You know guys - there are a lot of nuances - your age, your health-can you keep up with it all, whether you actually have valuable collections or basically just junk trinkets overrunning your house, your past-present-future lifestyle and who you are as a person - will influence and in some cases even dictate what one owns.
I find it amusing to see the trend toward tiny houses and minimalism - it's a reaction to/reflection of our current society.
But I'm a huge proponent of paring down at various stages throughout your life.
I hated the popular Marie Kondo book about tidying up. I don't need anyone to tell me to decide whether an item I own "sparks joy" for heaven's sakes - that's just ridiculous.
In real life I might hang onto the bullet that almost ended my life as a reminder to be more cautious and listen to my gut in the next relationship - how's that for joy, Marie - I made it out alive:)
... and for crying out loud - there is the rare item which is indeed irreplaceable for a variety of reasons (not ten items mind you), but to say it's all just stuff is disingenuous. ... and no, I don't want a photo of something I let go - it's gone for a reason and besides, I'm a tactile person who likes to feel and touch.
...and hell yes, I will keep my seven vases - I use them all and I love them all or I wouldn't own them.
Letting go and in some cases preparing for death or retirement or a forced move for financial reasons is not that easy. Yeah well, our kids don't want to be bothered with our stuff, that is difficult to accept at first, but fine.
So you think about it for a while and when you get over the initial feeling of rejection, hell it's not you, it's just that they don't want/need your stuff.
Besides, some people have hellacious tastes:).
My mother started de-cluttering around 75 and did a good job of it. At some point, she asked me rather anxiously if I thought she should get rid of more things, but confided at the same time that she was happy with how it was now.
She rejoiced in still having several crystal vases which she used for the flowers I sent her on the holidays, she hadn't bought new sheets or towels in over a decade because she was using up her "stash" and thought she had enough until she died.
She loved her china and crystal glass collection displayed in china cabinets, but had culled it down and was reluctant to let go of some of the trinkets that were meaningful to her.
Yes, it was still a full household, but she had a big apartment with no visible clutter at all. She's one of those people in whose house you can eat off the floor at 2 am in the morning.
Could more of her stuff have found it's way to the dumpster or donation box - yeah, but she was not adding to it and occasionally gave things away to friends and kept on donating old clothes whenever she bought new.
There is no law that says a 75-year-old can't enjoy a new dress or top, just because she has a closet full of clothes. She always enjoyed fashion and loved it when a new style came out that was favorable for her. So what if she spent money on clothes, it gave her joy. She was diligent in clearing out her closet each season.
A good habit to have in my opinion, because there is always something to be mended, altered or retired and replaced. Besides if you don't do it, you eventually will not find a thing, discover that you have a stain on your dress when you are already in the car ready to go or realize your party dress no longer fits on the night of the party.
There is nothing wrong with having a few items of sentimental value or things that immediately send your mind back to a time when you were happy and everything was alright with your life.
Still, paring down is not that easy, I've found I have more success if I cut another swath through the room a couple of months later, often a third, by then I realize that I'm not really missing the stuff and that helps. I remember it fondly, but we had our time together, perhaps there is a person out there who would be happy to have it.
I reduced the X-mas stuff by half and may let go of another third the next time around - at the same time I switched from having a tree to displaying a newly purchased carved wooden buck and running some tiny white twinkle lights up its antlers - it's an antique cottage look and takes only minutes to set up on top of a Christmas runner.
Things change - you change.
OP - about letting go of knick-knacks or pictures - here is how I do it:
I'm a different person now who needs and wants to make room in her life for something new - because nothing new can come into your life if you keep holding on to the past too tight.
OR - I'm just happy to have less stuff in my life - no replacement necessary - just having space is nice too. Space to breathe - yes.
OP - on the guilt about things that others have purchased for you:
They served their purpose - you hopefully enjoyed and used them for a while, so you pass them on. Think of it like you got their money's worth out of it.
Besides at some point in your life, you need to become gutsy enough to stand up for yourself and your space and only allow things in that are useful, beautiful ...the junky stuff needs to go!
Be truthful with yourself, you hate or hated that thing all along or it simply needs to leave the premises, because you are over it.
Are you really going to let an object or another person dictate what you should have in your own house?
What worked for me is setting limits that worked for me and then slowly chipping away at those limits when I knew I had kept too much, but hadn't been ready to let go.
Books were my Achilles heel, but I'm down to three bookcases and a one in - one out rule, which has been working well for over a decade. Although of course, one has to be vigilant, bibliophiles like to hide their books even from themselves.
I am ruthless and will donate any fiction book the minute I'm done reading it, magazines do get tossed, I peruse my bookshelves from time to time to see if there are any books that I have lost interest in.
Now that I'm older I tend to do smaller de-cluttering jobs instead of an entire room at once - like one kitchen drawer or one shelf or (gulp) ask for help.
When I wanted to clean up the pantry for the holidays but knew I couldn't deal with the pull out shelving I did one big shelf each Saturday morning with Mr. R. for five weeks.
It is freeing to declutter, but I find minimalism, for instance, puts too many limits on my life. Why should I own only one vase big enough for one flower or branch, often depicted in a picture of a minimalist room, when I can enjoy the abundance of a generous bouquet?
Not to say I don't snip a single rose from my garden and place it on my kitchen window sill to enjoy.
OTOH, I gave away two juicers and an electric Wok Mr. R. had since I never use them. I'm perfectly happy to use a large old fashioned glass juicer for a single orange and press by hand. It takes the same amount of time, the juice will be fresh instead of a large jar stored in the fridge, it is rinsed off in a jiffy, takes up less space, no electricity needed and is a snap to put away.
I haven't bought any clothes or shoes this year, because I splurged on both on vacation last year. Nevertheless, my clothes closet is due for a seasonal revamp and serious decluttering.
That always used to be such fun, grab a bubbly and my mother or my best friend and go to town with some good dancing music in the background - voila.
The wine and music are also sadly lacking from Mrs. Kondo's tidying up ventures:).