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Has anyone here started to lead a simpler life and decided to purge many of the things you have collected over a lifetime that you no longer need?

ebdb 7 Apr 7
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61 comments

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0

Every time I move.

7

YES! I have finally gotten over the someday-I'll-use-this sickness! Moving stuff about to 3 or 4 different residences that you realize has never been used in that time is an excellent tonic for that...

7

During and after my divorce I had several phases of downsizing. I'm now in a small 600 sq ft apartment and could downsize again. It's lovely. ♥

I too got rid of so much I had to give it away, which made me happy someone else could use or want the things I didn't want anymore. I have found these places that take in things for free are full of items we didn't want and are trying to find the right person to buy them.

6

I have started the process, but I have a long way to go.

I'm with you.....it's a process....definitely my goal.

I went through my closet last weekend and got rid of any clothing that I haven't worn in a while. I just went through our dvd/blu ray collection and purged 55 movies. Now, off to go through things on our multiple book shelves.

6

I’m only 26 so I haven’t collected things over a lifetime, but I still have accumulated crap I don’t need (or even want). I’ve been in the process of tossing things rather than clinging to the delusion: “Well, I might use this when...” I’ve also bought a book about “decluttering” that a friend recommended. Picture Attached.

Did you find the book helpful?

5

Yes. I try to leave as small a footprint as possible. It's just me and my daughter living in a two bedroom house. In the living room we have a tv/stand, an electric fireplace (for heat as I don't trust gas), two bookshelves for my teacher stuff, and a chair for each of us; bedrooms have a twin bed each, a small dresser, and a laundry hamper; kitchen has the usual appliances but dishes are to a minimum, 2 plates, 2 saucers, 2 cups, 2 glasses, etc. I have a crockpot which I use more than the stove. My daughter's toys are either played with or I get rid of them. Our clothes are worn or I get rid of them. If we don't use something 4-6 months, it's gone. I hate "stuff".

5

To a fault, nearly. Not really, but I am a firm believer of downsizing and minimalizing. I have approximately one closetful of clothes and, maybe, a small dresser of foldables, including my biking gear.

The rest of my possessions (except my car) reside in a 5'X8'X12' storage facility.

At this point, I don't even own a home anymore, and don't want to.

5

When I retired 6 years ago I started purging career stuff-sales materials, customer files, and file cabinets. Gave up my office - it became my bedroom -and rented my old bedroom to my daughter's inlaws. Still have office paraphanelia. Need to downsize some more.

5

I lived 36 years in the same house but had to sell due to a divorce, I rented a dumpster and just went wild throwing crap away so I would have room in my new digs.

5

Do exes count?

godef Level 7 Apr 7, 2018
5

Divorce seems to fuel a lot of clean outs! It did mine...and it was emotionally satisfying to toss a lot of old stuff out. I get rid of more and more every year. I do hoard art supplies and fabric. But that's ok....

4

I'm having a yard sale this Spring. The goal is to sell old and/or un-used stuff, and use the money to buy new stuff. It's a win-win! 😀

4

I want to put my house up for sale this spring/summer, so I have some major purging to do. I have containers in my basememt that haven't been opened since I moved in...13 years ago. I obviously don't need whatever is in there, but spending a couple days in the basement does not sound like a good time. I've been putting it off.

Yeah, we just got 6 inches of snow. Next week we are expecting a warm-up. Bringing them outside is a good idea...in case there are spiders! I just have one pup. She looks different depending on her haircut, but thank you. She is a great dog.

4

Yes - I do an annual purge of my things and household things.....hubby is still a bit "retentive" so I haven't been able to make much of a dent in his things. 😉 When my parents passed and my brother and I had to empty out their condo in preparation for listing it we both realized that one day someone would be doing that with all of our "stuff"......was kind of an "aha" moment for me. Getting there - but still have a ways to go....

4

I have been purging clothes and shoes that I no longer wear or have had for 20 years! Time for new stuff! Shoes needs repair that I never fixed so finally got rid of. It feels great!

4

a place for your stuff . . .

