Decluttering regrets...

[zale]

Can't say I've had real regrets but I've certainly appreciated the irony of my donating a duplicate item and the original breaking right afterwards . When we were moving I got rid of a lot of my kitchen items like extra ladle, spatulas, large bowls or platter, etc. and there after it seemed that things started to break.

[orchidgoat]

I too have trouble donating things because so often I have needed something that was donated. However, it seems like I take an entire trash bag of stuff to donate and then I only need one of those things...so I guess that in the end it was worth it. I don't really understand the mechanism of how stuff piles up, but it seems like it happens so very fast. I swear I am not bringing much stuff into the house, but good grief in the 8 years that I have lived in this house, it has really gotten packed. Of course adding 3 kids + one on the way has definitely made the house much more crowded. Amazing how adding bodies does that!

Anyway, I just keep telling myself that if I have to replace something, it is worth it to have the free space that an entire trash bag of stuff going out provides.

I also just moved my elderly grandparents and I cannot believe the amount of stuff that we went through. Every cabinet, corner, and spot had neatly organized boxes of "stuff." Honestly we could have gotten rid of 90% of it and they would have never even needed it. But it was clear that the "stuff" had become part of their security. Getting rid of stuff clearly made them uncomfortable, so we moved most of it. Now all of that stuff is in boxes in the new house, 2000 miles away. They don't even want to unpack it, but also will not get rid of it. So now their children/grandchildren will have to deal with it again someday.

All of this has taught me that I don't want to find my security in things. I don't want to be so bogged down that my kids have to spend weeks going through everything when I am no longer able to do it. Thus I am no longer willing to have all of this stuff, so it has to go even if I have to buy something later to replace what I send out!

[JerryG]

I pitched, gave away a lovely gray sweater dress that I truly, truly miss and regret. I need a dress to wear to DS's graduation and it would (have) been perfect.

[Marie78]

I don't, I thought I would, but I just haven't had any regrets yet. I think for me seeing more space or having more space makes up for the possibility that I will miss something I got rid of.

Tonight it was getting chilly and I wondered where I put my long sleeved pj top and then I remembered I donated it a couple months ago. Then I remembered why. It hasn't fit over my belly in like 3 years and I'm 5 months pregnant right now and it really wasn't going to work tonight . I donated it because it didn't fit anymore (even when I'm not preggo). It was taking up space waiting for me to fit into it again, and I might never do that, so it was also depressing to hang on to it. I guess I think of things I have donated, but then I remember why I made the decision and it still makes sense to me .

[KyKosMommy]

I don't usually have that problem. I only declutter my stuff & the kids stuff. All my husband's stuff is off limits except for obvious trash - cans, cig boxes, receipts of food items that type of stuff. Needless to say my garage is tidy but cluttered as is his gear room.