I like my stuff and have no desire to get rid of it, but I like it to be organized and easy to use. I need to go through our clothes and weed out the ones we will never wear again. I went through our library a few years ago and got rid of 80% of the books. I still have several bookcases full, but they are cookbooks and decor/art books. Someone else can get rid of them after I'm gone. There are enough services that work on a contingency basis that I have no fear that I'm leaving an overwhelming burden for a family member. If an item is damaged beyond my ability/desire to repair it, I throw it away.

I'm a tossed too. Every year or so I go thru stuff. On this last move I got rid of a lot of things. Gave some away to people who would really use the items. Still have boxes of stuff for the yet to be planned garage sale lol

I'm a tosser who dislikes clutter. Some friends' houses are so overdecorated and over done with flotsam and jetsom that for some places I'll sometimes joke to my wife of a desire to break in to grab and discard half of what's there to improve the decor.

I kept stuff, and kept stuff, and kept stuff... until one day, after being in a flood (oh Raven?!), I had to accept what was left. I figured out how to keep what was really precious (if it survived) and what really could go. I threw away so much. I still have to ask myself, why am I keeping _________? It can even be for sentimental reasons, but there better be a reason, an almost good reason will do, not even necessarily a great reason. But there better be a reason other than it's old, had it forever, it's a "set", etc.

I've been purging also. I swear, some things I have had for a long time but when I look at them I think "Why did I ever buy this to start with?"

Unfortunately, I'm a keeper but day by day when I'm confronted with our "stuff," I can feel the balance tipping toward tossing most of our possessions. My clothes and books especially need a severe pruning.

My home is clutter free. That said, I do have all closets and drawers filled with things.

I read Kondo's book and actually did organize my socks and underwear in the way she recommends. I like it and it's easy to see what you have.

The "Does this bring you joy?" didn't really cut it for me. Does this old raincoat bring me joy? No, not really, but I know it will be good once or twice a year in a really bad storm.

So, to me, practical things don't necessarily bring me joy, but I can't really throw them out either.

Cooper, I agree with you. I have my answer to your question, "Why did I ever buy this to start with?" Actually a few. Sometimes I get bored with my go-to choices. Why not buy that skirt or dress? I'm not really a dress or skirt person, though. I am trying to push the envelope and look for times to wear these things. Sometimes you just need a new outfit and the only thing for the occasion is marginal. You do wear it, then put it away. Why punish yourself by wearing it again, yet it is good quality so why not just keep it?

Last year a good friend moved out of state. Her home was the same size/style as mine. I saw what she went through and I started to purge. But, since I am not going anywhere soon, I stopped.

My 2nd husband and I combined two big houses full of stuff... we downsized to a very small house so we purged a lot! I haven't missed anything that I've gotten rid of yet so that's a good thing!

Years ago I read a little blurb that said "Only in America do we fill our garages full of junk and park our expensive vehicles outside". I've always gotten a chuckle out of that... and see that it's true all too often.

Most of my books are "how to" type books in cooking, gardening, crafts, sewing, knitting, crocheting, embroidery, photography, glass and jewelry making. Nonfiction books are ones I picked up at the thrift store for 50 cents. I have about a dozen to be read of my favorite authors. It is nice to go to the bookshelf when I am in the mood for something to read. If I am looking for a certain title, usually ones recommended here, I go to the library. We sell most of the books we have read to a used book store or donate to the library for their book sale. I could probably go through my books and thin them out. Something to add to my "To Do" list.

Both. It depends upon the items, and my husband's current attitude towards tossing his things. When he still won't get rid of a long-broken telescope or the boxes of western books, a style he no longer reads and that he has not even cracked open for more than twenty years, I loose enthusiasm in decreasing the volume of my stuff. I'll have the possible regret for parting with sentimental items, and he would probably just fill the space with more of his things.

