After my mom died a few years ago, I spent 6 months going through her stuff. Most was just junk that I threw away. My SIL just went through the same thing with her mom. She is still getting rid of stuff after 5 months.
All of that to say, I do go through my closets at least once a year and get rid of stuff so someone else won’t have to at some point in time. I do feel good about it.
But I’m older than you, and my reasoning shouldn’t be your reasoning yet.

I wonder how it will feel regarding my parents. I dealt with some of that when my grandmother and aunt passed away.

Right now it’s items in my house that I had purchased or gifts given to me.

I feel really good about it, as it helps others. Clothes, shoes, purses, home decor, even mattresses-it’s a very tough economy and everything helps those struggling.
If you look at it that way, perhaps you can find joy and gratitude in helping others rather than feeling a loss.

I am really terrible about that stuff, which is silly because I always feel enormous relief when the stuff leaves my house.

@KNOWITALL I am listing a lot of items on the Buy Nothing Facebook Group where I live. So far I have given away 7 items during this clean up.

I’m the purger in the house. Everyone else seems to want to hold on to garbage. I just cleaned out the shed and the garage and got rid of a ton of stuff. I go through the closet and get rid of stuff all the time. It feels good to me because I used to be a pack-rat myself.

For many things, I have an idea in my mind that if I haven’t touched it in a set amount of time (pick a time…6 months, a year, etc) then I obviously don’t need it. The only exceptions to this would be things of sentimental value: pictures, things that came from deceased family members, etc.

I recently took 4 large boxes of books to the library. I’m hoping a few will end up in their collection, and I’m certain the vast majority will go to their friends organization who sells them and gives all the proceeds back to the library. It felt great!

I give away old clothing often. There’s an organization that sends aloha shirts to service members overseas. It’s a nice place to donate my old shirts to. They also include fun items to make it a party.

There aren’t a lot of things I feel really attached to, but there are some.

It usually feels good. There are a number of items about which I feel some regret, but I have them in my memories if I ever feel sentimental. On the other hand, there are probably a number of things I’ve completely forgotten about ever owning! There are items which I bought because I liked them and those are a little harder to get rid of. But then I look around and see all of the things that I love and am able to get rid of things I only like.

Depends on the item and its historical/sentimental value. Getting rid of unused clothing doesn’t bother me. Getting rid of book (old favorites) does.

^^ I know right?! It’s like you keep a book for a few years because it was really good and you might read it again someday(or you actually do). Then when you’re cleaning out the house several years later, you come across it and still think you might read it again someday (and maybe do). Then, 23 years have passed and you’re cleaning out your house again. There’s that book saying, “You’ve kept me this long, you can’t get rid of me now!”

Oh, yeah, the book thing. I really only read on my ereader now, it is so much easier for me, but damn, packing up the faves and letting them go is hard.

@JLeslie I admit to struggling with items like my baby shower punch bowl, grandma’s china and other family items. But the feeling fades pretty quickly once gone, I know they want me happy. :)
You are doing great!!

Indifference. I do have a hard time letting go of books. I have overflowing shelves and literal crates of them in my storage shed.

It depends on the items, and how I now feel about them.

Generally good. That way I have room to buy more crap.

I’m the anti-hoarder. When I discard useless or unwanted items, I get a sense of elation. I actually feel high and oddly clean.

Maybe a handful of items that I’ve regretted donating over the years. But for the most part, I love getting things out of the house.

If it was still useful or had some sentimental value, I’d feel bad to get rid of it. I’d feel better if I could give it someone who could use it. If it was not useful anymore, I’d feel great to get rid of it. Even better if it could go into the recycling bin.

Hell ! I have a note Nora Reilly, who sat next me in fourth grade.

Teeth from both of my sons, when the “tooth fairy” left them money under the pillow.

Other things are gone.

I happily put my Gemco card into the recycle bin.

Gemco! I probably would have kept it for nostalgia. Hahaha