Non pack rats please enter

[holycow]

I really need some help. I'll admit it. I'm a packrat. We've been married 25 yrs. and I save the kids school work, cards for every occasion, toys, books etc. Our home isn't cluttered a bit. It is the garage. I've been going through it trying to get rid of stuff. The next min. I am deciding to save it. Why? Tell me it is ok to trash this stuff.

Oh, and my DH just came home from his mothers (who just passed away) with "stuff" and now I am going through that. She had every Disney movie there was made (VHS) but they smoked and everything smells and is dirty. I hate throwing this away but is it worth trying to give it away?


Any advice is appreciated!

an overwhelmed holycow

 

[NMAmy]

Give it away, holycow. Or throw it away. If there is something you REALLY want to save, then do something special with it. It's not very special in a box in the garage, is it?

I've taken dd's artwork/schoolwork over the year and included it in a scrapbook with photos. That way we don't keep EVERYTHING but just a representative few items.

 

[mickeyboat]

For things with sentimental value, take a picture of it and then dispose of it. a photo is a lot easier to keep than an item.

We cleaned out our dressers a few years ago, and had a hard time getting rid of old t-shirts with sentimental value. We decided to put them on the kids and take their pictures in them. They came out great.

For other stuff, I have to be in the right mood, then I can throw out almost anything!

Good luck.

Denae

 

[LoveBWVVBR]

I am a serious non-packrat. I just don't like "stuff". Yes, just get rid of it. You can donate the stuff, but if it smells like cigarettes than use your judgement about pitching vs. donating.

A peaceful, decluttered home has value just like the "stuff" has value. You aren't losing anything by getting rid of the stuff. You are freeing up your space and in the process freeing yourself from the stress that that clutter causes you and your family.

I grew up in a cluttered house run by a 2nd generation packrat. I am RUTHLESS about clutter in my own home because I do not ever want to live that way again!!!

 

[Jenn Lynn]

Trash it! I do this once/year with everything and either have a garage sale or give it to Goodwill.

I would sell/throw away the VHS tapes away. I am selling mine as I replace the with the DVD, but mine don't smell like smoke.

 

[poohandwendy]

I am reformed. I used to do the same thing and just became overwhelmed with all of the stuff I was saving. Ironically, I just cleaned out my attic...it was a beautiful thing getting rid of so much stuff.

I think the thing that helps me is to have 4 groups (keep, donate and trash) Keep things you will use regularly, keep things that you use occasionally, but at least once per year. Donate items you know you probably will not use again in the next year or so. Trash anything that you would ot want to receive as a donation (if you were in that position).

When it comes to kids memorabilia (cards drawings, etc), you need to mentally learn to limit it to special things only. I have a medium sized box for each child and have made that the limit. So, when you have a pile of things from one child...go through and pare it down to the MOST special things.

Remind yourself that you really will be happier with less 'stuff' that overwhelms you. You will really feel great after you purge all of the stuff that you really don't need. Seriously.

 

[Marie17]

We cleaned out our dressers a few years ago, and had a hard time getting rid of old t-shirts with sentimental value. We decided to put them on the kids and take their pictures in them. They came out great.

When my son was about 10 he came up with this idea for all his t-shirts. He wanted me to make him a special quilt to go away to college with. We've kept all his shirts over the years - from tball, baseball, academic events, school years (k-high) and even vacation spots - so that he would be able to remember while he was away. I thought it was a great idea and will soon be starting to work on it this summer so that when he does graduate in 2008 he will have it.

I love that idea and now plan to make a "special" quilt for each of the 5 kids to go off to college.

Maybe others have done this too.

 

[holycow]

Wow, great ideas about the pictures and the quilt! Love it!

I know I know I "need" to do it and some days I just trash alot but then other days I get all sentimental and want to keep it.


I appreciate your responses! I need to be strong! lol


Holycow

 

[grinningghost]

I FINALLY just threw out MY schoolwork, notebooks, junk from my childhood. I was saving it and dragging it from house to house, in boxes that were falling apart.