I am more of a tosser. I don't give too much sentimental value to current clothing or housewares. Life is more interesting when tired items leave and new things come in. What I do keep is photos and I keep copies in the cloud and on flash drives to prevent catastrophic loss. I am sentimental about jewelry or collectables that have been given me by loved ones but have begun passing things onto my children. I could never relax in a cluttered room or one that is overly decorated.

I had always been a keeper too. I come from a family of them. I'd clean an area and shortly there after it would be a mess again. Or I would try to clean/organize an area and found that I just moved the mess to another room (also runs in my family lol). I would hold on to a lot of things for sentimental reasons, cos I may need it some day, or just to keep from losing memories.

Then about a year ago a lady I worked with checked out the Marie Kondo book and let me borrow it. It made such a difference for me! I don't know why but it helped things click. Clothes were actually the hardest part for me and yes I did cry when I got started. As I started looking at the clothes all these memories came flooding back and it was just too much to handle. After I got past that it was a lot easier. And now when I clean an area it's so much easier to keep that way. I still have some areas to go but I've made a lot of progress. I also find myself not wanting "things" as much. If I don't need it or use it it'll just be more clutter.

I think some people take her book too literally. The only thing I did as a group was clothing. After that I kind of just did small areas at a time. Though I can see why she says to go by category. You know how frustrating it is to think you are done with going through something just to find more in another part of the house. The whole joy thing I think is just a little gimmick of hers and maybe it helped her when she was explaining things to people. But she also says utility is a reason to keep something. Someone mentioned a raincoat. Ok are you glad you have that raincoat when it's raining? Joy! haha If there's something you prefer to use over something else that is a type of joy in my opinion. We all have that one item like scissors, tweezers, hammer, etc that just seems like a tool until someone walks off with it. :)

We have to think about why we are holding on to things. Unfortunately like some of the posters above part of it was going through something tough (the loss of a family member and some of my pets in a short period of time) to help me realize just how unimportant "things" are. And we all know this but sometimes we need to be snapped out of it.

Definitely a tosser. I don't like clutter and keep things pretty simple. I've used the same handbag for 12 years - leather one from goodwill. I own a few pair of shoes/boots. I'm not the least bit sentimental so I don't save pictures/cards etc. My mom lives with us, she is a keeper and when she is done with something she tries to push it off on my just in case I need it someday. Can't stand that. Hubby keeps things, drives me nuts. When we married in 1999 he came with 8 bowling balls, he quit bowling just after we married - his choice but he keeps those bowling balls just in case. He brought a foot locker with a bunch of stuff in it, he's never even looked at it. I get rid of things whenever I can.

My father was a tv-show-worthy level hoarder. Watchmelol's statement : "In 40 years I never had a garage I could walk through much less park in." reminds me of my father's garage, (and basement, and house)

I don't know if there can be a genetic trait for keeping stuff, but my sister is a hoarder, and I have a hard time getting rid of stuff as well. With me sometimes the item is a trigger for a memory, and I've found that sometimes I can take a picture of of the item and then get rid of it. More often though I feel that I could still get some use out of the item: old torn clothing can work just fine for working in the yard, or crawling under a tractor, that metal bracket could be used Although if I'm truthful with myself, much of what I keep because it might be useful for some future project, in fact, probably won't ever actually be used. It seems to happen just often enough that the hoarder part of me can team up with the cheap part of me and overrule the part that hates junk and clutter.

Just a week or so ago we contacted a local group that accepts electronic equipment and either re-purposes it of recycles it and got rid of video cards and cables and routers and cordless phones and much other stuff.

This thread had me thinking more about my attachment to clothing. Part of it is I buy things that are a certain look I've seen on someone else who looks great wearing that style. Yet, when I try that look, I feel like I can't really pull it off. There is a part of me that wants to be the girl in the flowing skirt, sandals, a fun summer hat and a big straw bag. So I end up with these things, but they just aren't me and there they sit in the closet because I can't quite bring myself to be rid of them. I still want to the girl in the flowing skirt and maybe someday...

