Is it strange to keep everything your child has ever owned?

[mummytobabygirl2020]

Just that really. My MIL has every outfit her babies ever wore and every spoon, toy, game, bib and plate her children ever had. All their furniture too. Not sure if I should do the same with my child or just keep key items.

That is weird. I have kept fave outfits (but that box is getting bigger and bigger so will need a sort through). I have kept my travel system as I have a lot older adult daughter who has asked me to keep it. Other than that nothing really, my mum kept a few of my old toys but no clothes or anything else.

She must have a huge amount of storage space.

What age did she stop? Does she have all their teenage compilation tapes and old T shirts too?

I wonder if there's a deeper reason why she's done this. I never realised until I had my baby and she's always getting her to use those things. Old plates and spoons and cups her kids used. She also still has the sheets for their costs and also wash cloths actually, bath towels too. I think everything. My mum kept a few things, but nothing like this.

That's bonkers. Who has space for that? I've kept a few of my favourite bits of clothing and a couple of really good toys that grandchildren might one day get use of. That's all.

She has a massive house with huge storage space. I think a lot of teenage stuff is still here as well.

Super strange.
I have a big storage box I pop treasured pieces of clothing, pictures, soft toys etc in- but just the one (so far- DS is 4.) Its half full. I don’t think I’m denying him anything by not keeping everything.

That is a bit weird, I don't think most people would have the space to store everything. I have a memory box with a couple of baby outfits and toys in it, hospital bracelets and the newspaper from the day DD was born. Photos will have to do for memories of everything else.

How old is your child?

Weird and unsustainable

She could sell it all and make a fortune!!

Even if I wanted to, there’s no way I’d have room. I need to get rid of last year’s outgrown clothes and toys as they’re starting to pile up, but there haven’t exactly been many jumble sales this year.

I have kept an outfit or two from when DD was tiny, though.

@speakout she's almost 1. I already have loads of stuff that she doesn't use anymore. So many clothes that are too small. I don't have the space to keep it all.

She is hoarding.

Sounds like hoarding to me

OK it's not just me then who thinks that this is strange. All the pics on the walls are also super old from when they were children. Barely anything current. Must be stuck in time.

That’s unusual. Also we have more stuff than a generation ago did, keeping it all would really not be practical.

It's insane and the sort of thing my boarder mil does.

Oh god no. We bought most stuff second hand and already planning to sell when not needed. I dont like stuff though. We will keep a keepsake box with small special stuff and gifted handmade blankets as comfort blankets. Everything else will be sold as soon as it is outgrown.

Definitely weird. Hoarder.

That sounds in the realm of hoarding. My DPs kept stuff like hospital tags, first book, special outfits/toys I was very attached to, nice things I made, a few school exercise books, blankey (which is always around in my room now), I've got most of it now and it's nice to look through- first stuff I wrote, stories and poems I wrote as a kid etc. They had a lot of space above their garage so it wasn't a problem. They kept it mainly because they thought I might want it as an adult (which I did and have taken most of it out of their way).

Unusual but up to her.

I have 2 kids but had 4 losses trying unsuccessfully for #3, two of which were traumatic. I have found it very hard to part with stuff belonging to my living children since, just have to chuck it in a box, sometimes while sobbing. Not having tons of room definitely helps to force me not to hold on to stuff.

So I wouldn't call it weird or strange. Hoarding often has its roots in loss, whether or a child or someone or something else.

I've kept most of my eldest clothes and toys but that was solely because we planned on having another child and I dont see the point of selling and re buying the same things again and again.
My youngest is now using loads of his brothers stuff and its saved us a fortune but I will sell/donate once he's done with it.
I only keep things that are in excellent condition and have been used so if we never used it before it has to go. They both have memory boxes with special items in from the nicu and I'll add to it all my life with little items and photos. I think it'll be an amazing thing to leave them when I'm gone

@SylvanianFrenemies yes that's what I'm interested in. What's the reason for it. I think it's linked to loss for her too. She lost both of her parents when she was in her 20s and I think when she had her first child or shortly after. Perhaps it's all linked to that.

Did she have impeccably tidy children?

My ds has regularly put his knee through trousers, stained or wrecked clothes, scuffed or split shoes.

She can't be keeping them for grandchildren surely, who would want to put their child in 30 year old clothes, no matter how well preserved?

Hoarding?

Anything that survived ds went straight to the charity shop.

Poor you eventually you are going to have a heck of a job clearing all this out. Hoarding type behaviour