I agree. It is the things that either belong to a version of you in the past that you are trying to hold onto, or a version of you in the future that you hoped to become (but haven't) that are the hardest to declutter. Anything that feels like part of our identity is usually the most difficult to let go of.
Oh my goodness this is so funny. I'm decluttering right now to potentially sell our house. I have a container full of stamps, ink pads, embossing powders and confetti from when I used to send out cards to customers. I'm looking at them trying to decide to keep them or get rid of them. I also have decorated cakes - I learned from my mom. I have 1 pastry bag and tips up in my top cupboard waiting to be used. Not much cake baking going on at my house anymore - we're trying not to eat baked goods too often. We have some things in common Laura! I think it's harder to get rid of things when you have struggled through times with little money. You kept things because you wouldn't be able to afford to replace them later if you got rid of them. We were also taught not to waste growing up so you didn't just throw things out. That could be a generational thing. I have just as much difficulty with regular items as I do sentimental Items unfortunately.
Laura, you actually just helped me decide to get rid of a ton of things. My husband just retired in late June from being a corrections officer for 20+ years. We subsequently relocated to another state, & a 3 story home to a ranch size modular home. We lived in our previous home for almost 20 years, needless to say, we had a lot of things. Even though we got rid of about half of our things when we moved, we have found that was not nearly enough downsizing. It has been difficult deciding what we still need to keep or get rid of. I now feel as though I can get rid of much more simply because I don’t even really want to keep a lot of it. No need to feel guilty. I know that there are others who would gladly use these things. None of them has any emotional attachment for me, so today is the day! Thanks!!!
I totally agree. I have had so many aspirations over the years that I have so many different things stored. I get so many ideas that I want to do everything and all of that everything takes up so much space. I grew up in a family that crochets, from my grandmother, my mother, my sister and myself along with my aunts and cousins. We finally broke down and gave away 7 of the afghans that my mother and grandmother made because they have been in containers for years. I sleep hot and I don't use them and you really only need one on the bed at a time. But along with that I finally gave away some of the yarn. We always stock up on a good yarn sale but reality has set in that my hands just don't work that well anymore and I can't do it like I used to. Between my sister and I we have enough yarn stored for probably 10-15 afghans plus all of the specialty yarn I love. So we have and are donating a large majority of it. Can't wait to claim that space back and stop feeling disappointed looking at it all. Love all that you do.....
Hi Laura! I completely agree! I had so many craft items including rubber stamps. I actually worked at a Rubber Stamp store for years! Yikes, I just realized I started working there about 29 years ago. Now all my stamps and accessories are all in garage storage even after 7 moves! I need to get rid of it all!! Thanks for sharing this honest nugget of inspiration!
Heck to the YEAH! 1. I have Polish cassette tapes. I don't have a cassette tape player. 2. I have TONS of stamping supplies. I don't have stamp pads that aren't dried out. 3. I have a TO BE READ pile that literally would reach the ceiling, along with a LIST of To Be Read titles, and nowhere near enough time to read the books. And those are just three that I can see from where I'm sitting listening to your video!
Oh yes that is sooooo hard!! It makes me feel a total failure when I have to get rid of things from my past. It’s like a grieving for what was but isn’t any more.
Thank you Laura. I started making cards about 5 yrs ago & this past yr I had to buy cards because I started volunteering for my church to do more things for our Missionaries. I admitted to my Hubby that if I had to give one up it would be the cards. That would be very hard for me because I enjoy it but I feel I don't have as much time to dedicate to it. However, for Christmas we did make 255 cards. 😆 I may have a come to Jesus meeting soon about it. Thank you for your encouragement.
Huh, this was interesting indeed. I'm a total Creative who can relate to ALL of what you said, Miss Laura! 😄 I moved in with my parents a while back and I'm pretty certain that I'm a craft hoarder, who comes by it quite naturally from both sides actually. Mom is the Creative one, and we all know that creatives would rather CREATE than clean! At least that's the way it was in my house. And then there's my extremely frugal father. The dear man saves even a square of tin foil! (Good Heavens, he drives me batty at times.) Anyways when I combined some of my craft supplies with my Mom's when I moved in, I realized that between the two of us we had seven (7) boxes of just ribbon 🎀. And I used to be a Creative Memories Instructor, so I still have a lot of the supplies of un-made albums, etc. Hearing what you said, Laura, made me feel like I could finally release all that GUILT, ugh. And shake it off, like the dead weight it is!!! Right??
