Decluttering is hard for me , can you help?

amother

OP ↓

Sat, Feb 24 2024, 11:00 pm

I've been trying to declutter and I see I have an overabundance of clothing.

have 3 daughters.
The two older ones are 5 years apart. The younger two are close in age.
I see that much of the clothing that my older dd wore doesn't end up in style for younger ed (mostly because older dd mostly wore handmedowns, so it was really out of style by the time younger dd grew into it.)

So now I have 5 years of clothing that I've been holding onto from older dd for younger dd. Some of it I paid good money for ($100+ shabbos outfit), some are $25 tottini outfits, some are handmedowns.

It is SO SO HARD for me to give away older dds clothes. (I have a friend with a dd 2 years younger than older Dr who would be all happy to have it.)
We are NOT wealthy. We are way below income poverty limit, and it will be so painful for me to buy new outfits for younger dd if the older dds outfits will work in 2-3-4-5 years.

Is it so terrible if I just throw out anything that's stained or pilled and then box the rest for the future?

Elfrida

Sun, Feb 25 2024, 2:43 am

amother OP wrote:

Another question- where do you keep meds in your house?
O! Not throwing them out (unless they expired or are no longer necessary)
But we have non prescription meds in the kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom, and prescription meds in bedroom and kitchen.

Kitchen and bathroom is ok. Bedroom meds are cluttering that dresser. Two of the! definitely belong in the bedroom and I want them out so dh remembers to take them... Should I keep one out of each and refills in a box in th closetw?

Hmmm. Maybe I answered my own question!

Get a one month pill box. Something like this.

https://www.amazon.com/COLORWI.....=8-12

Fill it up once a month, and keep it in the most convenient place. Keep all spare and refill bottles in one place, preferably locked.

amother

Midnight

Mon, Feb 26 2024, 12:13 am

amother OP wrote:

My oldest daughter was born after several years of trying was followed by 5 boys. Besides for getting lots of high end clothing gifts , and my parents spoiling her, I myself am a really thrifty shopper and she has amassed a gorgeous expensive collection of stuff!! To this day years later she’s the most fashionable kid.

At first I saved everything hoping I’d have another girl, and the thought of parting with such gorgeous items that people cared enough to buy for us, was painful. But as the years went by and I had my boys, I forced myself to give most things away to my nieces or to our local chesed pickup, telling myself it’s a shame to have the clothes sit in my basement, when someone could be enjoying it. It was a tug of war in my brain of “what if you have another girl?!”
I kept a few things that I couldn’t part with like splurge items or high ends coats, but honestly during my next cleaning I really think I’m going to give every last thing away. I’m in my 40s and I think the ship has sailed and I won’t ever need the stuff 😢
I found that it helps to take pictures of the items before you give it away, and knowing that someone can enjoy the items who likely can really use it and it helps would help them so much to not have to buy.
The irony is that when I had my boys, almost nothing was able to be saved from kid to kid, they always trashed their clothes ! Bathroom and drool stains on all the baby stretchies, anything from the crawling stage didn’t wash well and had stains on the knees, so he shabbos stuff didn’t last … etc . I’m always buying my boys new basics, even the coats and boots get so worn and used. My daughter’s stuff looks brand new after an entire season, usually 2! I think there was ONE item
She’s ever owned that Didn’t wash well and I threw out- it was a black and white knit dress, I wasn’t paying attention when I was buying it to how it would wash. Light and dark together . It didn’t end up washing well at all and after she wore it a few times I just threw it out. But all her other stuff are perfect condition !!

Rappel

Mon, Feb 26 2024, 12:18 am

amother Midnight wrote:

My mother in law saved DH's clothes, and I dress my toddlers in them. If you have something that really is lasting beautifully, and has sentimental value, maybe consider saving it for a granddaughter. One box of sentimental value in storage shouldn't ruin your system

dankbar

Mon, Feb 26 2024, 12:29 am

Even if you do have another girl, there is probably a 10 yr gap or more, and styles change so fast. You most probably won't even want to reuse it. Besides a girl after five boys will be her own princess. You will want everything new.

I have 4 yrs between my girls. I do reuse. Some things I do get new because I want them matching.

Let's say, when one in uniform and other not yet, so I don't need matching then, only one for a full wardrobe, so I don't care to reuse. What I do sometimes is just buy one in same coloring to coordinate, not everything is exact match.

Summer when there's no uniform is nice to match or off days when they are together, like chol hamoad....chanukah.

That's only things I save. Rest I give further after season over.

Between my boys. One is big gap, so stopped saving. Then one younger boy is bigger than older one, so not passing down.

After my youngest, I give further because no babies after her.

Bnei Berak 10

Mon, Feb 26 2024, 12:43 am

amother OP wrote:

I think medications are supposed to be returned to pharmacy where they get destroyed. At least in Israel.