Did you ever want LESS instead of more?

[Kathy]

Maybe its my age? Maybe its because I have so much stuff that I have to work to control?

I want less stuff. Less knick knacks. Less books. less clothes....Less stuff to take care of.

Do you ever feel that way?

We live in such an affluent culture in the US that even those who live below the poverty line tend to have plenty of stuff. (Maybe not money ...but stuff!)

I think this year I'm going to thin out. Not jus the stuff in the closets but stuff.

[royallady]

I like what I have.. so many people want want want. I myself and happy with the things I have... I do not have much. I have a place to live. no outstanding bills and food in my stomach. Most of what I have left over at the end of the month go to my children for the things they want and need. I am happy and not in want or need of anything. and i like that feeling. Trust me I am not rich I live paycheck to paycheck. but i am happy with that

[Charger]

I find myself wanting "less" also. I think its hard to enjoy too much "stuff" and the last couple of years have been letting go of "stuff" I have held onto for years!

[chiney]

O how stuff accumulates! I'm starting to put extra stuff into boxes and putting the boxes aside. If I haven't used it in a a year or so, then I obviously don't need it. We hope to have a big garage sale in the spring!

[Carmen]

I believe I am "of a minimalist bent" naturally. I don't want to have clothing, shoes or purses on hand that I don't currently use. I give them to Goodwill or Family Pathways. I have never collected knick-knacks because I know that if I did, I would soon tire of what I chose to collect anyway. :p

I have a stark decorating style. I don't desire having a bunch of objects sitting around on tables, dressers, etc. to collect dust. <See also: What is your least favorite cleaning chore? thread.> :D My kitchen countertops contain only a toaster, coffeemaker, knife caddy, and a set of five cannisters...the essentials only.

I'm not saying I don't ever indulge in buying new items. It's just that, when I do, I give away the old. I'm the opposite of a hoarder, I guess. ;)

[Sophiebelle]

YES!! I've been in a cleaning out mode the last few months. I've been in this house for 18 years now, and the STUFF that one can accumulate is mind-boggling. I've had an empty nest for 5 years now....but DD and DS still have STUFF here.

I find more and more I want less clutter around me. I'm even been giving stuff away to Goodwill that I never would have dreamed of parting with a few years ago.

I'm also wanting to downsize....we don't need such a big and high maintenance house anymore. I guess I'm wanting to "simplify" in my middle-age!

[spasmo]

There was a silver lining in having my house flood with 19' of water in 2002... it got rid of lots of stuff. I had always tended to avoid "nick-nacks" because they would just need to be dusted, but we still had managed to accumulate lots of stuff. Dont get me wrong... I am glad that we were able to save some things, but it was a forced house cleaning. Sometimes we still forget if we have certain things or not... that is a pretty good clue that we probably didn't need half of the things we had cabbaged on to over the years!

[Noelle]

I find that I always want more until it is time to clean the bedroom/hallway/bathroom area that quickly becomes swamped with my material goods. Then it becomes clear I have far too many things for my own good. It's a constant battle to limit the madness.

[handywoman]

I just love this. I used to have my house decorated "country". Then years ago I decided that I didn't like all the stuff around as it was more to dust so I got rid of stuff and packed up stuff that I felt I just couldn't stand to lose. :)

Now, the last of my three children has moved out and I have been going through all the boxes and trying to give them stuff. What they don't want, I either take to Goodwill or am going to take to a women's shelter. I love the new sense of freedom and lack of clutter around.

I too now look at something new and think "do I really need this or what am I going to get rid of in order to get this".

The harder part is trying to get the kids to realize that I am not a storage facility :rofl:

[QuiltAngel]

Do I want less? Yes!

Do I succeed at it? No.

There is some hope as my kids are getting older and beginning to move out of the nest. Won't have them hauling stuff home as their place at college does not have room. When they get their own place, no more hauling stuff back here. Hey, I may even haul some of their stuff to them.

Jane

[Weiser]

If I could only get rid of some of this stuff! Over the last few months we have really started giving away a lot of stuff, but we have a ways to go! We are trying to remember we aren't a storage facility either!

[Texas-Ali]

Yep, my oldest son moved out and I see him on Sunday nights for dinner, I give him boxes everytime I see him, 'Oh honey, I found this and it is yours, take it home'.