Needed to hear this! I have tons of stamps and not even really sending cards lately. Thanks for your great explanation and motivating me to declutter my huge collection. You were definitely speaking to me on this one!
When you commented on getting rid of the greeting card supplies I totally related. I just did this with my scrapbooking supplies. I felt the same way about not being the scrapbooked I used to be. I carried, organized and moved those supplies around for 10 years without touching them. When I finally donated them to my church I felt such a weight lifted off my shoulder. I don’t regret it or miss them like I thought I would. And I have more room too.
I completely agree with you. I actually made and sold cakes for a while, but found it stressful and stopped. I was going to keep all my supplies "just in case." Then I realized if I had the supplies, I would end up giving in to people asking me to make a cake and end up completely stressed again. So I took a hard look and got rid of all the things I would not use on a regular basis. It was very freeing! Additionally, it was simple to say that, as much as I would like to help someone out, I no longer had the supplies to do so.
So true!!! I have clothes that I've wanted to fit into for years now. I'm also a retired cake decorator and it is sooo hard to let my equipment go. A few years ago, I sold some of my books. That was like letting go of a piece of myself. I absolutely know that I should do something with everything I still have but it pains me. And it's also difficult to sell items these days because even if I markdown some of the things I've preserved (for example, excellent pans in excellent condition), people feel they have the right to price what I'm selling. Still, you've certainly given me something to think about.
Absolutely! I have been holding onto scrapbook stuff I inherited from my ex's mom 16 years ago 🙈 I've always wanted to be the person that creates beautiful scrapbooks and keep telling myself that I'll get around to it when I have the time, but then I never actually choose to sit down and do it when I do have the time. I will be decluttering these items and if I want a scrapbook in the future, I'll use a program to create a digital one and print it out.
As a person who is creative with reclaimed material and sewing and various crafts, I have an extremely difficult time with this! I’ve got a shipping container full of stuff that I just kept putting away thinking that I would get to it later when I had more time. Five kids homeschooling and homesteading , I didn’t leave much time for creative energy. But with some of my kids now grown-up I find myself with a bit more time and I am so glad I hoarded all that stuff. I’m going through things now and evaluating if this is some thing I am actually going to do or if I need to pass it on. Is this someone who I still want to be, is there a potential for me to be that person? I am in the process now of taking the things that I hoarded and making the things that I actually want to make and donating the things that aren’t going to work and throwing away things that are just not worth saving. I’m feeling the urgency to do this because I want to move and will not be able to move all the stuff . Thanks for the video, it inspired me to keep up with the work and helped me understand why I was having such a problem with this type of decluttering.
Urgh, this video really spoke to me. I feel as though you practically came to my house, opened my cupboard doors and rifled through all my tons of jewellery making equipment that I stockpiled years ago when I decided I wanted to make jewellery for a living, but eventually decided I just liked doing it for fun (or attending courses where equipment was supplied anyway)... I'm mentally now stuck between reluctant acceptance of the fact I won't use them any more, and a vague idea that I'd like to recoup some money from it all 🤦🏻♀️ I'll get there in the end! Thank you for this video, I appreciated it 😊
I recently struggled to let go of an old trophy. It was a softball (team) trophy that didn't match anything and didn't make me happy. I couldn't even remember what team it was from. I posted a picture on Facebook and nobody else remembered either. I have a feeling I know, but I'll remember that team with or without the trophy, not because we won, but because we loved each other. I don't need a trophy to remind me of that. I tossed it, and now I have one trophy, a beautiful matching hard-earned individual trophy that I earned by myself for my efforts in school that makes me feel good and proud of accomplishment.
Just watched this and loved it! I have so many items from my past that need to go and several things for my perceived future that need to be used. But will I use them? They will probably be the last things to go once I’ve gone through everything else. Thanks so much for opening my eyes about this.
