Oh do I understand. I have tendencies to accumulate things and have a hard time realizing I need to get rid of other things. Fortunately I don't buy much in general. I tend to prefer minimal clothes, etc compared to others. Yet still, it all adds up when more comes in than goes out!
It's been fascinating to me to figure out the emotional aspects of it. If it's something that I hadn't seen in years and hadn't thought of in awhile, why do I still have such a hard time giving it up? So much of it is emotional rather than logical. I have spent so much of the last 10 years living out of a carry-on bag. I *know* I can have a happy life without lots of stuff, yet I still don't find it easy.
I find watching Hoarders inspires the hell out of me to declutter.
I also find that if I remember things by looking at something but don't need it around anymore, I could just take a picture of it, and go through old pictures later on when I want to feel nostalgic. :) Having too many photos seems to be less of an issue than too many papers/objects!
My own issues of "stuff" include holding onto things I think might be important "in the future", a very generic maybe. Included are notebooks and hand outs from high school and college classes. Thinking I might need my High school notes in any college class, the college things kept for the accumulation of general knowledge. I finally realized that if I ever needed to re-learn any of this, and most of it I won't, I will just re-learn it when I need to with fresh material.
In the past few years, I think especially from when my parents divorced and I moved into a small space, the obligation and responsibility to material items caused me much anxiety. When I finally let this stuff go, it felt so good. Out of sight, out of mind! I think it might be difficult for you going through the memories, and emotions associated with those memories, but it will also be very therapeutic for you I am sure.
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It's been fascinating to me to figure out the emotional aspects of it. If it's something that I hadn't seen in years and hadn't thought of in awhile, why do I still have such a hard time giving it up? So much of it is emotional rather than logical. I have spent so much of the last 10 years living out of a carry-on bag. I *know* I can have a happy life without lots of stuff, yet I still don't find it easy.
I find watching Hoarders inspires the hell out of me to declutter.
I also find that if I remember things by looking at something but don't need it around anymore, I could just take a picture of it, and go through old pictures later on when I want to feel nostalgic. :) Having too many photos seems to be less of an issue than too many papers/objects!
Reply
My own issues of "stuff" include holding onto things I think might be important "in the future", a very generic maybe. Included are notebooks and hand outs from high school and college classes. Thinking I might need my High school notes in any college class, the college things kept for the accumulation of general knowledge. I finally realized that if I ever needed to re-learn any of this, and most of it I won't, I will just re-learn it when I need to with fresh material.
In the past few years, I think especially from when my parents divorced and I moved into a small space, the obligation and responsibility to material items caused me much anxiety. When I finally let this stuff go, it felt so good. Out of sight, out of mind! I think it might be difficult for you going through the memories, and emotions associated with those memories, but it will also be very therapeutic for you I am sure.
Good luck in this huge process!
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