But there is a bonus plan here, he gets the old stuff, because you can not possibly throw out perfectly good dishes just to buy new ones. But if you 'had' to give it away, you now have room for new ones. I now have new dishes, new towels, a new tv and a new vacuume. And of course all the old pictures and nick nacks that used to live in the attic, I have discovered if he does not want it and I don't want it, it really needs a new home.

I put aside boxes for my two other boys with their names on them in the attic. If I have something they might need when they move out, it goes in their box. Otherwise, the Goodwill box in the garage gets full faster and emptied more frequently.

[Mori]

I feel exactly the same way but it seems I keep buying cute knick knacks & then giving them away as gifts. They create so much clutter & just serve to collect dust anyways which only means more cleaning! I also throw out so much stuff or give it to the salvation army.

[Melislite]

All my life was so full of stuff...Then I found myself wanting way LESS!!! I donate so much to homeless shelters...have yard-sales... and still boxes upon boxes of stuff!!! I am a freebie junkie!! lol...I now only send for Freebies i will use..One time a company sent me a brick lol the postage it must have cost them to send such a heavy item!! I do still have it..I use it to prop open my door. But I find I have so many books & ahhh the magazines I was saving to read someday...I hired someone last year to haul out 8 boxes of magazines to the garbage!! lol It is ahame when having stuff starts to cost you to have them or get rid of the stuff!! So I vote! LESS!!!

[Lady Bug]

:D Oh goodness, how I can identify with this thread. Our house is brimming with "stuff". Kathy, I sure understand wanting to simplify as I get older. Over the years I have been a collector of various things, the worst of which is furniture - yes - furniture!! :D

Now, as we look at the future, my hubby and I are drastically cutting back on the clutter. We have auctioned, sold, given and trashed so much. We are currently readying our house (been here 22 years) to sell. Considering all the acquirements in the 22 years here and 33 years of marriage, this will likely be a work in progress. :o

I chose cleaning my closet as a challenge. I guess that is sort of a cheat, since I have to clean it as part of getting the house ready.

At this point in our lives we would love to have a 2 bedroom home with 1 bath, a table for two, and trade the van in for VW bug!!

[angelbabe1uk]

The only thing i want more of these days is money :D
The thing i want less of is the problems of bills
When i do have money i always end up either spending on the bills or on my kids
The last time i got myself brand new clothes was for my brother and sister-in-laws wedding way back in 2003 :eek:
Apart from a new pair of dr martin style boots in pink last October
I'm still wearing the clothes from years ago

[Ingy4Peace]

Carmen - I'm so glad to hear there is someone out there like me. Some of my friends just don't understand how I can enjoy very few things on the walls and clear counters and spaces. I like the uncluttered, minimalist look -- it is peaceful to me. My problem is that I don't get rid of things that I no longer use or use just once in awhile. I'm seriously considering hiring an organizer.

[Dawn_aka_wahm4life]

This is a great thread! I once heard that "The more you have, the less relaxation time that you have" My oldest moved out and when she comes over, I always seem to hand her a bag or two of things!!! What a want most in life now are big things that we will enjoy...as for all the little things, I'm slowly getting rid of them. Except for the vintage things in my kitchen. I cant part with those. But the drawers,closets and cubboards are all needing to be cleaned out. I've started but have a ways to go.
The thing is when I take things to drop off at goodwill, I always seem to find something to bring back. lol It's all work in progress..........

[snobelle]

I keep what I need. If I don't use it within 12 months, then off it goes. I give "stuff" to organisations that share it with those less fortunate than me.

My in-laws collected heaps and heaps of "stuff". They are now in nursing homes, and my husband and I are left to work out what to do with it all. Any suggestions? There's a whole house full of stuff to deal with......from over 50 years of marriage....so there's lots of "stuff".

[Lapphundlady]

I agree, we seem to accumulate bits and pieces and then I try and have a massive tidy up. In the end day we dont need so much stuff we just try and gain happiness out of possessions to make up the gaps in our life. It doesnt work. But I felt better when I had a massive tidy up in the front room and got rid of a bin load of stuff. If you dont use it lose it! Just leaves the bedrooms now with my daughter being the main culprit! Take care.

