The Emotional Stages of Decluttering (and how to survive them)

[@judithgibson8970]

Two months ago my husband and I downsized. A big house had allowed me to store many valuable and sentimental items from both my parents families. As my 3 brothers were interested in family history I offered them most of these items. Now they said they did not want them but insisted that I should keep them because they were "important". Only when they finally understood that I had no room for them anymore and they would go to a charity shop did they agree to take a few of them and passed some onto their kids. Even though they had never asked or even knew about the items for the last 20 years, they tried to guilt trip me into saving them. Thanks to watching your videos I held firm and my new smaller house has less clutter and I no longer carry the burden of responsibility for stuff I don't want or need. What I do have I value.

[@katyjoywells]

Thank you for sharing your journey! 💗

[@TakeCareMan]

This is a very helpful video. As a 53 year old man who has a lot of clutter related to hobbies that were tied to identity, the emotions I have been feeling while declutterring have been overwhelming at times, and I get snippy with my wife. This video helped me understand why. Thanks for the video and wisdom!

[@katyjoywells]

🙏🙏

[@janicesmith3986]

Great vlog … I recently downsized, moving to another state. Luckily I had been decluttering for the past 3 years mainly sentimental items. I had inherited my mother’s cedar chest that was full of vintage clothing from her mother, sister, grandmothers and of course my siblings baby clothes along with jewelry, accessories and photos. There were also the three large tubs of photos we had gathered from around her house as we cleaned it out. My first project (6 months after she passed) was to make a quilt block from the vintage clothing for myself, 2 brothers, daughter, 2 sons, and 4 grandchildren adding pieces of jewelry and photos. In the center of each block I added an interlaced heart using a part of mother’s wedding dress and a piece of fabric that was important to the person receiving the block. These made wonderful gifts the first Christmas after she was gone. A year later I was finally emotionally ready to work on the tubs of photos …. Made a total of 9 published family history books covering each branch of the family that family members could then purchase what they wanted. I made no profit off it - except the added space from no longer storing all the tubs and passing the cedar chest on to another family member.

[@katyjoywells]

Thank you for sharing! That can be so tough! 💗

[@LifesAProject]

Great video! I have found that the older I get some of my childhood things from sports and high school does not really mean as much to me. I have the memories in my mind and so I don't feel like I have to hang on to stuff. Thanks for sharing. -Stacy

[@katyjoywells]

Well said! 💗

[@angelamapes5458]

I love the taking a photo ideA or displaying items in your house. Great video! Thank you and if it wasn’t for your clutter club challenges and community group, I would still be stuck with emotional from my family stuff Im basically just storing in boxes.

[@katyjoywells]

We're so thrilled to have you in the group! Keep up the good work! 💗

[@briankachor566]

On a sad note my brother in-law passed away he would always pick up the stuff we were dropping things off that we didn't need anymore in August he was 62 I will always be thankful to him for dropping off the things I don't need anymore.

[@katyjoywells]

I'm so sorry!

[@briankachor566]

Thanks we are taking one at a time. he is in a good place now with no more pain :)

[@missyholz]

Feel like you made this video for me. ❤

[@katyjoywells]

I'm so glad it resonated with you! 💗

[@viviangautier2160]

Hi Katy Love your channel! Thank you for sharing! Have you ever considered a tour of your house? I already watched a lot of your videos but I do not see a house tour. Another idea: instead of photos, show videos of your house. Love love your channel and I think would be excellent if you go around the house and show us your minimalism style! ❤😊

[@katyjoywells]

For privacy reasons, I don't currently plan to do a home tour.

[@GoingGreenMom]

I'm not sure I agree with sentimental vs. guilt. If it is just sitting in a box maybe, but I have lots of things from my parents and grandparents, and I am sentimental about them, but I use and find value in them.

[@katyjoywells]

I totally get it!

[@ryanpegoraro2697]

Hi Katy i just so absolutely love all of your beautiful videos so very very much you are such the most sweetest beautiful gorgeous woman ever in the whole wide world i love you Katy.

[@Ineverglow]

I pulled the front plates off of all my trophies and threw away the rest of it.

[@soak785]

Oh I like that! Find some interesting way to display them if your can. Perhaps put one on a planter, haha way to grow champ! Or hang them on your key hook in a nice way. So many possibilities. I do stuff like that all the time, just enough to preserve that little space of time.

[@Ineverglow]

@@soak785 I have a three ring binder that I use to keep my nostalgic items and I put them in there on sticky pages, so I can flip through and look at them if I get the urge.

[@soak785]

@@Ineverglow Nice idea!👍

[@katyjoywells]

Great idea!

[@nonnieTerri]

Once again, excellent video. I’m getting better about keeping sentimental stuff. It is a process and gets easier with time.

[@katyjoywells]

It does get easier! Keep up the good work!