Emotional Attachments

[Debi]

I've been slowly but surely "letting go" of stuff over the last few months. I'm not one to hold onto things, but I've hit some items that have such a strong emotional attachment I can't quite let them go yet! And I'm not talking old cords or remotes. These things are special books, some trinkets of my mom's, some items I know no one will want after I'm gone. Yet...can't quite let them go..yet.

How emotionally attached are you to your "things"? Are there some items you simply won't let go or are you someone who has no problem "letting go" and living light?​

 

[ozentity]

I like being minimalist but some items from passed loved ones stay.

 

[garnetsilver]

I have begun this process too. And I find that I can get rid of books (my passion) by asking myself if I am likely to want to read it again. I have about thirty books set aside for donation. Some I absolutely love and won't part with. As for other things I am very slowly starting to question if I will ever use/wear them in the next five years. Usually the answer is no. I wanted to donate the books to a third world country but it was getting to complicated with customs and such. Mr. Garnet finally gave up a dining set he had from childhood, and felt better for it. We still have his mothers china cabinet which was a wedding present to her. It's pretty and I like having it around.

 

[Selectric]

I am probably the worst as far as keeping stuff lol. I have things since my childhood/teen years. Possible compulsive? Yeah probably lol. Could it be 'wisdom' imparted by my parents? That too lol. I have always taken care of things that i have been given or bought. I have never and will never reach the hoarder phase...yikes...but years down the road...i believe it is dumpster rental time

 

[ozentity]

I'm dreading my mum passing, mostly because she's a great mum but also because her home is choked with stuff. Good stuff, mostly antique furniture, countless expensive dinner sets in many glass cases, clocks, ornaments, everything. As she says I will be having a garage sale of a lifetime lol.

 

[JahaRa]

I've been slowly but surely "letting go" of stuff over the last few months. I'm not one to hold onto things, but I've hit some items that have such a strong emotional attachment I can't quite let them go yet! And I'm not talking old cords or remotes. These things are special books, some trinkets of my mom's, some items I know no one will want after I'm gone. Yet...can't quite let them go..yet.

How emotionally attached are you to your "things"? Are there some items you simply won't let go or are you someone who has no problem "letting go" and living light?​

I still have a lot of my mom's stuff, old navajo rugs, ceramics that she painted, jewlery, etc. And I have lots of stuff the kids left behind, like the youngests cabbage patch doll, and games. I have quilts that people have made for me and quilts my mom made for others that are now dead. I have art from my kids and my grandkids in boxes and folders... Too much stuff. When I retire my plan is to go through stuff in each room and cull it, give the good stuff to charity and throw the useless stuff away. I say I am not a hoarder, just lazy and have plenty of storage space, but I do have emotional attachments to some of it to the extent that I don't even want to go through all of it.

 

[garnetsilver]

I am actually surprised that I am not more of a hoarder. My childhood was very unsettled with lots of relocating and sometimes things would get lost. I have lost things very precious to me; certain dolls, books, art work that I made. on the other hand, Mr. Garnet would be a worse hoarder than he is, but has come to see how good it can feel sometimes to let things go. If we move from this house, there is going to be a yard sale, lol.

 

[Debi]

I'm dreading my mum passing

This is one reason I have been working on the process of culling for the past 6 months. On my personal stuff, I'm down to nitty gritty attached to it stuff. I have no problem throwing out or donating "regular" items, but this is the personal to me item time. So far, I've tried doing the take a picture of it thing, but I am still wavering about the disposal of item part of the program!

With that said, I think I am going to allow myself the small hope chest in the den and use it to put in my "can't let go" items. If it doesn't fit in there, it's gotta go. I think I will leave a note in the chest telling whoever deals with it why the items within meant something to me. It's better than leaving a whole dumpster's worth behind, right?

 

[Paulm]

for most things i have no problem letting go. im constantly building or refinishing furniture that i either give away or sale. there are a few pieces that ive refinished and kept but they will be cycled through at some point also. i like a minimalist feel even though ive got a lot in storage just from the hobby of refinishing itself.

 

[garnetsilver]

I was like that until I got married. Now the combination of stuff is considerable.