How much do you keep?

[OhMyAttic]

DH went up into the attic yesterday He is not happy.
I was brought up in a house by parents who kept pretty much everything in case it would be needed someday.
DH was brought up, moving between flats and countries and throws anything he doesn't need right now in the bin then goes and buys a new one a month later because he needs one
We live in a top floor flat and have sole access to the attic space above it.

E.g. how many spare duvets and pillows do you keep?
I have two spare duvets and 5 spare pillows. They haven't been used in 5 years. We don't have a spare bed so if the Dc have someone sleep over it would be a blow up bed. We have blankets and 2 sleeping bags. The kids still have their young child pillows on their beds as well as their proper pillows.

A box of curtains we paid a small fortune for but DH won't let me put up in this flat. I live in hope...

I've a box of spare bed linen, clothes, DC1's that doesn't fit DC2 yet.

What other stuff do you keep? A box of DC's artwork, favourite outfits. Is that reasonable?

I keep very little! I don't like clutter in my house and I don't want to move stuff with me, as an example, I had DC1 3 years ago, due DC2 later this year and have zero baby items.

I take pictures of their artwork and it gets recycled. Sentimental baby items I kept were - 1 x outfit, mine and baby's hospital bands and scan pictures.

I only have enough pillows and duvets for the beds we have, and a couple of changes of linen for each bed.

I think especially for the children's things, I try and work out what they'd appreciate me still having when they're older and what they'd just see as junk 🤷🏼‍♀️

More than we need and as I've realised we have cupboards worth of stuf that hasn't been used for ages, we need to get rid of some of it.

But I do think if you have space, some things are worth keeping, like the curtains. It's obviously wasteful to throw away things that you'll need to replace in a few weeks/months time. You wouldn't throw away your Chrismas decorations every January only to buy new ones every December, for example.

Why won't DH 'let' you put the curtains up? Is this likely to change, eg if you move or something changes in the flat?

You need to find a balance in the middle, so you're not keeping cheap rubbish that will never be used and just messes up your space and mind, but not getting rid of everything that you are likely to use again in the short to medium term.

I have one spare duvet and maybe 2 spare pillows; if we had a lot of people to stay then I’d ask them to bring bedding. I only have the duvet covers that we use and one guest one. I don’t keep stuff that I don’t use; if i haven’t used it or worn it in 2 years then mostly it goes.
I do keep some of my DCs art work though and I keep cards from close family/friends. I’m generally not sentimental about items but cards I am.

Too much stuff, it can be such a hassle getting rid now though, charity shops having restricted acceptance of donations, having to book to go to the tip, stuff just doesn't shift on FB marketplace etc. Feels so wasteful putting things in the normal bins.

Why won't DH 'let' you put the curtains up? Is this likely to change, eg if you move or something changes in the flat?
We originally had them in a first floor flat where we were overlooked and the flat had built in curtain rails in the window frames. Our new flat has window frames flush to the wall with the windows inside so we would have to install rails, plus we're now top floor so DH reckons no one can see in.

I don't want to move again.

I need DH to take the kids away for a week so I can empty the attic to the living room and sort it all out!

I have a rule, if something hasn't been used in a year, it goes. We don't like clutter so we live fairly clutter free but there are times where I find something in the cupboard that I haven't used/forgotten about. We don't have an attic. Phew.

I'm not sure I would want to use pillows and duvet that have been stored for 5 years in an attic anyway!! They can become grotty as their hard to wash. Everything else sounds reasonable

I dont understand what Dh has to be unhappy about? Anyway, we keep far too much. We have done round one of sorting the garage out, need another go at clearing out baby stuff.

True. Although they were washed and packed in vacuum bags inside their original bag and can be washed in my machine.

Things not used in 6 months go. I can't be doing with clutter. If it has been in the loft for a prolonged period, then I reckon I don't need it. If I had children, I'd probably keep some clothes from one to the next though.

