Does anyone else find tidying and decluttering DC's rooms emotional and traumatic?

[cafebistro]

My DD's room is a complete state.
Too much stuff basically. I've tried to tackle it today as I know how much more pleasant it will be for them to have it tidy and organised.

I just can't do it. I feel overwhelmed. I started with their toybox and just wanted to keep everything because of the memories attached to things. I know realistically that I can't keep everything but it instead of tackling it head on I've shut the door and decided to do it another day.

I used to be like this with my things and now I'm much better but it has been transferred over to my childrens things.

Any advice ?

I have this too, but I find I can get rid of things eventually if I put them in bags in the attic for a year or so. Out of sight some things seem to lose their sentimental power!

That's a good idea!

That's true. I do it when I'm cross at them! Perhaps a combination of doing it when they have pissed you off and then putting the stuff away for a year.

When I was putting away dd1's baby clothes I kept everything but when I had a second dd the things that I had put away so lovingly three years earlier looked like dish-rads!

I know exactly how you feel, I'm in the throes of a mass declutter and my biggest stumbling block is the stuff belonging to my little ones. I said to my DH that sorting it out to give away/sell etc was making me heart-sick. It was horrible and emotional and I very nearly threw in the towel but I made myself stick at it and just set myself 15min targets, timed with my mobile, to do what I could and before I knew it I'd done loads. I just kept repeating to myself 'it's only stuff'. The memories won't go just because the things do. Result was lots to sell on carboot/give to charity which felt good to think it was being used by someone who needed it, instead of in a pile, or bag etc being wasted. I have kept a few little things but found the more I did, the easier it got. Maybe just go back in and tackle 5 items initially? Go on, You can do it:)

Why don't you create a memory box for each child with things that are really precious to you ? I did this and it was lovely the other week having a look with my dd who is 20 now !!!
For the rest of the stuff bag it an put it up in the loft and then go through it again at a later date.

I do the stay of execution in the loft for a year or so by which time some things lose their emotional significance and some don't. The latter I keep and it's sort of easier to get rid of stuff if you've already made an explicit decision to keep some important things.

Could you take photos of stuff so you have a visual reminder of it?

God yes, this is me. I end up crying my eyes out when I should be chucking stuff out.

I have memory boxes and files (and drawers, and hampers) and stuff in the loft and I still have piles of crap everywhere.

If I ask the DC to go through it (teenagers now!) they tell me to chuck it all. I think they say this because they know I won't!

No I have never had this apart from the odd item of clothing. I tend to get annoyed at myself for buying so much crap and chuck loads. Every christmas and birthday they get shed loads and every school holidays I go through and chuck broken and unplayed with plastic out.