The other day I was reading this post by Brooke at Slow Your Home. I had just donated the bulk of our towels to our day care centre, who had specifically requested them. But it was one of those things I’d never thought to donate because towels are useful, you know? They’re not dust-gathering trinkets. And while we didn’t even have 12 towels, we did have too many.
Prior to our Melbourne move, we purged a lot of stuff. And when I say a lot, it wasn’t even a lot because we didn’t have a lot, but it was a lot to us. When I saw the kind of house we were moving to, I kept a few things back, thinking they would suit the interior of the house, and because we were moving to a bigger place, we didn’t need to get rid of anything.
Then spring happened, and I felt a major purge coming on. We were going to move whether we were forced to or not, and I was determined to choose location over size, which meant a smaller place in walking distance to things we wanted to be near. Which also meant getting rid of even more stuff.
I opened the linen cupboard and realised almost all of it could go. I had kept cot sheets because I didn’t know what kind of bed we would be getting for Smalls, and I heard the sheets could be interchangeable. Every single one of those cot sheets were a gift, or hand-me-downs. I hardly bought any baby stuff new, come to think of it. I probably wouldn’t have donated towels if someone hadn’t mentioned it, but once they did, it opened the floodgates. Suddenly aprons, pillowcases, extra sheets – all of it, was gone. I have never had trouble giving away baby stuff (I am done, yo), and Smalls hasn’t been in a cot for more than a year. We brought no high chair with us to Melbourne, no change table, no nothing. The minute it looked like she possibly didn’t need those things any more, they were gone.
I’m not overly sentimental with things, I do keep what is important, but a lot of stuff I had was op-shopped because it was pretty or it reminded me of my grandmas. I packed it away lovingly and sent it off to Savers. I don’t buy a lot of “stuff”, and I don’t even get a lot of stuff sent to me, being a blogger. I am an unapologetic book-buyer though, because I have issues.
The first time I purged, just before packing up and moving interstate, I realised that I never once thought about those items again once they were out of the house. It gave me the reassurance I needed to part with more things. As Brooke said: “Not one single thing do I think of and say, ‘Oh, I wish I still had that,'”, and I agree. Mostly because I’ve forgotten what I gave away in the first place. But I have not needed any of it, even though some of it was useful.
Are you a hoarder? A free-and-easy purger? (If you are, tell us all your secrets!)
Vanessa says
I used to have trouble purging (long story). I’ve been working on it by putting things “away” that I don’t use and then going back to them next time I purge. I find by keeping them out of sight first, it helps me to get rid of any attachment I have to them. I have gotten a LOT better at getting rid of things.
And yet I still have too much! It breeds, I swear. Slow and steady wins the inanimate object breeding, or something.
Towels are actually one of the few things I keep a lot of – not for me, but for my dog! I’ve never found a “proper” car seat cover that’s as easy to wash & dry as a towel, so I keep at least 4 just to cover the backseat of my car, as well as a few for beach/baths. They’re all really old ones that I think I got second hand (ones family were going to throw out, or were packing material when moving, that kind of thing). For personal use, I think we each have one shower towel and one beach towel.
Stacey says
I think that’s what I’ve got it down too! With a couple extra for visitors. We don’t live near family any more, so we often have houseguests. I think towels for dogs in cars is genius!
How good is out of sight out mind… it really does help 🙂
marita says
For her 5th birthday my daughter asked for old towels instead of gifts to donate to our local cat protection society. She is 11 now and it has been an annual birthday tradition every year since she turned 5. 🙂
I’m a bit proud of her.
Laura says
I think this is the best thing I’ve heard today. Your daughter is awesome!
Stacey says
She’s such a legend!
Lila says
I am a big purger, I’ve become increasingly unsentimental about that stuff. This was mostly caused by having to move so many times in the five years leading up to Eve being born, you pack stuff up and think ‘huh I haven’t used this since I unpacked it, off it goes’
Now we live in a tiny house that kind of ruthlessness has become essential. The only room with built in storage is the kitchen so it’s really obvious if we don’t keep our stuff in check.
The only thing I have trouble letting go of is a few of the baby things, I want to be done, my head says I am but my mama’s heart won’t cooperate just yet.
Stacey says
I love that! Have another baby, Lila. You make such beautiful ones (and you’re such a beautiful mum) xx
Cassandra says
I remember my first major purge with great glee, because it was the end of a toxic relationship and I just took everything my ex partner had ever touched that wasn’t mine before I met him to the op shop. It was a wonderful feeling to be rid of his “vibes” and to have the freedom to set up a home for myself. Since then, I’ve lived quite lightly and not needed another purge, but I’m sure as the years tick over, one day I’ll be due again and I hope it will create a similar feeling of relief. 🙂
Elisha Ross says
Ha!! This too happened to me and it was the best purging going round. How easy it was to be rid of expensive stuff as well was mind blowing!!
Stacey says
I thought about doing that, but I sort of had to get out with one small bag of stuff… so in effect, I purged EVERYTHING! And you’re right, I was glad to see the back of it, and his bad vibes. His stuff was SO UGLY anyway 😉
Sonia from Sonia Styling says
I seem to go through the same cycle – accumulate crap, purge crap, repeat. I’m currently feeling a big purge coming on and I can’t wait!
Stacey says
The purge feels so damn good.
Laura says
Yesterday I found a leather jacket that I haven’t fit into for four years. Its embarrassing but I love it so much I can’t bear to get rid of it. I think it needs to find a new home stat. This surprised me because generally I’m a get-rid-of type.
