My neighbors husband was a collector of anything and held onto it "just in case". He passed away last year and she has been on a tare. She ordered a dumpster and started tossing. Donation truck were pulling up weekly. She is now down to a sofa , chair and an end table in her living room, a small table and chairs in her kitchen (dining room is empty), a bed, bureau and night stand in her bedroom. She kept minimal supplies in her kitchen and cleared out tons of old documents that weren't necessary to keep. She has very little and said she's never felt so free. She's grateful to be out from under the burden of stuff. Not just the younger generation wants less stuff. Many senior adults feel the same way and regret the money they wasted on things they really didn't need.

I had to clean out my sister's house and property after she died. What a nightmare. It took forever as she was quite a hoarder. But she had a lot of nice clothes. A lot of the practical things I washed up and donated to the local nursing home. I knew many of the patients there ran out of clean sleepwear and day wear and get stuck in ratty old hospital gowns. The staff was delighted to receive the items. And I felt I'd brightened some patient's day.

Pianos... selling for nearly nothing or being given away. As a musician, I always wanted a baby grand. A couple of years ago, I purchased a gorgeous 5 ft maple baby grand that is about 90 years old that was in 8/10 condition. Buying a new one of comparable quality would cost $15k+- plus, you'd never get the construction materials in this instrument (ivory keys, old growth timber.) I bought it for $1000, and paid half that much again to have it moved. I dubbed her "Mabel" and she occupies a place of honor in my home. But spinets and uprights? You could pick them up free all day, every day.

I'm almost 70 and downsizing. Just threw out several photo albums of photos from my youth. It hurt but my kids don't want them and I get it. Stop acquiring stuff people!!

I see very little demand for quality wood antiques. Younger folks seem to like trendy, poorly made stuff, which is a shame. Or they want to piant beautiful walnut, cherry, and mahogany pieces, which should be a crime.

I supplemented our five kids first on their own- homes with the extra furniture, kitchen ware, linens and window treatments. Worked well for me, I just gave it away, if kids didn’t want it, I donated. I cleared so much “useful stuff “ .

Old heavy furniture? Yes I want all of it please!

If you have old pictures I recommend seeing if your local historical society might want them...

Not poor; just a different lifestyle. I’m 60 so I get where you’re coming from. But I’ve told my adult kids to tell me what they want so they have lovely memories not being burdened by dust collectors

I recently moved from my home of almost 40 years; a 100 year old colonial with much of the original woodwork. I had loved buying (dark) period pieces to fill it over the years. My 'new' home, however, is a 'cabin in the woods'. I dreaded the thought of getting rid of my furniture - but knew there was no way mahogany would look good in "1980s cheap rustic". But, at my age, frankly, I just didn't care how bizarre it was going to look. Lol! And was delighted when I calculated that none of my cherished pieces had to find a new home or be tossed. Even more delightful: they actually look pretty good in my new house! I never would have imagined. :-)

Try giving stuff away for free. Craigslist has a "free" category under the 'For Sale' heading.

This is so true. I have so many items saved from family and my kids don't want any of it.

I was going through a bin of things that my mother sent me today. I noticed the only things that I wanted to keep our things that were associated with a happy memory for me. That being the case, I think the only things of their parents that kids want to keep our things that are associated with happy memories for them. I think we care more about happy memories and less about monetary worth.

I have my fathers stamp collection....something I specifically requested. I remember looking at them when I was little and it makes me feel closer to him. I realize they are worth nothing to anyone else. I have some vintage jewelry and about a dozen Beatrix Potter Beswick which I love and have only for me. I have no living family to leave anything to so I don't collect with that in mind. I don't have anything to excess but what I have I enjoy immensely. It kind of makes me sad when people get rid of everything sort of virtue seeking. My things tie me to my past.