Oooof this hit home and thank you in advance even though it hurts. When I was a teenager I used to exercise 3 hours a day. I loved every minute of it. Than I got into a relationship that was admittedly abusive and he didn't like that I was in shape cause "other men." Well I got rid of the relationship and started collecting exercise stuff. I've got so many cds and steppers etc etc. Truth is I hate exercise and the only thing I really like is walking, yoga, and dancing. I'm not going to do Billy Blanks, kick boxing, or go back to the gym and use the swimsuits. That 19 year old that spent all 10 years exercising to the Super Shape up Program is now 48 with a leg injury and a completely different life.
I’ve held onto a violin for 20 years. I am not a violinist, nor will I ever buy. I donated it to a musician who runs a thrift shop that benefits homeless cats. I’m sure she will get that violin into the hands of someone who will play it.
My closets (&other areas ) would be much neater/cleaner if it weren’t for aspirational clutter!🤣 It is soooo hard to give up those goals/dreams though.
We have snowboards and snow boots that we haven’t used in almost 10 years. 😬 To make it worse, 6 years ago we moved to an area with no snow and no mountains. 🤦🏻♀️
even worse - you used to make those beautiful cakes for your kids and they have since grown up and had kids. you no longer make cakes but you keep buying stuff to make cakes
I agree. It is the things that either belong to a version of you in the past that you are trying to hold onto, or a version of you in the future that you hoped to become (but haven't) that are the hardest to declutter. Anything that feels like part of our identity is usually the most difficult to let go of.
Oh my goodness this is so funny. I'm decluttering right now to potentially sell our house. I have a container full of stamps, ink pads, embossing powders and confetti from when I used to send out cards to customers. I'm looking at them trying to decide to keep them or get rid of them. I also have decorated cakes - I learned from my mom. I have 1 pastry bag and tips up in my top cupboard waiting to be used. Not much cake baking going on at my house anymore - we're trying not to eat baked goods too often. We have some things in common Laura! I think it's harder to get rid of things when you have struggled through times with little money. You kept things because you wouldn't be able to afford to replace them later if you got rid of them. We were also taught not to waste growing up so you didn't just throw things out. That could be a generational thing. I have just as much difficulty with regular items as I do sentimental Items unfortunately.
Laura, you actually just helped me decide to get rid of a ton of things. My husband just retired in late June from being a corrections officer for 20+ years. We subsequently relocated to another state, & a 3 story home to a ranch size modular home. We lived in our previous home for almost 20 years, needless to say, we had a lot of things. Even though we got rid of about half of our things when we moved, we have found that was not nearly enough downsizing. It has been difficult deciding what we still need to keep or get rid of. I now feel as though I can get rid of much more simply because I don’t even really want to keep a lot of it. No need to feel guilty. I know that there are others who would gladly use these things. None of them has any emotional attachment for me, so today is the day! Thanks!!!
I totally agree. I have had so many aspirations over the years that I have so many different things stored. I get so many ideas that I want to do everything and all of that everything takes up so much space. I grew up in a family that crochets, from my grandmother, my mother, my sister and myself along with my aunts and cousins. We finally broke down and gave away 7 of the afghans that my mother and grandmother made because they have been in containers for years. I sleep hot and I don't use them and you really only need one on the bed at a time. But along with that I finally gave away some of the yarn. We always stock up on a good yarn sale but reality has set in that my hands just don't work that well anymore and I can't do it like I used to. Between my sister and I we have enough yarn stored for probably 10-15 afghans plus all of the specialty yarn I love. So we have and are donating a large majority of it. Can't wait to claim that space back and stop feeling disappointed looking at it all. Love all that you do.....
Laura - this is the first time i have heard it called Aspirational Clutter but it makes so much sense. Thanks
Hi Laura! I completely agree! I had so many craft items including rubber stamps. I actually worked at a Rubber Stamp store for years! Yikes, I just realized I started working there about 29 years ago. Now all my stamps and accessories are all in garage storage even after 7 moves! I need to get rid of it all!! Thanks for sharing this honest nugget of inspiration!