Stacey says
I’m a bit funny with clothes too! I keep thinking they might be useful at some point… but they never are. I bet you looked smokin’ in that jacket x
Jo (down to eath mother) says
Oh I love to purge! I can be vicious, actually. It frightens my hubby when I get in one of my clearing moods. We now have a system: there’s a box in the linen cupboard where I toss the stuff I think we no longer need. Hubby then takes it down to the garage, goes through and picks out all the stuff he thinks we should keep. It sits around unused for months and then I put it back in the box and he finally gets the message and takes it to the charity shop…
Trish from Little Eco Footprints once told her her great tip of photographing things you love like old teddies and ugly heirlooms and displaying them along with your loved ones.
Stacey says
I’ve been doing the photographing kid’s artwork and that funny stuff they come home from day care with on Mother’s Day. Matt is pretty used to me getting rid of stuff, I think it really overwhelmed him at the start, but now he just goes with it, haha.
Julie says
I go through my ‘stuff’ at least every month or so and purge. Same with the household stuff. The only thing I hoard is baby stuff. In my heart at my age and after five miscarriages I know I should be done, but….
The trick with the rest, I moved house last year, major purge, then one a month I pick a room and do a throw/give away/keep option. Keeps everything under control, regular small clean outs.
Stacey says
I think the regular cleanouts are such a good idea. It’s the only way I can keep on top of stuff!
I also think it’s perfectly ok to keep those baby things. No rush x
Bele @ BlahBlah says
I like to have a clean out and it always stuns me how much we accumulate even though I’ve been consciously buying less. I’m suspicious that it climbs in when I’m not looking. However, I have regretted throwing things out, I guess that’s the problem with being a lover of vintage stuff, so I have a system where I have a box or bag where I put things that I want to throw and every couple of months I sort through and check I’m still happy to throw things and they’re either donated or entered into the fabric eco system in our house x
Stacey says
That’s the funny thing, I really had been buying less too, but it still felt like I accumulated crap I didn’t need. I’m sure I needed/wanted it at the time. But I grew out of it, or found it really wasn’t quite as useful. I still sort of think about a tea set, but I”m ok. really, I am…
Reannon @shewhorambles says
I’m a bit of both. I get sentimental about some things, mainly things from my youth ( because you know, I’m a grandma these days!) or things of my kids but I def don’t keep heaps of stuff. I do love getting rid of stuff, feeling lighter, free-er, less cluttered. I am not one of those people that can get rid of things just because I’m sick of it or want something new. I’ll try to upcycle or re-use when I can.
I am looking forward to purging baby goods though because I too am DONE!
Stacey says
I still have in my possession a plastic knife that I used to cut my 16th birthday cake.
Liz @ I Spy Plum Pie says
Great post Stacey, and I loved the post from Brooke as well. I like to purge every now and again, I’ve moved house a bit over the last 5 years and always did a big purge each time, but now that I’m in my own place I’ll need to do it off my own bat a bit more! I’m not bad at culling clothes (and I don’t have much in the way of linen!) but I’ve been moving a box of ‘stuff’ around for 2 moves already that has gone untouched each time so I’m determined to go through it and cull it very soon!
Stacey says
Hah I had one of those boxes. Lasted through 10 moves. I couldn’t possibly tell you what I actually had in it!
KirbyKerb says
An excessive chucker married to a bonafide hoarder in my house… good times…
Stacey says
I have another friend like that and it drives me nuts just hearing about it! Gah.
Kelly Exeter says
Free and easy purger here! And the linen cupboard (containing the towels!) is next!
Stacey says
All part of your super-efficiency!
Hugzilla says
The hardest thing I ever did was box up thousands of my books and magazines (a decades worth of my beloved UK music press!) and donated them to the Salvos after we bought our first house. No garage, no storage, no room for any excess baggage. I thought I’d miss them terribly but I haven’t really. I think I just liked the idea of owning lots of books, because I grew up in a house that didn’t have any. I survived.
Stacey says
Books were my only friends for a very long time and I feel as though I’ll never be satisfied until I have Belle’s library from Beauty and the Beast.
Clare says
I used to hoard things reeeeally badly as a kid. I had the worlds biggest collection of stickers which I refused to use because you can only use them once. I used to hoard books, cardboard boxes, craft supplies, glitter, easter egg wrappers, bird feathers (ewww) never threw away a single toy ever. I hated using things because once they were gone they were gone. We didn’t have a lot of money when I was a kid so if I was gifted something like that I would worry about using it because then it’d be gone! Now I throw/give allllll the things away, including things I think I’ll never use again but do end up needing. Woops.
Stacey says
Oh amen, we were pretty poor and I hoarded every single thing I was ever given. once it was gone we couldn’t afford to buy any more, so I never used anything!
Mother Down Under says
I have one (almost two) kids and not one closet. So I am more than happy to get rid of stuff.
If something does not have a place, then out the door it goes.
Most things that come in the house are things that we have thought about, considered, and then bought…generally from an opshop.
And if something comes in, then by necessity, something else has to go!
When I think that eight years ago I arrived here with just two suitcases, and now I have an entire house full of things, it blows my mind!
Stacey says
It still blows my mind that you guys have NO CLOSETS. you are a legit saint for keeping your head in that kitchen.
Bec @ The Plumbette says
I just purged my books. I had text books from over 10 years ago. I’m sure they’ve been updated since then.
Stacey says
I just got rid of my textbooks too! From 10 years ago also. It was hard, but I was proud of myself. Although, I kept one…
Lilybett says
I am a purger and a hoarder. I’m happy to shed baby gear and furniture and all manner of stuff, but there are little posits of sentimental things all over our house. I have every ticket from every movie I’ve seen with Lovely Husband – some of them are faded so much you can’t read the title anymore but I’ll be buggered if I’m tossing them.