I recognise all of this but also know from bitter lived experience that the flip side of decluttering is that it only makes space for more absolutely necessary clutter.
I have kept a token selection of outgrown kids clothes (my faves naturally), but probably ALL their drawings, scribbles and scrawls. To be sorted in due course. The big one is 20 and the little one not far off 17!
I am fed up of this excessive tidying movement. I have clutter and piles of paper (and a bedroom chair buried under clothes), but we are clean, fed and function. I can find what I need without much panic.
So let the guilt go and enjoy the feeling of passing on (most of) the baby clothes, as well as your lovely family.
Yes this mirrors my experience and that of my friends - especially the decluttering target, baby clothes. How they make you remember and also the future potential they have.
If I can give 1 tip, you need to strengthen your decluttering muscle with easier items that aren’t as difficult to part with. Then that pathway of: what to get rid of, where to get rid of it and finally getting rid of it is well worn and easy to follow.
I’m sorry to tell you this “getting rid of the kids stuff” can drag on. We had our loft refloored last year and gave away SO many toys and books 😢 Our local hospice childrens department benefited which was some comfort. But I must admit that some things have been squirrelled away, I just couldn’t part with it all 😂. Our daughter is 37 btw! 😬
This stirred up so many thoughts and memories. You write so beautifully about this sort of feeling, which I'm sure many of us have had. I got rid of very little after my daughter was born, even when it looked very unlikely that I'd have another baby. I remember my parents being utterly bemused I wouldn't want them to send all my baby stuff to my newly-pregnant sister-in-law, and my dad ended up throwing away some of Elisabeth's baby things, despite being asked not to twice. And to be fair, I am not usually particularly sentimental about 'stuff,' so I'm not at all surprised he thought it would be ok. But, as you capture so well, there is something very immediate and poignant about small baby things that won't be needed again. Lots of love.
Enjoyed this tale very much. I try to de-clutter regularly, but somehow I’ve still got a big bag of baby clothes. I missed two windows of time I had to pass them on to my nieces (to be fair, sending parcels abroad is ruinous). Considering my son will turn 21 in two weeks’ time, I really need to get a grip🤪
Sooo relatable, Mini! Especially the items on the doom pile - AKA sofa! My chair pile is currently reaching the height of the window and peering out to look at the view (it’s a low chair!). What’s the app where you can share clothes AND food?! Xx
I have the clone of your bedroom. And a similar degree of incapacity/inaction. I know I will feel lighter when I’m less trammelled, but letting go is a wrench. Solidarity in shedding, Mini x
I have only just started to part with my 2 year old's 3-6 months cloths (I can't quite say goodbye to her newborn stuff yet). I live in a flat, and have limited space.
I never thought I'd be this person, and yet it turns out, I'm a mum. And I have treasured so much of her life, and holding her little body. Those little clothes hold so many memories, the good news is that I can still hold her and remember them.
Having just returned to our (completely rebuilt, so effectively 'brand new') house following the earthquakes in central Italy in 2016 I can understand this. We've been unpacking stuff that we moved from the UK in 2015 and never unpacked before we were forced to leave the house. I think we're all fundamentally attached to our stuff.... Even though I like to consider myself unsentimental and ruthless when it comes hoarding (or not), I'm clearly just delusional.
Do what you can and don't worry about the rest... 😜
Rukmini's Table: come for the recipes, stay for the glorious cat-sofa artwork
Probably the most relatable thing you've ever written, she typed as she continued to put off tidying away the *christmas decorations*. Not a joke.
Omg, the person who celebrates year-round Christmas who they wheel out every December is YOU!
It isn't, I SWEAR!
I recognise all of this but also know from bitter lived experience that the flip side of decluttering is that it only makes space for more absolutely necessary clutter.
I have kept a token selection of outgrown kids clothes (my faves naturally), but probably ALL their drawings, scribbles and scrawls. To be sorted in due course. The big one is 20 and the little one not far off 17!
I am fed up of this excessive tidying movement. I have clutter and piles of paper (and a bedroom chair buried under clothes), but we are clean, fed and function. I can find what I need without much panic.
So let the guilt go and enjoy the feeling of passing on (most of) the baby clothes, as well as your lovely family.
Yes this mirrors my experience and that of my friends - especially the decluttering target, baby clothes. How they make you remember and also the future potential they have.
If I can give 1 tip, you need to strengthen your decluttering muscle with easier items that aren’t as difficult to part with. Then that pathway of: what to get rid of, where to get rid of it and finally getting rid of it is well worn and easy to follow.
I’m sorry to tell you this “getting rid of the kids stuff” can drag on. We had our loft refloored last year and gave away SO many toys and books 😢 Our local hospice childrens department benefited which was some comfort. But I must admit that some things have been squirrelled away, I just couldn’t part with it all 😂. Our daughter is 37 btw! 😬
This stirred up so many thoughts and memories. You write so beautifully about this sort of feeling, which I'm sure many of us have had. I got rid of very little after my daughter was born, even when it looked very unlikely that I'd have another baby. I remember my parents being utterly bemused I wouldn't want them to send all my baby stuff to my newly-pregnant sister-in-law, and my dad ended up throwing away some of Elisabeth's baby things, despite being asked not to twice. And to be fair, I am not usually particularly sentimental about 'stuff,' so I'm not at all surprised he thought it would be ok. But, as you capture so well, there is something very immediate and poignant about small baby things that won't be needed again. Lots of love.
Enjoyed this tale very much. I try to de-clutter regularly, but somehow I’ve still got a big bag of baby clothes. I missed two windows of time I had to pass them on to my nieces (to be fair, sending parcels abroad is ruinous). Considering my son will turn 21 in two weeks’ time, I really need to get a grip🤪
This makes me feel much better - I have no doubt some of these will still be here when the girls are 21!
I'm glad it isn't just me.
Did you know that Royal Mail will come to you and collect your parcel? Game changing!
Sooo relatable, Mini! Especially the items on the doom pile - AKA sofa! My chair pile is currently reaching the height of the window and peering out to look at the view (it’s a low chair!). What’s the app where you can share clothes AND food?! Xx
I have the clone of your bedroom. And a similar degree of incapacity/inaction. I know I will feel lighter when I’m less trammelled, but letting go is a wrench. Solidarity in shedding, Mini x
The last of the baby clothes only went when we did an extension to the house and had to empty the loft. My children were 16 and 18 years old.
This is very relatable.
I have only just started to part with my 2 year old's 3-6 months cloths (I can't quite say goodbye to her newborn stuff yet). I live in a flat, and have limited space.
I never thought I'd be this person, and yet it turns out, I'm a mum. And I have treasured so much of her life, and holding her little body. Those little clothes hold so many memories, the good news is that I can still hold her and remember them.
So difficult to get rid of baby clothes. I have a HUGE bag in the attic. My babies are only 23 and 21 .....!!!!
Having just returned to our (completely rebuilt, so effectively 'brand new') house following the earthquakes in central Italy in 2016 I can understand this. We've been unpacking stuff that we moved from the UK in 2015 and never unpacked before we were forced to leave the house. I think we're all fundamentally attached to our stuff.... Even though I like to consider myself unsentimental and ruthless when it comes hoarding (or not), I'm clearly just delusional.
Do what you can and don't worry about the rest... 😜