[Lady Bug]

I keep what I need. If I don't use it within 12 months, then off it goes. I give "stuff" to organisations that share it with those less fortunate than me.

My in-laws collected heaps and heaps of "stuff". They are now in nursing homes, and my husband and I are left to work out what to do with it all. Any suggestions? There's a whole house full of stuff to deal with......from over 50 years of marriage....so there's lots of "stuff".

Snobelle, I understand completely. We have gone through this with both my inlaws and my parents. With the inlaws, their home belonged to us after my mother-in-law passed. After waiting a couple of months, we picked out a few sentimental items and opened up the house for an estate sale. At the end of the two days, I called Salvation Army. They came and loaded everything. We never had to do any moving in that situation.

My father has passed away, but when it came time to move my mother, her situation was more difficult. She wanted to take everything with her. It was hard. My younger brother took most of the things from mother's home. I took items that I thought she could possibly use again - clothing, jewelry, decorative items, etc. It didn't work out well. During the whole process, it was understood that if mother regained her abilities and could use her "stuff", then we would return the items. Well, mother ran the gamut from hospital geriatric unit, private Alzheimer unit, to Assisted Living, to Independent Living (for several years now). Though I returned everything that I took to my home, my brother refused to return her main possessions - furniture, rugs, etc. Mother ended up replacing some furniture. She is currently moving back into Assisted Living. I imagine we will once again go through a similar situation with her "stuff". It is so difficult with her because she had to sell her home in order to pay for her private facilities. With her dementia, she often says that we took her home and possessions and she never saw anything from them. She will never understand that she has been given far more than her home and possessions were ever worth. :comfort: :bigcry:

[Dawn_aka_wahm4life]

snobell, After having 50 years of accumalation, they are going to have ALOT of antiques and or collectables. I would either have an auction or sell things on ebay. I use to sell things on ebay for about 5 years and its AMAZING what people will buy and what they will pay for something!!! Even things that you would never imagine! So, be very careful parting with thier things!!!
Dawn

[JenniferC]

Yes I would love less instead of more...I want less clutter, less bills, less health issues...Guess I have a lot of things to work on this year! ;) Simpler life would suit me just fine!

[skeezix]

Boy do I know what you are saying. I want less, less, less!Picture this, my husband is a woodturner that collects wood, as in tree stumps, logs whatever. Now, he creates beautiful things but sometimes it is too much. I am a sewer so for the last while i am using up my stash for giving it away. I do love a beautiful piece of fabric however so sometimes I cannot resist. I like very basic clean lines in home decor so that is my aim. :)

[Mori]

I totally agree with downsizing on "stuff" & have been trying to get rid of extra clutter myself.

[madbo]

After a house fire in 2002 completely destroyed my home and about 95% of the contents my husband and I decided to take a more minimalist approach to our home decor. As the time approached for us to move back into our newly rebuilt home we learned that the restoration company had manage to salvage a few things that were in the basement storage areas.

Yep you guessed it. Most of the "salvage" was in storage, meaning it was stuff that we didn't need or want around. So there I was... surrounded by the stuff I didn't want after losing the things I did want.

I'm still trying to get rid of some of it. Because it's the only remnants of our old life and our old home it's that much harder to purge it from our home.

As I was decorating for the holidays in November I looked around in astonishment. We've only been back in our home 2 years and yet the house that seemed so empty 2 years ago seems to be piled high with stuff! In January I decided to go through the house, one room at a time, and declutter. I'm about 3/4 complete and it's great. I love having some actual free space around here.

[spasmo]

Madbo,
I understand where you are coming from! We lost about 75% of our belongings after a flood in 2002 and then we moved into an OLD house that we have S-L-O-W-L-Y been remodeling. The house doesn't have much storage or closet space and we have not unpacked several of the boxes of the things we salvaged. It kind of makes me think that that maybe we dont need the things in the boxes... it will be like Christmas when we open them.

[She_Ra]

Seven years ago we moved into a house that had twice the square feet of our previous one...my husband and I were so excited to have SOOOO much room. I would like to know where all that extra room went! OH yeah, my reading room is now my son's musical conservatory---5 guitars, a drum set, a piano and a tuba when he remembers to bring it home with him. My "extra" bedroom is now filled with all the projects I've started but can't seem to find the time to finish...and the list goes on!

