Anyone else feel like this?

My ex was a hoarder. Loved to buy things just because they were a “bargain “ and often bought two of everything. He used to get into a rage if I got rid of anything....eg old bits of washing machine etc etc.
Now I hate clutter and regularly get rid of unwanted items, and have a beautiful flat. I also think it is very unfair of our generation to have a houseful of clutter, what happens when we die? Why should our children have that to sort out.

You can send some things to auction if they have a general sale rather than an antique sale. Job lots of ornaments, pictures or books will bring in some money after fees are paid.

We are now the proud possessor of a small skip, which should motivate us.

when this virus is over .have a garage sale? or some charities will come and pick items up,,dont save stuff till later .if its been there for a year get rid of it

We moved last year but OH insisted on bringing things from his late parents home. We have around 130 miniature bottles that MIL collected along with various cheap tacky ornaments, a record cupboard with sliding doors, various records books etc etc. Some things I've sold for low amounts on ebay (less than £3 lol) others he won't part with yet. We still have 4 side tables etc etc. Add to that enough tools nails and screws to build about 3 houses. Can't wait for the charity shops to open.

When we moved abroad 12 years ago we had a huge declutter selling some things, donating a lot to charity shops and giving things to friends and family. Plus we had 3 builder size skips of rubbish too. My DM came with us and it was surprising how much she accumulated before she died 6 years later. Charity shops are almost unheard of in Portugal but luckily I met a lady who was doing a lot to help people who had lost their homes or income so she took a lot. But I still have her cardmaking stuff in a large drawer and have kept saying I should give it away to someone who makes cards. But with my health now I am so pleased I kept all her disability aids because I am using most of them. Late last year I decided to never buy any more clothes, shoes, boots or sandals again because I have more than enough to last me however long I have to live. But I think any clearing out will have to be down to the family when we are gone because I cant see my husband doing it somehow.
One word of advice please donate only the best things to the charity shops that you know are likely to sell. My son had some free time last year and did some volunteering at a large charity shop and the absolute crap some people to to the shop which was fit only for the tip. Being a man if someone handed him rubbish he handed it back with a polite we cannot sell this please take it away with you. One guy brought a load of saucepans etc and the frying pan still had fat in it. Although I am sure no Gransnetter would ever do anything like that.

If you do decide to throw things out you can list them on Freegle or Freecycle in your area if you don't want to sell them. Anyone on Freegle that needs it can contact you and collect from your house (or for social distancing, outside your front door).

It might be a good thing to do so after lockdown ends though.

Some areas of Australia have designated ‘verge days.’ One is for large garden branches etc. The other is for any discarded household goods.
Any unwanted things are placed on the grass verge, and people tour around to see what is on offer, and help themselves. No-one gets embarrassed about being a scavenger. At the end of the week the Council comes around and clears up whatever is left.
I think that it’s an ideal and easy way of re-cycling, which is helped by there being little chance of it being rained on. Obviously some of the items are grabbed by scrap-men, or to sell on, but no-one cares about that.
In spite of this system the charity shops seem to get plenty of donations too.

My husband is a hoarder! Thankfully I don’t have any qualms getting rid of things! Mainly to charity shops - when they are open of course!

I'm doing nothing at the moment, but in normal times I regularly leave things on the wall near the pavement.

Some people knock to ask if they can have them, others just take them. I like the thought of them having another home.

Anything of some value I'll take to the charity shop so that the proceeds go to a good cause.

Very good point, Rosiebee (12.20.27). Charity shops will not want to be overwhelmed as soon as they open, and maybe some of the elderly volunteers might be a bit reluctant to go back in.
A couple of charity shops near me already have bags of donations sitting outside (which is basically fly-tipping), very thoughtless of the "donors".

Our plumber had been given a spare part some years ago, wrong part for a boiler. He tucked it away in his shed & remembered when our boiler needed that part and it is now working beautifully after a very cold winter. Just in time for this heat wave!

I had a good clear out earlier in the year in readiness for decoration and other improvements downstairs. We had the walls painted and the new curtains fitted just in time but the new carpet and three piece suite are put on hold. Never mind. Far more important things to think about and l was able to put pictures up and ornaments in the corner units. The upstairs is a different matter. My husband has hoarding tendencies so I have been using some of this time (between working) sorting it out.

