Still storing your children's 'stuff?'

I've had the same when I handed the Thunderbirds vehicles to the DGC, historian. Just wait till I get that Star Wars box open!

Our Room of Doom is the cellar. Unfortunately once DD1 cleared out the many big plastic boxes of belongings we were storing for her, I realised that a lot of the clutter I was blaming her for is actually mine. At least I can reach the washer now though without deploying my impressive hurdling skills.

DS just gave DGD[2 1/2] Buzz Lightyear to play with/ take home and I'm worried she'll break him....

My DD2 had Cabbage Patch dolls as a child. I kept her favorite one for years then gave it back to her because they are quite valuable now. Instead of putting it away, she gave it to my GD (three years old at the time) to play with. When I visited some time later, it was on my GDs closet floor missing shoes and socks and the very sought after 'binky' (dummy).

I had to remind DD2 that these dolls are prized by collectors. DD2 has now pledged to put her away where she is safe and to replace the missing items if they can't be found.

Moral of the story: Not always a good idea to return everything

I don't know though - there are children and there are collectors. Don't they just want pristine toys, untouched by human hand? I'd rather see a toy being played with and enjoyed than sitting in a box (unless we're talking huge amounts of cash, of course ).

On the other hand, my mother gave me the family Christening gown to dress my dolls in when I was about 3, and of course I wrecked it. It was very old and delicate, beautifully made in fine ivory lace, with tiny mother-of-pearl buttons. I was the last baby to be christened in it. It'd never have had monetary value, but that's the sort of heirloom I'd have treasured.

My DM had previous - she shipped all my beloved Just William books to a jumble sale when she decided I'd outgrown them. They were all first editions, bought for my dad (William, of course) as they were published in the 1920s.

My mum's neighbours had 4 kids, when she gave up her house due to ill health, there was a track worn between her house and the local tip, with all the stuff they had begged her to keep for them for years! I am sure my mum & dad still has stuff belonging to me in their loft and I've been married 28 years...

I got left a trunkful of my children's toys and after about twenty years I threw most of them out.
One daughter has never forgiven me and frequently reminds me that I sent her beloved dolls to landfill.

I thought I had taken everything of mine from my DM's house when I bought my first home many years ago. I did leave toothbrush, a nightie and a couple of other bits and pieces so I didn't have to take them with me when I went to stay with her.

When she died her house was full of stuff! Every postcard I'd ever sent her, every school report, everything! I hated school so I really enjoyed shredding all my school reports.

DM had 2 wardrobes full of clothes (some went to charity, some were divide up, and some were sold), at least 30 pairs of shoes (my DSis was the same size and took a lot of them), 13 of those hideous 1970s nylon undersheets (which no one wanted), 6 filing cabinets full of papers and boxes of newspaper cuttings about gardening! It has taken me nearly two years to finish clearing out her things.

I have just remembered some friends left some of their paperwork in my loft when they emigrated in 2011, in case the HMRC wanted to see it. I must ask them if I can get rid of it now!

Oh dear, NameChange , another timely reminder that I need to sort things out. I'm a bit (to put it very mildly) of a hoarder, but I'd hate my DC to have to spend so long sorting my junk stuff. I might have complained about my DM throwing things out, but when she died my sister and I had her house cleared over a weekend. All her important documents (and nothing else) were clipped together in one sideboard drawer. I have at least three boxes full of "souvenirs", let alone the filing cabinet that is never pruned. I've only just steeled myself to ditch DS's keyring collection - he's in his mid 30s.

Mind you, my organised and minimalist DD1 has already said that when we go she'll just hire a very large skip. When I showed her the four boxes of dressing up outfits (from their youth and my time working in primary schools, nothing racy!) she just said "Make that two skips".

Love this thread, glad to see I'm not alone! We moved from an old farmhouse, including barn 2 years ago. Whilst there DSs had gone through uni so the barn was full of school and uni stuff. After much nagging (moi?) they did come over and have a sort out.... still have several boxes of toys, memorabilia in our rumpus room + DS1s beloved collection of football shirts.

Please limit your children's stuff to one box or a bag...I remember my daughter storing her beloved Barrie in the loft and after a couple of years found it melting and sticky due to the heat...I felt bad as if the doll had been given away some other child would have been happy to love it.
I feel we can hold onto some stuff and memories but not hoard...

That's a good point. the things I most regret hanging onto are cuddly toys which, at the time, other children could have got pleasure from. As it is, even though they've been kept in sealed bags I don't feel that they're clean enough for the grandchildren to play with. I guess I did it because my mum threw all of my teddies and dolls away when I left home; even the photo I'd taken of them was missing; result was that I couldn't bear to throw anything away.