have sent him articles about hoarders and organization.

Fast forward to this weekend, I can finally start weeding through the crap he carried down to the basement to save. This may take me months, but it will all be cleaned out. The other issue in the basement is that we had an attic at our old house and when we moved here, we put it all in the basement and never got around to it.

 

[KittyHellstrom]

I have hoarding compulsions and a 1 bedroom apartment.

-Kitty