Sounds pretty organised.
One idea is to think of your kids when you die - do you want them burdened with having to sort through all your stuff?
I have a storage unit. In it is quite a few items that belong to my late husband that I can't get rid of, including a box from his grandmother of letters and things. I did finally sell a large (think suitcase size) music box I have been carting from house to house. I have four large boxes of photo albums of my husband's that predate me but luckiky one of my stepsons has just bought a house and has agreed to take them, plus his old school stuff etc!
Things like duvets snd suitcases are easy to get rid of. It's the sentimental stuff that's hard.

We both have hoarding tendencies and are trying to be better about it. Like, we didn't know we still had a cot in our attic, DD is 12! Down it came, Facebook Marketplace and gone! But we have lots and lots of Christmas decorations so we can ring the changes year on year. We have luggage, the vinyl record collection we can't bear to part with, the rest of our wedding crockery as we got loads of place settings. Our camping gear, and so on. It's a lot, but it's increasingly well accounted for and organised, which is good enough for us.

We have a garage and an attic. The attic is totally empty and never used.

The garage however, sigh, is a dumping ground of items my dh believes "might one day be useful". Its already full with tools, lawnmowers, camping equipment, sledges, Christmas stuff, etc. And still has some of dhs unpacked boxes from our move 9 years ago, old kitchen cupboards, every single broken laptop/computer he's ever owned which no one will ever use again, the old dining table, old sofa, etc. Ive tried to get him to see that it's just wasting space, but his hoard makes him happy, and to be honest it's not exactly getting in my way so I just leave it.

We have ottoman storage beds for our spare bedding (we swap from heavy winter duvets to light summer duvets).

What is the age (clothes size gap!) Between the children? I started to find when I got DD1s clothes out for DD2 not a lot was actually wanted. Different styles, different body shapes (DD2 is sturdier than her sister who resembles a bamboo cane... DD2 got her mother's side hips!) Leggings being worn through and bobbly. I've got a lot more fussy.

Bedding can be useful. I don't think our guests want HP bedding for example...

As for the curtains... Nothing on windows? Blinds and curtains keep light and heat out. Plus... Drones!

I only have a spare single duvet and a couple of pillows for any visiting children who have to sleep on the airbed.
The stuff in my loft is things that need to be kept but don't get used very often e.g. christmas decorations, camping gear etc.
The cupboards however need a serious sort out of stuff that never gets used and clothes that don't get worn! I need to get back on that now that the charity shops have reopened.

I keep very little. It I dknow I'd keep more if I had storage space

We have 2 spare single duvets, summer ones for either sleepovers for kids or bed wetting Dsd.
And each bed has a winter and summer duvet. These are kept under the ottoman bed when not in use.

Each bed has around4/ 5 sets of bedding each on average. But all is used on rotation. I love changing beds.

In the loft. A few keepsakes. Xmas, Easter and Halloween Dec's. 1 box of my late nans sentimental bits.

I wouldn't keep curtains or accessories. When I decorate which is far to often I donate the old. And I've lost Count the amount of time I've returned to a color scheme and re purchased the items. But it still wouldn't make me hoard stuff on the 'just in case'

We still have a Silvercross pram in our attic. DC1 will be 30 this year .
I've kept DCs first shoes and christening shawls.
Have also kept their favourite soft toys ie,first teddy or doll.Have all of DSs. Lego and Brio train tracks as they cost a lot of money over the years.I also have Lego myself and my siblings played with when we were young,some of which is now over 60 years old.
I am in the process of decluttering my kitchen cupboards. I mean how many Pyrex dishes and tea towels do I actually need 🤔😁

What you have sounds fine to me, and I love clearing stuff out!

The only bit I’d question is why you still have the kids’ little kid pillows, surely they don’t need both.

The only bit I’d question is why you still have the kids’ little kid pillows
Because the pillow cases match their duvet covers whereas the large pillows are plain. When I read to them in bed, I use it to lean against the wall and when I need to go to them at night, I use it as a pillow as two large pillows wouldn't fit.

Two years age gap but 4 clothes sizes.

I still have the cot and changing table because MIL bought them, and asked me to keep them for BIL. It's looking as if they can't have children unfortunately but they were very expensive and good quality so I feel obliged to keep them until it's definite.