4

I downsized 3 times then when my dad passed I acquired 5 times as much as I had before... I have a massive garage full of stuff to go through and I’ve been putting it off, lots of memories and keepsakes... the house is also full, I probably don’t need 20 guitars? Come to think of it I need 21🙂

4

I don't even have furniture. The less I own the more room there is for me.

I have the same idea I don't like a lot of clutter either.

4

I moved recently and it was a good chance to get rid of a lot of dead weight. I also have some more to go but have really got it down to essentials. In the physical and emotional senses.

I did the same and it does affect you emotionally. Its cleansing I think....

@Freespirit64 Totally agree.. Like having a new state of mind in some way.

@Nickbeee yes

@Freespirit64 Closest I am getting to a brain transplant so I must savour it !! lol

4

Yes, definitely. I even wrote a blog post about it. [psychologytoday.com] I never thought I'd arrive at a time in my life that I would consider collecting stuff a bit silly. I suppose the fact that my mate died last year has made everything I used to care about -- things, I mean --seem pointless and trivial.

Sooz Level 6 Apr 7, 2018

Hi Susan, That is a very nice article you wrote! I am sorry for your loss! I can't imagine how hard it was to move on. There are so many reasons to purge items from my life. At 65 and retired it's time to start another chapter without lots of baseball memorabilia, books, magazines, etc. I also don't want my children to complete the daunting task of going through tons of items they will give away or throw in the trash.

That (my husband's death) is exactly when it hit me that the stuff owned me rather than the other way around. How wonderful it must feel to be free to go anytime, anywhere without worrying about all the stuff left behind.

3

Simplifying my life is somethign I go through each time I move to a new residence. Step one is always to get rid fo anything that has not yet been unpacked fromt eh last move.

I always did that, too, @snytiger6! I always found that the last things that needed packed were thing I didn't really care about so they fell off the truck. Now that I've been in the same house for a while, it turns out I'm quite the gatherer but I'm working on it.

3

Never had much stuff to begin with, but, feels good to rid myself of stuff which I keep for sentimental reasons, like the guitar I had for nearly twenty years and never learnt to play properly.
Split from the wife now and all my possessions fit in the boot of a car with room left for some shopping.

3

Yes, after 7 feet and my first back surgery, lost my job and moved into a tent in the mountains for six months, after the snow came, I had to move in with mom across country. Had 5 more feet surgeries and my second lower back surgery, so ya, I don't have much at all.

Sure, my first wife took the kids, house and the car, I had my stuff, but that was in 1998 and I had some what recovered from that with 'stuff' but never bought another house.

@Agr8m8 my ex has the flat and my kid, no mountains here though, maybe camp in me folks back garden.

@Generalusage ...spring is upon us brother, I sense great things ahead for us both.

3

Yes, I left most of my worldly posessions in Seattle and moved to Kauai in 2007 with 2 suitcases. A year later I went back and packed up some of my books and photo albums to ship to myself, but sold or gave away all the other stuff. Many items had sentimental value, but I found that if I snapped a photo of the items to post for sale online, I still had the photo on my computer, so that made it easier to part with things.

For the first few years of my new move, everything I owned fit into the back of my car, as I was moving around a bit. Now I've been settled in to my own place, and have acquired more clothes and gadgets than I need. Some of the things are gifts, so I can't just purge them. Wish folks would just understand that I don't want more stuff.

Trying to keep things simple and I like it this way.

I started to get rid of things last year. If I don't wear a piece of clothing in a year it goes. Gave lots of items to Goodwill and Habitat for Humanity. It makes life simpler and less cluttered. It freaks me out when I try to watch a show about hoarders!

2

Hi definately ... I went from a large home in the country to a 3 bed unit . Gave everything away . I am in the process of shedding again . The kids have almost flown so it is time. A block of land and 2-3 shipping containers / rain water tanks/ solar panels / orchard and garden

That will be me in 5 years ❤

Sounds good.

2

I am in the process right now...for the third time in 5 years. It is an emotional journey and not as easy as some would think. However it does get easier as you go and then you reach the point where you begin to question why you kept so much for so long.

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