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

I'll message you Callistemon because we've hi-jacked this thread! Sorry everyone.

Yes, it seems a great pity to throw them out.

Are you on Ancestry, Chestnut? If so, you could post it on there and someone might recognise them.

I've found photos of DH's family on genealogical sites, some on other websites from when they emigrated.

I would definitely agree with keeping old photos of people unless they are very poor quality. There is a very good chance of making contact with someone who can identify them.
I have this beautiful, large, hard back picture and am still hoping to find someone who wants it. It's a double wedding of a brother and sister in Llangollen in 1901. Unfortunately neither couple have any biological descendants. One couple went to New Zealand and I have even searched there. But I can't throw it out in case one day someone identifies someone and says 'that's my grandmother!'

That's really interesting, M0nica

When I was researching family history I discovered npmy grandmother had an informally adopted brother. He kept his own surname. My grandmother died when I was about 4 and none of her children ever mentioned him. He was a popular man locally, did wel, for himself and coincidentally, one of his daughters taught both me and my cousin but we had no idea of the connection.

Callistemon I couldn't agree more. I had a photo of a family member(?) in a photo album. A formal photo of a young man in dress military uniform (equivalent of formal wear, like a DJ), c 1890-1920 and no indication who he was.

Then during the commemorations of WW1, and I found a letter from an unknown young man to my grandfather who was the same age and both serving in the army, he wrote like a close friend or family member and signed his name, which was not a family name.

Then I was contacted by someone who asked me to help him him in some research and I asked him if he could help me. My grandfather was Irish and their records can be sparse - and he was an Irish scholar and he came back with a complete family tree.

This man was my grandfather' adopted brother, taken into the family when his parents died. I then made the link between the letter and the photograph and was able to analyse the badges and emblems on the collar of his uniform and compare them with the badges that would be on the uniform of the regiment he served in - and they were identical - and I had an identification of a young soldier killed in France in 1915.

I have since visited his grave near Rouen.

magshard20

The one thing I would advise people to do is if you are sorting out old photos, you actually only keep the ones where you know the people in them. When my dad died, we found hundreds of photo's, part of the problem was we hadn't a clue who some of the people were, they were taken when my mum and dad were courting, and as my dad was 85 when he died they were really old. Sadly we had to tip most of them because they were really nobody we knew of, and sadly nobody in the family to ask, all dearly departed.
If we have photo's now I make sure that the names of people are on the back, I sorted out 3 separate photo albums during Covid for my 3 children and made sure that names were included on the page.
I read with trepidation the posts on this subject, as it's something we will have to do sooner or later !!

I would say don't get rid of old photos unless you have to or they are of poor quality.

If anyone researching family history will know, old photos can be researched too and there might be someone in the family who knows who these people are.

I have a folder called Who Are We and I've found out who some of them are and about their interesting lives when doing genealogical research.

The one thing I would advise people to do is if you are sorting out old photos, you actually only keep the ones where you know the people in them. When my dad died, we found hundreds of photo's, part of the problem was we hadn't a clue who some of the people were, they were taken when my mum and dad were courting, and as my dad was 85 when he died they were really old. Sadly we had to tip most of them because they were really nobody we knew of, and sadly nobody in the family to ask, all dearly departed.
If we have photo's now I make sure that the names of people are on the back, I sorted out 3 separate photo albums during Covid for my 3 children and made sure that names were included on the page.
I read with trepidation the posts on this subject, as it's something we will have to do sooner or later !!

Two years ago I moved from a 4 bed detached house to live with my son in his house while I built a self contained one bedroom annexe in his garden. I was very ruthless and gave my children their things from the loft and sold lots of furniture. I now live in the annexe on my own, no loft, one small cupboard for storage. My study is currently my store room too, but not much in it. My suitcase is the biggest thing to store. It’s great sorting things out but you have to be ruthless. I still have things to chuck or shred! I am lucky to have. Utility room also which is more of a boot room with the dogs things in.

it has so much stuff in it that I have to buy new things, as I can't find the original.

When I first started decluttering (nearly 5 years ago!) I found all sorts of things I'd forgotten I even had. Plus things that I'd looked for and replaced - usually stuffed in weird places where I wouldn't have thought to look for them.

I do one decluttering pass a year now - every drawer, cupboard and room gets a going over at some point and it's much easier to get rid of things. Plus it gets quicker every year. I think my brain has now switched from 'I couldn't possibly get rid of this' mode to 'Yeah, I still haven't used this. Might as well get rid of it' mode.

My system is to get rid of anything which hasn’t been used for 6 months. This gives me a tidy, junk-free house, which is what I want.
If your house is stuffed full of old, unused stuff, that must be the way you like it. Stop agonising over it and leave it to your unfortunate descendants to clear out when you’re gone.

I'm doing pretty well I think
I've done kitchen/diner
lounge is ok
I've sorted the shed/greenhouse/office room
started on the landing and one son has agreed to sort his room so that was done this morning, just one cupboard to go through

several drop offs to dump and charity shop

It is just one of my sons dragging his feet. Honestly I dread to think what his own place will look like. I had 2 children by the time I was his age!

I'd love a nice tidy house and no junk but I'm married to a hoarder and I must admit I find it hard to let go of stuff too. Oh dear. The young people love it when they come round - which is fairly frequently and so do the little people so I grit my teeth and carry on

I live by the simple mantra if you haven't seen or used it for 3 years then sell it, bin it or take to charity shop. DH a nightmare, will not get rid of anything which may come in useful, as in a metre of string even although we have umpteen rolls of string . He actually bought a cabinet to house our CD collection when we moved in 2022 ! Why , oh, why !

Seven pairs of jeans (two new with labels and the rest nearly new) went to the charity shop earlier this year.
I've decided I'm not a jeans person any longer.

I’m going through this at the moment. I also have property of both parents in storage units costing £400+ per month!

I’ve decided the following

- Offer to anyone who wants them
- Charity
- What can be thrown

You remember these people every day. You don’t need things to attach you to them

With clothes let them go if:
- they don’t fit
- You never reach for them
- you forgot you have them
- Numerous duplicates (like jeans)

The following are not reasons to keep things:
- they were expensive
- Never worn
- you’ll slim into them/ you may regain weight
- you may go on a cruise one day

Good luck.

He's allowed one drawer in the house for useful tools 😁

Ah, that's OK then.
I have a sort of "shed cupboard" in my flat, but it has so much stuff in it that I have to buy new things, as I can't find the original.

He has a garage - no bits indoors!!
Otherwise they'd go to the tip.

He'd be in bits and spare parts if I found that!
As thrifty tight as I am, it really riles me.

MissAdventure

Something that infuriates me is people who keep, say, a broken iron iron, in case their new one conks out.

DH would keep it for the bits and any spare parts 😁

Something that infuriates me is people who keep, say, a broken iron iron, in case their new one conks out.

You could do a scrapbook for each child.
Photos, swimming badges, cards, all of that: their life story up until now.

Two scrapbooks each, maybe?

MissAdventure

I don't keep many sentimental things; I'm a "might come in handy" person.
And a "might fit me again one day when I've lost four stone person.

You're like my DH!

I think "I wonder if that old ornament is worth a fortune?"

Clothes are one thing I can give away without worrying. It’s the gifts and the children's stuff I struggle with and photos and cards

I don't keep many sentimental things; I'm a "might come in handy" person.
And a "might fit me again one day when I've lost four stone person.