In this last move I just bit the bullet and told DH to take it to the curb for the garbagemen. It hurt - that's why I didn't take it myself - but I'm so glad I did it.

That junk wasn't serving any purpose - what I need to remember I do - what's a 9th grade algebra test (failed ones at that) going to do for me or my descendents?

 

[Snowysmom]

My DH is a serious pack rat and we have all the boxes from our 4 year ago move in the basement to prove it. He saves everything and anything! My attitude is, if I haven't used it in a year, it goes. We can save representative papers from the kids' school careers, not every single one. When I find something in a box that I have not missed at all, it goes. I want all the junk gone! Absolutely save something that has great sentimental value to you but you need to be somewhat ruthless. My DH can justify saving anything. Good luck!

 

[clarabelle]

another thing to remember -it truly is the thought that counts. I have trouble with things that were given to me by someone that I love (my Mom etc...)
but the love was shown in the instant that it was given -not in hanging on to it forever because someone I care about gave it to me.
If I look back I can barely remember what I have given her and I don't expect her to hang onto it forever -but for some reason I feel I should hang onto stuff she gave me.

 

[dolphinrescuegirl]

another thing to remember -it truly is the thought that counts. I have trouble with things that were given to me by someone that I love (my Mom etc...)
but the love was shown in the instant that it was given -not in hanging on to it forever because someone I care about gave it to me.
If I look back I can barely remember what I have given her and I don't expect her to hang onto it forever -but for some reason I feel I should hang onto stuff she gave me.

Same thing here. After my grandma died my dad gave me her bronzed baby shoes with some other stuff. He also always gives me pictures of various people that I never met or barely know. Why the heck does he think I want these for? What am I supposed to do with bronzed shoes, and no I don't need bookends. Yet I'm too scared to throw the stuff out, why That's the mystery. Good luck with your cleaning!

 

[holycow]

Dolphinrescuegirl: I think that is the thing...is that he does want you to remember.

I think what my problem is is that I have nothing and know nothing about my relatives. I have a little kitty that belonged to my grandmom. That is it. I want my kids to be able to remember what they will have forgotten. Does that make sense?

I also have kept "some" of my old school work. Ok, all of my French vocabulary. "SOMEDAY" I'm going to go to France and I'll need all of those vocabulary words that I spent 3 years writing down! lol

Grinningghost: I did save "some" of my Math work and it really helped me when my son needed help in math. I referred back to my notes to refresh my memory and was able to help him.


I know I'm digging myself deeper and deeper. I need that show to come and help me. Clean sweep or someone! lol

 

[azgal81]

If you want to keep the disney movies you can also get a combo vcr and dvd player where you can record dvds and transfer them all over to dvd. If there is anything in the box you want to keep for the memories then keep it. If not trash it you don't need it it will just collect dust.

 

[texasthree]

I hate to admit it but I dont have a sentimental bone in my body and I pretty much throw out everything. I keep pictures of my family but clothes, school work,christmas cards, etc gets tossed. My mother kept a few very important things from our childhood and I will do the same for our son. Very few. She kept a toy piano, cabbage patch dolls, some stuffed animals and legos. My son loves the legos and piano. The cabbage patch dolls were all given to goodwill except for 1. The stuffed animals were pound puppies and I sold them at a garage sale.

Maybe try to clean out a box and allow yourself to keep 1 or 2 things? Then when all the boxes are cleaned out you can look at everything you have kept and try and goodwill a few things from it as well. It might help keep the items to a minimum but you still get to keep some of them.

 

[GJM]

I am also a serious non-packrat. I hate stuff. Just this morning my DS was all upset because I don't save all of his tests. He is in lst. grade. I try and save the important stuff.

Every year my sister and I do a yard sale. It is amazing the amount of stuff we collect in a year!

 

[Liberty Belle]

A peaceful, decluttered home has value just like the "stuff" has value. You aren't losing anything by getting rid of the stuff. You are freeing up your space and in the process freeing yourself from the stress that that clutter causes you and your family.
QUOTE]

Thank you. I needed to hear that.