I was always a tosser. About 10-12 years ago, that changed and I do not know why. All of a sudden, I found myself "keeping" things. The house does need some decluttering, but I am pretty good with it. It is the garage that is a real problem; it is so full, I can no longer park the car in it. I just want to call Salvation Army and ask them come and take everything in the garage. However, that is a problem because my large pieces of Le Creuset and All-Clad are out there on stainless steel shelf storage stands. Think I will discuss with other family members and see if we can work out a plan.

I would say I'm a keeper who hates clutter.

I have the original newspapers from 9-11, for example. I have stored and moved them for almost 16 years now. When my kids get into junior high and high school they can use them for school reports. But they are stored away for now.

I have 2 shelves on a bookcase in my basement that has my yearbooks, wedding book and my favorite childhood books. My kids love to go pull them out and look at them. They aren't used all the time but there is no way I would get rid of them.

I have all my formal dresses from school dances, weddings, etc. I have saved them for my daughters to use and boy are they excited about using them. Obviously they don't fit yet but I remember my own joy when I was 14 and got to use an old formal my mom still had in her closet as a Halloween costume. I kept a few of the clothes from my teen years that I knew were fads because fads almost always come back and even if they don't, there is always themed parties. How fun it is to have the authentic originals!

All these things I have kept, I know exactly where they are, and they are organized and properly stored.

My house, furniture, walls, decor etc is pretty minimalist. I don't like tchochkes, I don't really collect anything.

I am neither! I still have stuff I brought with me from Germany back in 1972. But I am also pretty good at letting go... it's just certain things in both instances. Moving to Florida and back last year sure caused me to thin out a lot of crap, even though, I do miss some of my crap. However, I am determined not to get that much crap again. ;)

Moni

I'm a tosser. I married a keeper. Immediate friction.

In his defense, his mother was another Hoarder-TV-show-classic-case. After she died and we spent weeks cleaning her apartment building (which was literally loaded to the ceilings with narrow walking paths), he got a bit better. But I need to remind him again.

He likes to collect golf clubs, golf bags, and golf balls now. I heard him tell someone he has 2,200 golf balls. Sorted and bagged!! And over 20 sets of clubs! And three electric golf carts. One of our sons took a golf cart home, and now DH thinks he needs to buy another. Yes, he plays golf, but only uses one specific set of clubs. And one cart, a new one we bought last year.

I toss very well but since I have a clothes budget for almost the first time in my life I'm a buyer too. I have to have a plan to stop buying at some point when I've got a good fitting wardrobe. That's soon I think.

Because of a very serious illness I have lost over 35 lbs. in the last half year. Not tossing my clothes has served me well but I now have to get rid of the big clothes. Life can be such a bitch.

Tosser. (lol-Imstillcholecat! I was thinking the same thing.) By the way what DOES it mean in the UK to be a tosse?

ETA: I meant to type "tosser".

Urban dictionary for TOSSER. WARNING: Don't look unless you really want to know.

My mother was a tosser - morning newspaper gone if not read by 9AM, tossed monthly magazines as soon as she read them. My father was a keeper, almost to the point of hoarding, but not quite. Cleaning out the attic after he died was quite a chore as his two bachelor brother's possessions found their way there as well. Oil company credit cards that expired in the 1960's? Really? Every single letter received from one of their siblings (there were 10 children). It took me weeks...

I'm a keeper but it's not cluttered. I know where everything is and can quickly lay my hands on it. Just about the time I part with something, within two weeks, I need it! So, basement is full but very organized. My daughter, who takes after my mother, cringes whenever she sees it as she will be the one to have to clean it out someday. Too bad - it's the price she must pay for my antiques, silver and jewelry! I have edited my basement multiple times over the years, but not quite ready to part with more. Upstairs, my closest and my house are never cluttered - I detest clutter.

I apologize to anyone who was offended by the word tosser. I had no idea that is what it meant.

WHAT?! oh dear, I really had no idea that's what it meant. I'm sorry I asked. But I would have been sorrier if I had called someone that before reading the definition. eek.