Although we decluttered before we moved 8 years ago we still brought a lot with us. My DH decided sleeping bags were a good idea to keep (despite our camping days being long gone) in case the next ice age comes or the heating breaks down. But our DD has forbidden us to go up in the loft (incase we fall and break a hip). She insists on going for us and throws things down saying you don't need this do you or you don't need that. Grit teeth and be thankful

I've been decluttering for some time, but found it hard to part with craft items. Now I'm glad I didn't get rid of it all as at last I have the time to make things!

I had a garage but had it demolished, because it was rather dilapidated, and never replaced it. I don't have a car so felt the garage would simply become a place to shove unwanted or broken stuff, rather than getting rid of same.
I also have a loft but cleared it out completely when the roof was replaced. That was several years ago now so I'm sure it needs going through, but may be that's something to be done when the good weather deserts us. Until then I can be found in the garden. ?

Elegran
The next few years are going to be very difficult for a lot of people, with businesses failing and jobs vanisjing. Itis possible that all that stuff that would "come in handy one day may be very useful indeed

What good points you make.
I keep things, because they DO come in handy. Sometime or other...

Only the other day I discovered a hand protective use for small bin bags. I could have kicked myself that I'd got rid of the doggie's poop bags only a few months ago ( he left us last year ). When you don't have disposable gloves, poop bags are well made and just the right size for hands when picking up things that might be dodgy...

We managed to get rid of all the stuff we were keeping because it might come in useful when last we moved.

We were helped by the fact that clearing my parents' home necessitated eight commercial skips for all the stuff we couldn't in good conscience give the local charity shop.

Since moving we have been careful, but I have a sneaking feeling that I should go through the attic SOON.

I collected stuff for 42 years moving 5 times and dragged the boxes with me. Last move 11 years ago and decided that it was ridiculous to keep all the clutter and that was what it was in the main eg 1970s curtains. It all went in a skip and was so refreshing, thinking I hadn't needed any of the treasure so why the heck did I keep it all so long. Best thing I had done on a personal level for many years.

I can definitely relate to this. Am off work due to being furloughed but still haven't tackled the clutter. When I moved home 5 years ago I thought I had got rid of a lot due to down sizing, clearly this clutter has grown again. There are boxes that have not been unpacked. I don't have a car at present so difficult to take to charity shops etc when open. I would love a tidy decluttered home not sure when that will happen. I have loved reading these posts. Thank you.

When all this is over, please think before donating en-mass to the charity shops. Most have very little storage space. I do voluntary work in a shop and it distresses me when we are seen as a dumping ground for folk getting rid of "stuff". We only sell clean, good quality items. You can see that when you look around the shop. Our manager works so hard to keep the shop looking fresh and clean. Things that we can't sell, have to be put in our bins, which rapidly fill up and which we are charged for. Look at what you are donating. If you can't imagine someone buying it, think again and take responsibility for getting rid of it yourselves.
We are grateful for the brilliant donations that we have and know that without them we couldn't help the people that we do. But please don't swamp us with cast offs that are very unlikely to be re-sold when the shops re-open. DH and I are hiring a skip soon to have a major clear out of the garage / house. Will be thinking carefully myself about what will go to charity shops and then only taking in small amounts.

Cannot get rid of most of my Dragons, love them all & some were very expensive. other bits & pieces over the years have gone to the Charity shop I volunteer in ( will I ever do that again ) Then something comes in to the shop that I just have to buy. After all I do have that bit of space that I cleared with my last donation. So it goes on! Now I look at things then put them back telling them that when I get back in the Shop they will go in. Some hope !

Meant birthday

I feel for you paperbackwriter,i kept trying to get rid of stuff my sons have outgrown,but they ( mainly youngest,whose 17 nxt week!) Kept insisting we keep stuff,i gave away a few of his nerf guns,as he wasnt playing with them,and he had me buy him more on his last birhday-& theyve spent most of year in a box! I cant chuck anything now as we're confined to house,and he wont leave his room much.my other son,21 is a keen lego collector& never gets rid of any,he builds them& puts them on display but now theres loads cluttering up his room.he wont let anyone touch them either! Tbf he does have some that are expensive now as they no longer make them,maybe thats why your daughter wont get rid of any?

Donate the lot when charity shops reopen. Clutter just gets you down.