How good are you at sorting out your life's belongings and how do you decide what to throw away?

Oh Jane, I know exactly what you mean. I have a hoarder husband, but at the same time I have so many things that bring back memories that I can’t let go of. Our house is stuffed, but very tidy, it’s when you look inside the cupboards and drawers. I’ve been doing some limited sorting, getting rid of stuff we bought for the grandchildren when they were babies. We’ve still got high chairs, travel cots, baby gym and toys. Ridiculous, the youngest grandchild is now seven. Hardly going to need a baby gym or a travel cot when he comes to stay for four weeks over Christmas is he? (He’s living in New Zealand at the moment.)

A few mementos, but the older I get, the more ruthless. I don’t want to leave a ton of stuff for my DDs to sort through when I’m gone.

And many things that were my mum’s before she died. I can’t let go of them. I don’t suppose anyone will want them after I’ve gone.

Baby stuff?? Gone as soon as it was outgrown Maddy.
A friend (76) still has his DS’s coach built Silver Cross pram in his loft!! When his DGC were born, now 12 and 9 - the parents didn’t want it, so there it remains to this day. Absolutely pointless and if he looks on e-bay, going for a few pounds, as he’s stingy and probably wants good money for it - it’s just clutter.

I’m not the best person to comment as I’m a chuckaouter.
My partner jokes that if he stands around too long he’ll be out the door 😂
I’ve lost count of the times I’ve regretted throwing stuff out, especially sewing paraphernalia 🤦🏼‍♀️
I get my fix in a charity shop where I sort.
Had a wonderful day yesterday, so much useless crap.

Georgesgran it does depend on the model and condition of Silver Cross prams.
Some coach built ones are £3000.

I’m ruthless too, anything of my children’s past was offered to them when they left home, if they didn’t want it, out it went. I have two pictures from my parent’s house and a paperweight, that’s it. A box of photos and a few albums are now with my daughter, more recent ones are online, stored away.
So, to answer the OP, I don’t keep anything that’s not being used.

My sister-in-law could not let go of anything, Their loft was full, then suddenly her husband died and she deteriorated via dementia. She is now in a care home and her two grieving children had to clear everything in order to sell the home, both had to travel considerable distances. Many of us do this sorting in order to help our children

There are de-cluttering threads on GN, on the house thread

Many of us have been in a similar position OP. Our move from the family home involved skips and giving away as much as we could including chicken house and horse equipment. That was only the start

Then there were more downsizing moves and later I had to clear when I was widowed and again when I moved myself to an area that was better for me. The men at the tip said that most people go time and time again after moving house as almost everyone thinks they have cleared but not in reality cleared enough

Now I still de-clutter but it has slowed to a very nice and manageable level

I downsized six years ago when I retired. I split the photographs between my two children and gave them to them. I kept a few which I have framed in the hall. All toys, childhood mementoes were given to the appropriate child to dispose of as they wished. I warned them I was throwing out old jitters etc by a certain date to if they wanted them. I had a garage full of other people's stuff, not mine. One warning then it was disposed of, to a charity shop, the original owner if appropriate or the dump. I must have had a season ticket for the dump! The more I removed, the lighter I felt. Now, every year, I do my Swedish Death Clean and get rid of more stuff. This year my daughter got the jewellery I no longer wear but she wanted. The rest went to the charity shop. Last week I got rid of lots of books that were dad's and had never been looked at in years. Good luck!

Should say jotters

I’m in the ruthless gang!

All done on an annual basis with charity shop runs or skip if it’s beyond redemption.

Every time I visit my dad I go into a decline as I look around and know that he hasn’t cleared a thing since my stepmother died 12 years ago. My brothers and I are dreading the day…

I don’t really care whether anyone will want my stuff when I am dead, but I do attempt to organise my rammel such as special greetings cards, tickets to events and such. Same with photos.
I regularly get the best full length mirror out when alone, prop it up and go through every item and if it’s not a good comfortable fit it gets washed, folded, bagged and off it goes to a charity shop.

…hmmm, now books are another thing though🥲

I am going through this now. I am moving to a small one bed flat next months, so even though this house isn't large, there is still too much stuff1

I am being fairly ruthless as I really won't have anywhere to store things that just aren't going to be used. I have kept a lot of my son's things from when they were young. I have asked them if they will ever want them, and the answer is no. So they will now go to the tip!

I try to give away special items to my family now so they can have the pleasure of using them. When it comes to know what to do with everything, I keep things that have sentimental value and give pleasure and if they are useful, otherwise they go to charity.

Here for the past few years we do have to applyfor a season “pass” to avoid all the cars queuing to get in.
It works well as the staff have plenty of time to help and direct.

Granmarderby10

…hmmm, now books are another thing though🥲

I'm the opposite on books, once read in charity bag, big dust collectors. My DH likes to hang onto them.
I do a mega sort only about once a year but we still have useless stuff hanging around.

It's so hard isn't it Jane.

We're moving out of a huge 4 bedroom, 2 living room, 2 bathroom and large kitchen diner and separate utility room house into a furnished double lodge!!! We will live between that and a small furnished flat.

I'm amazed at how much stuff we've got rid of already, and we are today making enquiries for a huge skip to be delivered next week.

Despite being far more ruthless than I thought I could be, we'll be storing 2 boxes of photo's yet to be gone through and a box that contains the wedding dress my gran made for my mum, my wedding dress and the beautiful jackets, leggings, cardigans, booties and mittens my gran lovingly knit for our boys when they were born.

I can't bring myself to get rid of them and as we do have room to store them at our flat, I'm keeping them.

There's nothing wrong with keeping hold of some things you can't bring yourself to part with, and as you do have a loft to store them in, I'd do it.

I don't have any regrets about parting with the things that have gone and will be gone by the time we've finished and that's the best way to be.

I hope you'll be happy in your new home.

I'm hopeless, JaneJudge.
Every time I'm ruthless and throw things out, I regret it but DH is worse, won't get rid of stuff. It's just stuff as my friend used to say.

For your DC you could buy a scrapbook each (or two).
You can put their old records, sports/dance/music certificates etc in slots along with photos and other memories.
I bought some about 20 years ago with the intention of making one for each but haven't done them yet.

I must find that Round Tuit.

Visgir1

Granmarderby10

…hmmm, now books are another thing though🥲

I'm the opposite on books, once read in charity bag, big dust collectors. My DH likes to hang onto them.
I do a mega sort only about once a year but we still have useless stuff hanging around.

But we've got shelves of books that aren't just modern novels, many are very old ones from MIL's house.

Not good at all.
Actually going through stuff at the moment.
The tension causes me back pain.
I'm doing at least two -four hours a day .
I'm not enjoying it at all !

Don't forget you can pack things into a box and post to Vintage Cash Cow where you 'll get something for them. These are vintage things the charity shop probably won't want, nothing modern.
www.vintagecashcow.co.uk/
And take a picture of anything nostalgic, then you have a permanent record of it. 🥰

I’m pretty good my loft is 90% empty now and I recently sent a box of stuff to Cashcow after asking my daughters if they wanted any of it made a bit of money and cleared loads of bits and pieces. I still have to finish the garage but I’m happy with progress. I need to steel myself to Chuck out a box full of cards going back years.

Am neither ruthless or a hoarder, but as we have a small terraced house things regretfully have to go if we don’t use them or the wider family don’t want them.All the kids things went a long time ago, they didn’t want them and mice had taken most of their soft toys for their nests in the loft.😲