There are ways to prevent some things from going to the landfill. Seek out furniture flippers- they love remaking out-of-style furniture because it’s cheap or free. Cut hole-y clothes, etc., into quilt blocks ( avoiding the holes) and donate marked as such. There are local crafters that often use parts of out-of-style items to update them or make new crafts. Help that Elderly person set a room full of things for crafter/flippers to come and get and set supervised times for the visitor-shoppers so that Granny is never in danger. Mechanics have to buy rags- things that don’t sell or walk out the door can be cut into rags. Some people make beautiful bird feeders and bird baths out of old plates- thin china plates are very easy to glue together with an E-6000 type of glue. Prevention of so much stuff accumulating is best but 🌳Please 🌲Try 🌵folks to find ways to help the earth 🌎 before dumping more into it.

1:17 Those are some seriously creepy dolls. I definitely would not want those.

Many of us want the 19th century photos. And interesting books. Not best sellers or other mass market. I was lucky enough to inherit a collection of costume books from a friend.

I just went thru my mom’s aunt’s photo album from the 1930’s and 40’s. I took out about a dozen pictures of people I know in them and wrote on the back who they are. But the rest, I got rid of. I’m 58, and starting my declutter process already

Young people today are more transient and don't want to move a bunch of heavy things around every couple of years. Also minimalism has caught on with a lot of people. I'm 58 and have embraced having less of some things.

DO NOT just throw out family photographs. If you don't have a family archivist to give them to then have them digitized before disposing of them. Try giving the collection to a local history group or museum. Even if you don't have time to label everything a family historian can still piece together who's who with reasonable accuracy. Turfing a couple of suitcases full of old black and white photographs because "nobody's interested in that old junk" will risk you becoming the stuff of family legend, that crazy aunt who...

Good information. Just because the seller thinks they paid so much for an item, they believe others want them. Not so much:)

Recycling is the answer for most magazines. Donating to a thrift store works for much of the rest.

Research if a historical society wants your old photographs.

You did a great job hitting on things people overlook, but you are so right. Downsizing is emotional, but beginning to detach can be helpful for ALL involved, including the owner of all of these items

Not all but key family ancestor photos should be saved. Identify them all now while someone still remembers who they were! If no one in the immediate family wants them, (they're out of the will) look outward to cousins in other parts of the country or the world. Start on it now so it isn't a huge job when everything "has to go". Everything else, talk with family and friends now and start a list of who wants what and make sure it's easy to find.

I have a set of china that my mother bought when we were overseas. My oldest said he didn’t want it at first, after really looking at the pattern he changed his mind. It’s rather plain and you can buy replacements online still although they are pricey.

I think a lot of people are just living in smaller spaces. The middle class doesn’t have the big farmhouse and property their grandparents had.

Also pianos!

May be able to sell them in a garage sale, a lot of people look for items like this.

It is amazing some of the things people leave behind.

My son just ask for that dark old furniture you talk, all heavy rosewood old n beautiful till today, also my daughter ask for paintings n lithographs, including some paintings with no market value. They both ask for some figurines too. Nobody ask for the books, you right about that, but one single book n occult philosophy’s is worth more the five thousand, I’m sure someone will wanted. I hope they don’t change their mind.😊

My friend just sold her home last month with all the furniture, over the list price.

I'd be happy to swing by and pick up all your Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle and Joe DiMaggio stuff!!

All they will want is cash.

Another way to frame to issue: all those things we have spent a lifetime accumulating may take another lifetime of someone's time to rehome. When you pass on, your heirs will not be able to spend a couple of years finding the highest price buyers. Certain quality items may find ready buyers, all the rest will need super low prices or donations (or the dumpster!). What happens in most houses where a person has lived for decades is that all the nooks and crannies get filled up and there is way more stuff than anyone expects. Maybe you are guilty of storing things underneath or behind your sofa(s) - and have closets at the bursting point, and so on throughout your house. I have been steadily thinning out storage spaces, closets, and especially my garage for several years - and I still have a house full it seems! It is very agonizing and stressful for your family to honor your memory while distributing and selling off your estate. Be a nice senior and get the job started while you can take some of that burden away from your heirs. Best wishes.

Music distracting. Trying to focus on the words.

