Honestly, do you need to keep the stuff in your attic/loft?

[ArcticGrass]

We moved house just before Covid to a house that we renovated while living in it. For various reasons we shifted stuff without having a thorough clear out first. There’s stuff in our attic I haven’t looked at since we moved. Pictures that don’t look right in the new house, 2 taken apart double beds and mattress, my late mum’s crockery, a huge speaker system (DH we can’t throw that it cost me a fortune 30 years ago!)….

This is useful thank you. And as a number of posters have said - cleaning out my parents house after they died did concentrate the mind rather. I have no kids, just step children, so my stuff would just be put straight in a skip. I think it would all go straight in a skip to be honest. Time for a clear out.

Same here! Often wish I did, but it might be a blessing in disguise...

I rota my wardrobe items in and out, and keep a box of "off" sizes in case I grow/shrink into them.

But my husband can't let go of stuff. His aunt gives him a hoody every year, so he has about 20 of the bloody things, and feels like he has to keep them all.

So because he's not allowed an Imelda Marcos style massive walk in wardrobe in our very normal 3 bed terrace, things go to the attic. If he doesn't cycle them out within a year, I take them to charity.

Some on MN think that sort of behaviour is controlling, but tbh I think it's 6 for 1, half a dozen to the other, because imposing endless piles of stuff on a house that can't contain it is its own form of selfishness.

My top tip is small boxes btw. Much easier to move in and out and to navigate around up there.

I thought we needed to keep everything stored up there "just in case". Then we had it converted into a bedroom and second bathroom and I got home one day to find the entire contents of the loft in a skip outside the house😂DH had taken the brutal (but much needed) approach.

And no, we didn't need any of it as we're 2 years down the line and I haven't thought about / needed anything that was up there.

I cleared out the loft some years ago when my exH left. I haven't accumulated my own stuff up there since. But its full of DS'S stuff which im hoping he will collect because he has his own house now.
All I have of mine up there is Xmas and Halloween decorations in plastic storage boxes. That's it.

@Gettingbysomehow you’re going to need to either present him with his stuff or give him a deadline by which to collect or it’s being binned! Just hoping he’ll collect is never going to work. My DF helped me move after uni and brought the last of my bits with him! Fortunately we moved into a big flat but I wasn’t given a choice! 🤣. A family member however still has all of his two youngests uni stuff in his loft, it’s never going! It’s been 15 years so far…..

We put lots of children's toys in the loft which we are now gradually bringing down again for grandchildren. They haven't been needed, wanted or used for a long time but I am glad we did keep them!

Extremely difficult to clear most collected 'crap' for many reasons, not least nostalgic and links with those departed, also the thought 'is it collectable now ? Most things over ten years old seem to be now ! Will it be useful in the future, how much to replace with new now ? etc, etc. Very difficult !