I just cannot seem to let go of any project I want to do, book I want to read, or clothes I want to wear. You have hit the nail on the head!!!!
Heck to the YEAH!
1. I have Polish cassette tapes. I don't have a cassette tape player.
2. I have TONS of stamping supplies. I don't have stamp pads that aren't dried out.
3. I have a TO BE READ pile that literally would reach the ceiling, along with a LIST of To Be Read titles, and nowhere near enough time to read the books.
And those are just three that I can see from where I'm sitting listening to your video!
True statement. Speaks volumes to why we keep stuff. 🤦🏼♀️
Oh yes that is sooooo hard!! It makes me feel a total failure when I have to get rid of things from my past. It’s like a grieving for what was but isn’t any more.
Thank you Laura. I started making cards about 5 yrs ago & this past yr I had to buy cards because I started volunteering for my church to do more things for our Missionaries. I admitted to my Hubby that if I had to give one up it would be the cards. That would be very hard for me because I enjoy it but I feel I don't have as much time to dedicate to it. However, for Christmas we did make 255 cards. 😆 I may have a come to Jesus meeting soon about it. Thank you for your encouragement.
Not sure I’ve ever heard ANYONE ever address this aspect and I agree with 1000%!!! Thank you so much for opening our eyes to this!!! So good!
Huh, this was interesting indeed. I'm a total Creative who can relate to ALL of what you said, Miss Laura! 😄
I moved in with my parents a while back and I'm pretty certain that I'm a craft hoarder, who comes by it quite naturally from both sides actually. Mom is the Creative one, and we all know that creatives would rather CREATE than clean! At least that's the way it was in my house. And then there's my extremely frugal father. The dear man saves even a square of tin foil! (Good Heavens, he drives me batty at times.) Anyways when I combined some of my craft supplies with my Mom's when I moved in, I realized that between the two of us we had seven (7) boxes of just ribbon 🎀. And I used to be a Creative Memories Instructor, so I still have a lot of the supplies of un-made albums, etc. Hearing what you said, Laura, made me feel like I could finally release all that GUILT, ugh. And shake it off, like the dead weight it is!!! Right??
AND finally donate/get rid of that stuff as well!
Needed to hear this! I have tons of stamps and not even really sending cards lately. Thanks for your great explanation and motivating me to declutter my huge collection. You were definitely speaking to me on this one!
Accurate! I'm cleaning out my office area right now... Seeing a lot of "fantasy self" items and it's a lot to process!
When you commented on getting rid of the greeting card supplies I totally related. I just did this with my scrapbooking supplies. I felt the same way about not being the scrapbooked I used to be. I carried, organized and moved those supplies around for 10 years without touching them. When I finally donated them to my church I felt such a weight lifted off my shoulder. I don’t regret it or miss them like I thought I would. And I have more room too.
Love this!
I completely agree with you. I actually made and sold cakes for a while, but found it stressful and stopped. I was going to keep all my supplies "just in case." Then I realized if I had the supplies, I would end up giving in to people asking me to make a cake and end up completely stressed again. So I took a hard look and got rid of all the things I would not use on a regular basis. It was very freeing! Additionally, it was simple to say that, as much as I would like to help someone out, I no longer had the supplies to do so.
So true!!! I have clothes that I've wanted to fit into for years now. I'm also a retired cake decorator and it is sooo hard to let my equipment go. A few years ago, I sold some of my books. That was like letting go of a piece of myself. I absolutely know that I should do something with everything I still have but it pains me. And it's also difficult to sell items these days because even if I markdown some of the things I've preserved (for example, excellent pans in excellent condition), people feel they have the right to price what I'm selling.
Still, you've certainly given me something to think about.
nail-on-the-head accurate! Thank you for this very helpful video:)
Absolutely! I have been holding onto scrapbook stuff I inherited from my ex's mom 16 years ago 🙈 I've always wanted to be the person that creates beautiful scrapbooks and keep telling myself that I'll get around to it when I have the time, but then I never actually choose to sit down and do it when I do have the time. I will be decluttering these items and if I want a scrapbook in the future, I'll use a program to create a digital one and print it out.