Lose the background music. Annoying

Great points about an often TOUCHY subject! :)

How about ask around instead of assuming either nobody wants my old stuff or my treasures will be valued heirlooms.

All true.i started do all this at 62.my son just wants money if there us any left

We have 100 year old bedroom set with green marble tops. Old furniture sucks. The drawers stick and are heavy. You'll break your back moving them. New furniture is made precise and the drawers slide so easily. For good selling items at yard sale, TOOLS and metal working machinery. In any case you never get what you paid. Order on-line, a new living room set, it was delivered and set up. Came home to see it was made for little people. I had a hard time donating it to a church group.

My mom needs to watch this...she has too much stuff she tries to pawn off on me.

So I should get rid of family photos of ancestors up to 160 years old as my family does not want them? Also, I should get rid of the research my grandmother spent years researching on her family back to the 1680s immigrants because the younger members are not interested? The young ones want furniture made from saw dust rather than solid wood. I should toss my mothers china made in America because the young one wants dishes made in Asia that are basically not worth the price. The young do not know what quality is. No wonder civilization is on the verge of collapse.

My kids want my classic car, not much of anything else.

Pianos are unwanted too.

Tips are ok, but they are overshadowed by your pick and loudness of your music.

We had to empty 65 yrs of marriage collection from my In-Laws. Lovely stuff, but when we called an auctioneer who informed us that antique furniture is often referred to as ‘brown turds’ by people trying to sell them. Young people aren’t interested, and older ones already have plenty.

Old photo albums should be well labeled.

Donate any old yearbooks to Ancestry.com. I did. All 4 from my high school years. '72-'75. I have a friend I've known since '69 7th grade and she keeps everything. So if I hear of a death of a classmate, I can check with her to refresh my memory.

A friend of mine paid to have old furniture shipped across the country THREE times. She was sure her son would want them some day. He didn’t.

Jennifer, Books. My wifes fav. Hard for her to part with. She has multiple tubs full of Martha Stewart Living Mags.

I am in the process of donating. I hate clutter and the kids want none of it unless it has $$$ value.

Good information, but the background music was wayyyyy too loud.

anybody out there needing to get rid of their dad's baseball card collection before listing the house, feel free to send them to me. I'll take good care of them.

Good info!

Amish country !! yeah

I could care less if you don’t want my stuff you just want an easy sale

I donate or give away…

It's all junk. Trash. I've been a Landlord for 42 years. Trust me. All your stuff has no value and it's going to the landfill.

chochkees..... I love it

I buy what I like not what I think will sell. I collect real antiques and you’re wrong about oriental rugs. Sorry dear. A good Persian rug will outlast your life. I have a little apartment with antiques and paintings and Russian icons. I have no chockies either. I’m not a minimalist. And I worked in the antiques field for years. You’re just wrong.

You are so Wrong about beautiful heavy wood furniture in great shape…. You must be assuming most home buyers are dumb. Bye

No one is going to want my parents' ashes. What will become of them?

Why are the items I moved to storage for big sale next month worth $$$$ and are on ebay ?

Scan pictures to the cloud save till you die

I am dowsing!!!

No one wants stamp collections

90 % of what you have is worthless ask yourself men would you buy it out of need.

Idk man. You guys are overlooking artists. We WANT this stuff to upcycle or use to create art. But we don’t want to buy it. We want you to give it to us for free 🤷‍♀️ So….. nobody wants it should be changed to nobody wants to pay for it

I get invited to peoples homes for a fancy meal lately.... these kids should be ashamed. They dont even have a set of china or silver to host dinner parties because they threw it away. It screams poor!

If nobody wants them? Who would you give/gift them to??😮😅😂😅. Your generation? Just what is your age?😮😊

Sex specific

Some stuff she said is yrue. Rest is BULLSHIT!

You are limited.

I just went thru my mom’s aunt’s photo album from the 1930’s and 40’s. I took out about a dozen pictures of people I know in them and wrote on the back who they are. But the rest, I got rid of. I’m 58, and starting my declutter process already