I just found a sale on grill covers($1) and had a hard time buying "1" extra....for later, because I'd have to store it. :0)

I doubt anyone was offended. Lol! I didn't know either. I thought it was funny. I just put a warning on the definition because some people like to be offended.

I'm jealous that so many are tossers. I am not. I went to country auctions every week for 40 years and many shows during the years and I usually always came home with stuff. I didn't just collect one thing but many..stone ware, redware, painted c.1850 furniture, quilts, twig stuff, folk art and I bought a big old home to fit all this c. 1850 stuff in. My kids don't want it and today's millennials are into modern so I'm needing to find dealers who might be interested. The stuff that gave me so much pleasure is now a drag on me.

My kids will have nothing to do but a little dusting, run the vacuum, and put the sign out front.

I'm a keeper. I'm getting to the point that I want to go through some stuff and take a box to the thrift shop though. I don't like clutter so if I start to run out of storage space, that's when it bugs me. I have a fairly small house but a full basement with tons of junk in it.

I am somewhere in between. DH is a keeper. But we are on track to downsize in a few years, so beginning the slow process of purging. Some is easy, the bookcase full of old magazines. Gone. They were never glanced at once they were put there. I recently started looking at my books, I don't have a whole lot, so I've decided to pick out 10 that I really want to keep. I rarely reread, and use the library, so no need for hard copies. I gave a stack of really nice hardback books on landscaping and plants to my boss's daughter. She has a new house and can use them well.

Clothes are easy, I live in running clothes and work boots. No need for more than a couple of decent outfits for, as my friend says, "marryin' and buryin'". We used to square dance, and I had a section of my very large closet full of that stuff. I gave it all to the theater department at the new high school. 10' of double rods in my closet, empty!

I am not at all sentimental, don't collect anything, and hate hate hate to spend money or shop. Nothing new comes in unless it's replacing something worn out.

DH is another story ...

I keep stuff for sentimental reasons, but our house is not cluttered and I toss regularly. That sounds at odds. DH is a keeper. I'm more of a tosser of day-to-day stuff. I'm retiring at the end of the month and I've found myself 'downsizing in my mind' already. I plan to purge a lot of those boxes of books and things kept in the attic. I've already started purging drawers and closets full of stuff and plan to do more when I am retired.

I found the Kondo method helpful too in organizing socks, t-shirts and underwear. I admit I haven't read the whole book, but haven't exactly embraced all the ideas yet. We have such a variety of lifestyles right now, I'm afraid to get rid of all my work clothes because I do anticipate wearing some of them on occasion after retirement. Not that they are all that dressy, just something I'd wear to a nice dinner or church.

For everyone who says they don't care about leaving stuff for their kids:

1. Nobody wants the china/antiques/linens/silverware/furniture. When my great-aunt died, we called in an auction company and sold EVERYTHING. Every.Single.Item. It was SUCH a hassle.

2. Expecting people you love to "joyfully" take care of everything you leave behind is cruel. My parents (now just my dad - my mom's dead) didn't hoard, but they "kept" stuff. My dad thinks "getting rid" of a shoebox full of pens, pencils, and rulers is "helping" me, in advance of his passing. What he NEEDS to get rid of: a HUGE collection of musical instruments, my mom's collection of snowmen, closets full of luggage/linens/artwork...

3. Newspapers/magazines from "special" dates aren't necessary. Everything's available online. :)

As for Kondo: the whole "bringing joy" thing has a caveat, that even if something doesn't bring you joy, but is useful, you should keep it. (Like my ugly purple raincoat - it brings me no joy, but it's useful, so I kept it.)

Actually, my junk does bring me joy. I have one cupboard that is full of my jars of junk. I love to look at it. Like Lily, I also went to auctions on a regular basis and all of my furniture except a couch and tv and refrigerator, are antiques or "vintage"...as in my 1949 model range. I have a built in bookcase in the hall that holds all my books and one in the kitchen for cookbooks. I also have an old house that goes with my junk....a 100 yr old farmhouse. The property is worth a lot more than the house....and if it is ever sold, I assume the house will be torn down. (Waterfront property about a 40 minute drive from Houston.) If this is too much for my daughter to deal with after I am gone....tough shitolsky! It wasn't easy paying for her college education....so she wouldn't have school loans and all the things we did for her. She can leave it to rot or she can call in someone to sell it. If it is a hassle....my heart bleeds.