As a person who is creative with reclaimed material and sewing and various crafts, I have an extremely difficult time with this! I’ve got a shipping container full of stuff that I just kept putting away thinking that I would get to it later when I had more time. Five kids homeschooling and homesteading , I didn’t leave much time for creative energy. But with some of my kids now grown-up I find myself with a bit more time and I am so glad I hoarded all that stuff. I’m going through things now and evaluating if this is some thing I am actually going to do or if I need to pass it on. Is this someone who I still want to be, is there a potential for me to be that person? I am in the process now of taking the things that I hoarded and making the things that I actually want to make and donating the things that aren’t going to work and throwing away things that are just not worth saving. I’m feeling the urgency to do this because I want to move and will not be able to move all the stuff .
Thanks for the video, it inspired me to keep up with the work and helped me understand why I was having such a problem with this type of decluttering.
Hadnt really occurred to me before this video, but Im certain I need to let go of a few things like this. Thank you.😉👍♥️
Wow lady u hit the nail on the head. Keep inspiring. Xo
Urgh, this video really spoke to me. I feel as though you practically came to my house, opened my cupboard doors and rifled through all my tons of jewellery making equipment that I stockpiled years ago when I decided I wanted to make jewellery for a living, but eventually decided I just liked doing it for fun (or attending courses where equipment was supplied anyway)... I'm mentally now stuck between reluctant acceptance of the fact I won't use them any more, and a vague idea that I'd like to recoup some money from it all 🤦🏻♀️ I'll get there in the end! Thank you for this video, I appreciated it 😊
I recently struggled to let go of an old trophy. It was a softball (team) trophy that didn't match anything and didn't make me happy. I couldn't even remember what team it was from. I posted a picture on Facebook and nobody else remembered either. I have a feeling I know, but I'll remember that team with or without the trophy, not because we won, but because we loved each other. I don't need a trophy to remind me of that. I tossed it, and now I have one trophy, a beautiful matching hard-earned individual trophy that I earned by myself for my efforts in school that makes me feel good and proud of accomplishment.
Great topic!
This was very helpful. Thank you.
I have boxes of Scrapbooking and Photo Stuff. It's hard to get rid of, since it's all brand new and maybe some day I will do it. :)
Nailed it
Just watched this and loved it! I have so many items from my past that need to go and several things for my perceived future that need to be used. But will I use them? They will probably be the last things to go once I’ve gone through everything else. Thanks so much for opening my eyes about this.
Oooof this hit home and thank you in advance even though it hurts. When I was a teenager I used to exercise 3 hours a day. I loved every minute of it. Than I got into a relationship that was admittedly abusive and he didn't like that I was in shape cause "other men." Well I got rid of the relationship and started collecting exercise stuff. I've got so many cds and steppers etc etc. Truth is I hate exercise and the only thing I really like is walking, yoga, and dancing. I'm not going to do Billy Blanks, kick boxing, or go back to the gym and use the swimsuits. That 19 year old that spent all 10 years exercising to the Super Shape up Program is now 48 with a leg injury and a completely different life.
Thanks.
This is the first time i have heard this. It is definitely the hardest type of clutter.
I’ve held onto a violin for 20 years. I am not a violinist, nor will I ever buy. I donated it to a musician who runs a thrift shop that benefits homeless cats. I’m sure she will get that violin into the hands of someone who will play it.
My closets (&other areas ) would be much neater/cleaner if it weren’t for aspirational clutter!🤣 It is soooo hard to give up those goals/dreams though.
We have snowboards and snow boots that we haven’t used in almost 10 years. 😬 To make it worse, 6 years ago we moved to an area with no snow and no mountains. 🤦🏻♀️
For me the hardest thing to decluter is family photos. I just can't seem to let go of them.
Where are the links below..?
even worse - you used to make those beautiful cakes for your kids and they have since grown up and had kids. you no longer make cakes but you keep buying stuff to make cakes
So true!! And I can’t seem to cut back on my grocery stash even though my kids have been out of the house for years 😮