My sister was struggling with this sort of thing, and what really helped her was putting $20 aside in an envelope labeled “clutter replacement”. Having money set aside to rebuy anything that she decluttered that she realized she actually needed allowed her the mental space to get rid of anything that had a replacement value of $20 or less.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Watch an episode of Hoarders online. That will kickstart your progress with purging stuff, I promise.

Not saying you’re a Hoarder! It’s just a powerful cautionary tale.

I like that show but since I don't have much it seems so much harder. When there is piles or trash it seems so obvious mine issues are suttle but yeah I get the motivation part. Thanks.

If you don't have much clutter and your house is tidy and pleasant to live in, then by all means hold onto whatever you feel like. Most house would be cluttered with too much stuff.

Throw away something by breaking it purposefully. Too bad so sad, into the trash you go.

OP worshipping junk isn't going to fix your pain.
It just gives you something else to focus on. Get rid of stuff. You can hire people to help you.
Then you can focus on a new life.

Anonymous wrote:Arlington Public Library used to have boxes where you could donate old glasses. I think it is a Lion's Club initiative or something like that.

Donating can be great if you actually do it, but a characteristic of hoarders is hanging onto something until they find the exact right home for it. Often they save things the donation place was "too full" to take (i.e. they don't want it but don't want to be mean) or save things for certain recipients.

Put the item by the door and take it with you to the donation box the next day ... or else trash it that day.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Old glasses, even just the lenses, expired meds (may still work, what if I need it?) I never had much I don't buy anything hold onto everything until its broken or has holes. Even my cars 20 years old. Please help fix me.

Let yourself be yourself. If you want to hold onto it, then hold onto it.

Not if OP has kids. The last thing they need while grieving their mother is to figure out which of her junk they should hold onto and which to toss. Swedish death cleaning!

Maybe they're like OP and will value hanging onto everything.

As someone who had a mom like OP, I can only say that neither my brother nor I are that way. We value pictures of relatives, my mom's yearbooks, recipes, a painting or two, and jewelry. That's about it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Old glasses, even just the lenses, expired meds (may still work, what if I need it?) I never had much I don't buy anything hold onto everything until its broken or has holes. Even my cars 20 years old. Please help fix me.

Let yourself be yourself. If you want to hold onto it, then hold onto it.

Not if OP has kids. The last thing they need while grieving their mother is to figure out which of her junk they should hold onto and which to toss. Swedish death cleaning!

Maybe they're like OP and will value hanging onto everything.

You think kids want to keep their mom's expired meds?

If you actually think you have something your kid will want, offer it to them now. If they decline, now that's two people who don't want it: you and your kid. Release it into the universe.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Old glasses, even just the lenses, expired meds (may still work, what if I need it?) I never had much I don't buy anything hold onto everything until its broken or has holes. Even my cars 20 years old. Please help fix me.

Let yourself be yourself. If you want to hold onto it, then hold onto it.

Not if OP has kids. The last thing they need while grieving their mother is to figure out which of her junk they should hold onto and which to toss. Swedish death cleaning!

Maybe they're like OP and will value hanging onto everything.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Old glasses, even just the lenses, expired meds (may still work, what if I need it?) I never had much I don't buy anything hold onto everything until its broken or has holes. Even my cars 20 years old. Please help fix me.

Let yourself be yourself. If you want to hold onto it, then hold onto it.

Not if OP has kids. The last thing they need while grieving their mother is to figure out which of her junk they should hold onto and which to toss. Swedish death cleaning!

Anonymous wrote:I recently got rid of several things we haven't used in years and what do you know, I immediately needed them.

That’s why you do a BIG purge all at once, so you can have and enjoy a beautifully renewed, calming living space, which is worth way, way more than the hassle of having to run out to go buy a roll of duct tape or whatever

Anonymous wrote:Expired meds do work. You can still take that old Advil or whatever. Give old prescriptions you didn’t use to a pharmacy.

No they don't. I found out the hard way. If you're preparing for the zombie apocalypse, make sure your medicine is not expired. You don't want to be rolling around on the carpet with a toothache waiting for sweet relief, which never arrives, when you should be boarding up the doors and windows. Ask me how I know.

I recently got rid of several things we haven't used in years and what do you know, I immediately needed them.

Anonymous wrote:Old glasses, even just the lenses, expired meds (may still work, what if I need it?) I never had much I don't buy anything hold onto everything until its broken or has holes. Even my cars 20 years old. Please help fix me.

Let yourself be yourself. If you want to hold onto it, then hold onto it.

Regarding your glasses, here's my 2 cents (as someone who has worn glasses since age 10):

Keep your current ones, plus your most recent as a backup pair.

Take all the rest to your nearest MOM's store. They "recycle" them. So do many optical shops. https://momsorganicmarket.com/recycle-center/

I'm the daughter of a 60-year Lion. The Lions Clubs take eye glasses (with lenses AND frames - must have both) and send them to 3rd world countries. It's incredible the number of glasses my dad has processed in 60 years.

Broken frames or missing lenses? They can't use them - just throw them out.

Arlington Public Library used to have boxes where you could donate old glasses. I think it is a Lion's Club initiative or something like that.