I was happy to inherit some lovely things from my parent's home. Mostly they were very organised and selling the contents went smoothly.

I have my grandparents things. I love using them every day. I like antique and vintage objects more than modern ones and they last. I toss out the modern stuff when I find vintage to replace it. More and more I'm trying to get rid of anything made of plastic but it's impossible with today's technology.

I am a keeper, who is moving. I've gone through the clothing and discovered how much I had I never remembered - mostly tops, which are easier to find in my size than slacks. Got rid of anything no longer my size, no longer fitting, and badly worn - although some worn stuff has been reserved as farm and painting grunge clothing.

Only own 2 handbags, both stay. Only own 2 dresses, they fit and stay. Four skirts, ditto.

Books - unloaded 6 or 7 bags and still have enough for a small bookstore start up. Books can be arranged neatly, however.

Big issue now is random papers, magazines, letters; and random odds and ends. The deitrus, as it were, with some gems seeded in.

I wish I was a tosser. I live in a storey and a half house and the upstairs is unfinished so it is used as an attic. After clearing my sister's apartment out after she passed away in December I brought home 5 large bins of stuff (2 bins of Christmas bulbs, one of framed pictures and figurines, a bin of this and that some of which I can use, a bin of unused cards, family correspondence pictures) and 3 smaller bins of mostly costume jewelry, I haven't been able to get it into the attic because of my back but last night I thought I would try but first had to clear off the stairs to get up there. I went upstairs and there is no room for the bins up there. So last night I thought enough is enough and started going through things. Before my back gave out I managed to toss stacks of cooking magazines into one of those large Costco bags to put out for recycling. I have a habit of saving boxes from things I purchase for whatever reason I don't know. I have my Cuisinart box, my Kitchen-Aid mixer box, coffee maker boxes, bread maker box, cookwear box, even my Nintendo and Webtv boxes. I can see saving them for a short time but really do I still need them now years later. I still do have the items. They are going to start tearing down my ceilings in my kitchen and living room in two weeks and I have to get my sister's stuff out of my living room. Besides my Pyrex collection being stored up stairs there are still items from 70 years of living in this house from when we were all kids - books, games, puzzles and my Dad's collection of Popular Mechanic and Popular Science magazines going back to the 1920's. I wanted to sell those but my brother told me not too. Heaven knows what is under the eaves on both sides. After clearing my sister's apartment do I really want someone going through my stuff after I pass away. I would rather get rid of it. haha I am going thrift shopping tomorrow with my cousin and there is no way I am bringing anything back to this house. I think if things were more organised up stairs there would be room. Picture below is all that is left of my sister's 77 years of life

We're going to be 'up-sizing' rather than downsizing, later this summer, but weight is kind of important to watch with a cross-country move - the more weight you're moving the more money you'll pay - so I've been purging ruthlessly in order to keep the solid wood furniture that weighs a ton and new would be ridiculously expensive (even new-to-me stuff) for our new place. I had a paper problem in the past, but when we had the place painted just a little over a year ago and had to move everything out of cupboards, cabinets, and closets plus all the furniture in the center of each room I found myself 'cured' of the paper problem which manifested in paper stacks, paper piles, drawers full of papers, all dealt with using the shredder or finding a place in my file cabinets (client files I have to keep for a certain length of time occupy the majority of my file cabinet space so I had to be really certain what other papers I needed to keep when determining what got the remainder of the cabinet's limited file space).

