Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
From the time I was a teen I have collected "things" I have a big butterfly collection, (little crystal and collectibles and stuff for the wall, not real butterflies), lead crystal, stemware, antique furniture, I don't want any of it. Some of these items I have had for over 20 years. They have been very sentimental and special to me for one reason or another. Many have little value to another person, but I have kept them and packed all this stuff, wrapping each item carefully so it does not get broken, each time I move.
Last week, I went through my photo albums, throwing away most of the images, some of the entire albums, just went into the trash.
I have to wonder why I am doing this? Is it because I do not feel the emotional attachment to the people I associated the items with? Because I want to forget my past and I am trying to do it by getting rid of all the items I associate with that time in my life? Because I am tired of moving it?
I keep asking myself, will I wish I had kept these items, later on, when my emotional state is better? Will I wish I had kept them if I have somebody in my life later on, to share their origin and the memories with?
I don't "think" I will regret getting rid of all this stuff. Right now, I just want it gone. It is not in my way, most of it I had to get out of the attic, it was still packed from the last time I moved.
Has anybody gone through this? I don't want to be kicking myself later, but I "think" I will be okay with not having it. I just don't "feel" the attachment to it I once did. It is like baggage now.
It is good to do purging and cleaning of one's material possessions and soul from time to time. If it feels like "baggage" it is just that and it is time to get rid of it. Don't throw it away though, take all your already packed boxes and either have a huge garage sale or donate it all to a local charity.
I've never been a collector but my husband would be an absolute hoarder if I did not temper the things he keeps quite a bit. You may eventually miss these things but once they are gone it is doubtful you will miss them for very long.
You may not miss the butterfly collection, you might. Maybe choose just one or two pieces that mean the most to you and hold on to those.
The photos...you will regret that later in life. Is it possible to scan them all and put them on a USB? That way there is no clutter, it's not hard to move them, they are "out of sight, out of mind" until later, when you wish you still had them, you will.
Getting rid of stuff is not always a bad thing. It can mean new growth as we are always changing and evolving. Some stuff you can find again, some you can never replace. Be very careful about the stuff you can never replace.
you hold the memory of people and stuff in your heart. you don't need to drag all the knick knacks around with you from house to house to remember you like them. if you find you are missing things later on start a new collection. you know what you will miss and what you want. if the phot or object is that important you won't throw it away.
From the time I was a teen I have collected "things" I have a big butterfly collection, (little crystal and collectibles and stuff for the wall, not real butterflies), lead crystal, stemware, antique furniture, I don't want any of it. Some of these items I have had for over 20 years. They have been very sentimental and special to me for one reason or another. Many have little value to another person, but I have kept them and packed all this stuff, wrapping each item carefully so it does not get broken, each time I move.
Last week, I went through my photo albums, throwing away most of the images, some of the entire albums, just went into the trash.
I have to wonder why I am doing this? Is it because I do not feel the emotional attachment to the people I associated the items with? Because I want to forget my past and I am trying to do it by getting rid of all the items I associate with that time in my life? Because I am tired of moving it?
I keep asking myself, will I wish I had kept these items, later on, when my emotional state is better? Will I wish I had kept them if I have somebody in my life later on, to share their origin and the memories with?
I don't "think" I will regret getting rid of all this stuff. Right now, I just want it gone. It is not in my way, most of it I had to get out of the attic, it was still packed from the last time I moved.
Has anybody gone through this? I don't want to be kicking myself later, but I "think" I will be okay with not having it. I just don't "feel" the attachment to it I once did. It is like baggage now.
Get rid of it. I'm a 66 year old and I don't miss anything I've thrown away. I try to simplify my life so that my kids won't have to do it when I'm gone.
Get rid of it. I'm a 66 year old and I don't miss anything I've thrown away. I try to simplify my life so that my kids won't have to do it when I'm gone.
I wish my mother had had your attitude.
To the OP: I think it depends on why you're doing it. If you've been in a depression for awhile now, you may recover and change your mind. OTOH, maybe you just no longer feel an attachment to material things and that could signal a positive change in your life--I've done things like this too with no regrets or very few. I used to keep so many books and then got rid of most of them and now they're starting to collect again, lol. Still, like I said, if you're in a depression, maybe you'd better wait to get rid of that stuff.
It is good to do purging and cleaning of one's material possessions and soul from time to time. If it feels like "baggage" it is just that and it is time to get rid of it. Don't throw it away though, take all your already packed boxes and either have a huge garage sale or donate it all to a local charity.
I've never been a collector but my husband would be an absolute hoarder if I did not temper the things he keeps quite a bit. You may eventually miss these things but once they are gone it is doubtful you will miss them for very long.
Ah, the yard sale. My girlfriend came over last week and said, "have a yard sale, I will help you" (as she saw all the boxes from the attic opened up all over the place)
I am terrible at selling things. I usually say, "just take it, you can have it" My friend said she would do the selling, I just needed to sort out what I wanted to get rid of. We made an area in the carport, set up some big shelves and tables, she set everything out, then she got sick and could not come over the next day. Then it rained and everything started to get wet.. the next day, I boxed up two big boxes of things and set them at the curb.
You may not miss the butterfly collection, you might. Maybe choose just one or two pieces that mean the most to you and hold on to those.
The photos...you will regret that later in life. Is it possible to scan them all and put them on a USB? That way there is no clutter, it's not hard to move them, they are "out of sight, out of mind" until later, when you wish you still had them, you will.
Getting rid of stuff is not always a bad thing. It can mean new growth as we are always changing and evolving. Some stuff you can find again, some you can never replace. Be very careful about the stuff you can never replace.
I could scan the photos I have not gotten rid of. I do have the whole attic space now that I got rid of all the stuff up there. I do have the scanner in the to go pile. I should maybe grab it out and put it in the attic with the images.
you hold the memory of people and stuff in your heart. you don't need to drag all the knick knacks around with you from house to house to remember you like them. if you find you are missing things later on start a new collection. you know what you will miss and what you want. if the phot or object is that important you won't throw it away.
I think that is my concern, none of it seems important anymore. It is kind of fun to open some of the boxes and find stuff I forgot I had. The newspaper I wrapped some of the boxes with is from 1986. lol.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
