AIBU to ask well meaning relative to tone down the amount of stuff she gives us?

[Mossop17]

I have a very well meaning aunt, who LOVES to shop in the sales and often things for our family. The thing is our house is rammed with way too much stuff and im always getting rid of things, either selling sites, charity shop donating to friends etc.

Just yesterday is persuaded her that the kids age 10 and 7 have no need for a plastic patio set complete with umbrella! not to mention the fact we couldnt bring it home as we are 3 hours away and dont have very big cars - she said but its all in a flat box! even so it wont fit argh!

she means well and she would be upset if i refused the items as she loves to shop and buy for others, but every time we visit or a relative visits us there's bags and bags of "stuff" i dread what we will be sent back with each time.

I dont want to sound ungrateful and im sure someone will comment that i should be happy she wants to give so much.. but the amount of stuff makes me feel like im drowning, the mess of the house makes me feel depressed as i cant keep on top of what we have without more coming in.

Im thinking of saying we love your gifts and its great you think of us so much but really we cant keep taking so much home with us as we really don't have the space.

OP - I would hate it too....

A house rammed full of stuff I did not want, had not chosen and did not have the space for would get to me too.

I would also be giving it away, selling it or recycling it too. I don't really know how you can stop it coming into your home though.

Ha, MIL does this. She also shops in discounted food shops so we're drowning under a mountain of fruit and veg that has an hour of shelf life left.

She means well though, so I just accept it. With toys and household stuff, I just shove it in the spare room and then send it back a year later for her to take to the car boot. Luckily, she likes selling as much as she likes shopping.

thanks for the comments, she also buys for MIL and other family and was once horrified to see her gifts in the charity shop so she bought them all back again!

Its so tricky on the alst visit she offered me a portmerion storage pot i said " thanks but our kitchen really doesn't have enough storage space even for this, so she turned to the kids to see if they wanted it and of course they said yes! argh

oh Daughterdrowinginjunk thats not good, my old house was much smaller and also full to bursting, id go out a lot rather than be there and feel overwhelmed with the stuff and no where to put it. We got rid of so much for a whole yr before we moved from a 2 bed to 3 and masses and masses when we moved last yr from a 3 to 4 bed. I just want the sort of tidy house i see in magazines but with kids its not going to be possible :(

argh have just spoken to aunt, who says she brassic but has just bought x y and z for the kids! however the table and chairs set is no longer on the agenda