Shoes in their original boxes are better protected than shoes stuffed into a bigger box with packing paper, and I have a lot of shoes! Not so much in purses. Making space for the mister to put his clothing and such was really hard for me since it meant I had to give up some of mine and figure out what to do with the things that had been occupying these areas! But it was better than making him continue to live out of a couple of suitcases (lol) and demonstrated a change in my thinking of what was going on with 'us' as a couple just dating into one of long-term commitment.

I am upsizing my kitchen as I move - it is a two hour trip so I have been taking stuff up each visit, though there is no C of O yet. My current kitchen is vestigial in size, so now i can get some cookware I always wanted. On the other hand, I'm going to eliminate the china "mutantware" once I move, saving the silver "mutantware" for camping trips - (Mutantware is our term for stuff that doesn't match.) The full set will remain down here for potential buyer appeal, the mutantware is already north.

I've been somewhat ruthless on knick knacks, and things that I find that I like but don't need or fit in to my future decor I've been donating to local auctions, where they've found appreciative homes. The rest will go to places like Goodwill, Big Brothers Big Sisters. Oh, it's still a mess here... those papers and gew gaws... sort of depressing to go through at this stage. Clothing was easy.

DawninCal, were we separated at birth? LOL Can't keep a straw hat from blowing away! Sort of shatters the image.

I follow this blog, and today's post was relevant to this discussion: http://www.becomingminimalist.com/letting-go/ 

wanttoretire - neither of us seems to be able to pull off "the girl in the straw hat", so that must be it!

I am doing exactly what you're doing - getting rid of 'stuff'. Yes, it's a decision I don't like to make, but if I haven't touched it in the almost-three years I've been living here, out it goes. Of course, I keep pictures and mementos, but the clothes I outgrew and a lot of other stuff is going bye bye! I am getting rid of my 1,800 sq. ft., 5 bedroom house and moving to a much smaller house, thus the reason for the unburdening of 'stuff'.

I love all my stuff, all of it. I know I am a bit overboard with books, plants and pretty dishes but I truly get compliments on my decor all the time. Nothing matches, nothing at all & thats exactly the way I like it. It's a log home with a very cottagey feel. Small, cozy & filled with things I love. I do realize that some day, a ways down the road, the eaves of the loft are going to need purging because my DD is terrified of heights and it's an open loft, no railings or anything!

Unfortunately, I tend to keep stuff. I have been working on purging for the last month or two, but it is a slow process and I have not figured out how to tame the paper beast yet. For things I can sell, I list them on Craig's List or my husband's employer's sale website. Other things can be donated. But paper... it's just hard to know what to keep and what can go and where to put everything.

I'm sort of a pack rat. I hate to throw something out that I make use of later - yeah, like when? I have many of my college text books. I kept anything that I might need to refer to and I hated to throw out class projects that I put so much effort into, especially;y the ones that were good.

I place value on old stuff that connects me to my past (genealogy). I have a few of my Dad's and Father-in-law's school books. Among these are a math and American History book, Aseops Fables, and a Government publication called "Letters to the President". This book is a collection of one year's miscellaneous missives sent to the Office of the President. Many are simple reports of dispute settlements on the frontier to a heartfelt thanks from the Russian Ambassador to the US people for sending a ship-load of wheat to Russia during a famine.

I also have promissory notes written by my 3rd Grandfather beginning in 1822 in TN. One is written to a fellow by the name of Boon.

I do not have a lot of extra clothing. I wear what I got until its worn and then it gets used for cleaning and wiping rags or tossed out.

Come to think of it, I need to clean out the garage. It is loaded with junk.

What to wear and if it looks good or not is very personal. That said, I am critical of myself and maybe have the same standard for others.

i try not to wear clothing that is too tight or see through. I try to dress for the occasion, a bbq, a wake or a wedding would have me wearing three totally different outfits.

i try to stay current. I demote old clothing and wear just while at home. I am certainly not offended if you are wearing a top that was in style years ago, but would appreciate it that it still fits you.

Yes to wearing what you like and are comfortable in, but realize that other people are looking!

I'm somewhere in between but DH is a tosser. I have to keep an eye on him. ;)