I've often thought about becoming one of those minimalist folks that moves to Alaska and lives off the land...however, my children quickly bring me back to reality. So every 6 months I throw out enough stuff to make the garbage man scream for mercy...yet I still can't pass up a garage sale, thrift store or clearance sale (did I really need any of the stuff I brought home in the back of the truck last weekend?)

Oh well...downsizing is like dieting...there's always tomorrow! :confused:

[marybeth8890]

Yes! If I could just get everyone else to get rid of their stuff. I have a two year old that drags rocks and sticks into the house and he even got his 1 year old brother to help. Everyday after they go to bed I throw it all back out. I did get rid of allot of the knick knacks. I just can not stand dusting them anymore!

[boristhecat]

JUst this past weekend my sisters were trying to help my aging mom to clean out her storage and her home. She don't want to let go of stuff she don't need. She has boxes and boxes of materials. She used to sew years ago. She has arthritis. She just won't let go of these boxes. But she has always been a packrat for years since i was a child. You go to her house and it is full of containers of stuff she can't even have out cause of all her knick knacks. It has made me opposite. Whenever i don't need something, i find it a new home. I give it to a family member or friend or stranger or sell it or give it to a thrift store. Your trash is someone else's treasure. I love yard sales but if i don't need it, i don't pick it up.

[coolcanuck]

I can so relate to this thread!! I smiled then had a laughing spell and had to catch my breath. My hubby is a pack rat and I'm a total simplicity freak. I love clear counters and blank walls. I have traveled around the world with one carry-on bag. I own 3 pair of shoes and 1 pair of boots. I find too much "stuff" drains my energy. What a blessing to find others have the same mind set. I can come out of the closet... Bless you ladies. lol.. Lori

[tinkerbell]

I, too, think that less is better! I come from a long line of "packrats" and think I've finally succeeded at breaking out of the cycle. We had a basement flood in '98 which forced me to clean everything out and re-evaluate what was important. My home was decorated with "country clutter" at that time, and boy, was it cluttered. 5 years ago, I began a process of changing the way I managed things, and got rid of a bunch more "stuff" and clothes I hadn't worn in a while, and it felt SO good! Then, last year, when we sold our home of 18 years, we put half of our furniture and remaining stuff in a storage unit and moved into an apt. while we house hunted. 9 months later, we haven't missed the stored stuff at all. We just bought a new home, and tomorrow we're moving the stuff from storage to the new garage, and I'm looking forward to going through everything AGAIN to see what we can do without. It really is freeing to get rid of extra "stuff"!

[nowakd1133]

Yes, I would like less stuff and less luxuries. WE dont know how good we have it and our kids dont know either. This leads to less appreciation for what we have and what we provide. I have often thought we need to return to the days of black and white tv in order to appreciate each other more and our neighbours.

[nowakd1133]

Hey Canuck,
I was born in Vancouver and now live over 900 kms north where less reigns my world. It took awhile to get used to, but now I'm so thankful that we have less to choose from.

[ester 6" tall]

When we lived in our old house, you couldn't see my fridge for the magnets and papers. As we were preparing to sell, I knew one of the jobs I had to do was declutter the fridge. I had almost forgotten what my fridge looked like underneath. Since then, especially in the new house and the new fridge, there are only a couple of things stuck to the side of my fridge - but no more fridge clutter.

[Mykhal Jaems]

When DH & I packed up and moved 500 miles, we took only what fit in my parent's large van. Turns out we can live with alot less than we thought! We kept clothes, micro, tv, computer, favorite bedding, essential kitchen stuff and the 2 cats we had at the time.

That was 2 years ago and if we had to do it now it would take a large moving van! We have picked up alot at the local thrift stores. I try to only get something if we don't have it, and need it, but alot of times we end up with alot of other things.

[nowakd1133]

i love my fridge clutter--only half of my fridge is covered with family and friends pics
i actually frame my kids school art work and decorate my walls with them,

[GirlyGirl]

I've decided...when I redecorate...I want clean neutral walls with a few beautiful 'special' prints...and simple furniture with only a few 'knick knack' type items....maybe a especially beautiful vase or other piece of sculpture....basically...I want my house to look clean. My house is so cluttered right now that I'm starting to get a little stressed....I'm looking forward make things much more simple!