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Original poster

Moving house has completely broken me

19 replies

confusedlots · 13/09/2021 14:41

I actually feel like I've been through some sort of trauma, oh my god, all the stuff, where has it all come from? Loads of things have been taken to the dump, charity shop, kids clothes given away to other family members, but even still there is so much stuff!! I don't think I'll ever be able to go through this again. I'm so envious of minimalists right now!

OP posts:

flashbac · 13/09/2021 14:47

Don't blame yourself. Blame capitalism. We've been brainwashed into thinking we need all this baggage. Now you know you can make changes. Its a learning experience!

Notcontent · 13/09/2021 15:43

It’s not just you - it’s very stressful. In the last 12 months I have moved house, and had building work, and yes, I do feel traumatised by it all. Having less stuff does help. I actually realised how few things we really need. I was trying to first pack and then put away all this stuff and then suddenly realised that I could actually get rid of so much of it and would not miss it at all.

Aquamarine1029 · 13/09/2021 15:47

It's a shock, but use this opportunity to make big changes in the way you live, and you will be so much happier for it. You don't have to be a minimalist, but you definitely no longer need to be a slave to "stuff."

CatrinVennastin · 13/09/2021 15:54

There’s a couple of declutttering threads over on the Housekeeping boards. I have found them so useful to keep motivated.

BillyJoe111 · 13/09/2021 16:07

We moved every 12 months for six years in a row due to landlords wanting to sell up/raising the rent without discussion/wanting their house back.

It’s just the worst.

BillyJoe111 · 13/09/2021 16:10

Pressed post too soon.

Finally buying a place now, I’m coming out of this one feet first, never again.

Mydogisagentleman · 13/09/2021 16:20

…and to think I’ve been whining about moving DD to university today.
Went to her bedroom and found out why the car was about a third full.
She has so much crap that she had realised she’d left half of what she needed

Original poster

confusedlots · 13/09/2021 16:21

@BillyJoe111 every year? I think I'd definitely have had a mental breakdown by now!

Last time I moved I was single, moving out of a flat share, so really just one bedroom full of stuff and the kitchen items, so much simpler.

Now I'm moving with a husband and 2 kids. There is so much kids stuff. And lots of wedding presents that have hardly even seen the light of day, and all my husbands stuff, and of course my stuff.

And we really have dumped a hell of a lot of stuff or donated it over the past number of weeks, so I didn't think it would be this bad! I feel like I need to take myself off on a sunny holiday all by myself and lie on a beach for a week to get over this!

OP posts:

Bluntness100 · 13/09/2021 16:24

Yup, and when you unpack you’ve no idea where to put the shit load that’s left and wonder why the hell you kept it.

Oldtiredfedup · 13/09/2021 16:25

I have moved 10 times in 13 years - mainly due to being a trailing spouse and domestic abuse - its bloody awful.

BrieAndChilli · 13/09/2021 16:31

This year we moved house after 12 years. moved in with a 2 year old and a 5 month old and moved out with a 15, 12 and 10 year old! so much accumulation of stuff!
On top of that I have been facilitating our office move which included rooms and rooms of stuff - some of it been there for 20 years! so much obsolete tech and random stuff!

I'm never moving again! I've had my fill.

user1471538283 · 13/09/2021 16:37

It is horrendous. With our last move I was determined to have less. I went from two big vans to one. I had a ridiculous amount of stuff I never used. It makes me feel quite queasy. We have much less now and I'm less anxious as a result. But when we do the next move it will be less again.

As I've said before I could quite happily bin the lot and start again.

BillyJoe111 · 13/09/2021 16:53

[quote confusedlots]@BillyJoe111 every year? I think I'd definitely have had a mental breakdown by now!

Last time I moved I was single, moving out of a flat share, so really just one bedroom full of stuff and the kitchen items, so much simpler.

Now I'm moving with a husband and 2 kids. There is so much kids stuff. And lots of wedding presents that have hardly even seen the light of day, and all my husbands stuff, and of course my stuff.

Downside was the surprise 3rd baby which we had nothing for as we’d donated it all!

sueelleker · 13/09/2021 18:22

@Bluntness100

Yup, and when you unpack you’ve no idea where to put the shit load that’s left and wonder why the hell you kept it.

Last time we moved, we had 3 tea chests of stuff in the garden, until we could work out where to put it!

Usual2usual · 13/09/2021 18:33

We moved last month and yes it was horrific.

Prior to moving we got rid of our couch, dining table, tv unit, bookshelves and fridge as we were buying new ones. I sent countless bags to the charity shop and poor DH was never away from the local council recycling centre. Still though the moving van was so jam packed we had to use our cars for multiple journeys back and forth on the day (mainly for kids crap).

I am not going to fill this house with as much crap.....

Pissinthepottyplease · 13/09/2021 18:37

It doesn’t matter how much you de clutter before you pack there is always more to go when you unpack.

lachy · 13/09/2021 18:40

We moved at the beginning of the year and probably sent 10 bin bags of clothes to charity shops, did a massive de-clutter which has continued since we moved and I could probably still find stuff to pass on or recycle.

There's definitely truth in the statement that moving house is one of the most stressful life events. It certainly was for us.

Capricornandproud · 13/09/2021 18:52

I looked up The Minimalists on Youtube and Facebook. It absolutely focuses your mind on your life; not your ‘stuff’. It is life changing in the gentlest way. I keep nothing no and its so freeing!

Original poster

confusedlots · 13/09/2021 19:24

@Capricornandproud but I honestly have got rid of loads of stuff already. About 4 full car loads to the dump. Maybe nearly 20 big bin bags of clothes donated or recycled. Quite a few trips to the charity shop. Old prams and high chairs etc sold.

Yes I'm sure there's still more that could go, but I can't get rid of everything because I still need stuff!! I don't understand when you say you keep nothing now, because surely you still need stuff to live and function? I don't ever want to have to do this again but I also don't understand how people don't need a certain amount of things to live.

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