What’s the difference between “holding onto stuff you might need somewhere down the line” and straight up hoarding?
…Good question.
That’s why over the next few weeks I’m going to subject myself to a little something I’m calling the Downsizing Challenge.
You see, I have a lot of stuff. Clothes, books, food, random nick-nacks….a lot of which I use, but also a ton that just seems to lie around with little-to-no purpose. And, since I’m moving to an apartment just about 1/4 the size of the one I’m living in now, I figured now would be a good time to purge some of this unneeded junk.
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The thing is, though, I’m also at a point where I need to, well, stop spending money. So I want to make sure that I don’t downsize to the point that I end up needing to do laundry every other day, for example. Get what I mean?
So, that’s what I’m going to spend most of this Saturday doing. I’m hoping to load my car with as much “junk” as possible for when I go back to Pennsylvania in a few weeks, which is when I’ll actually be getting rid of my car as well. Yeah, I’m taking this downsizing thing pretty seriously.
I’m hoping that this little challenge will result in some fun tips (and maybe even new recipes?), so stay tuned! And enjoy this weekend, will you? 
xoxo G
How often do you downsize? Or do you tend to hoard stuff??
Good for you! I am not a hoarder, and I think the only reason I’m not is that I have a big need for order in my life. but I have an incredibly difficult time getting rid of stuff that I might need later in life too…
I often live in a mess until I can’t stand it anymore, have a cleaning frenzy, then downsize! In fact, I think I am very due for a cleaning frenzy sometime soon. Perhaps after the completion of final exams.
I am a MAJOR downsizer…I used to hoard everything up until a few years ago…now I limit everything!!! I’ve got tons of tips for clothing lol. If you can’t wear it 3 ways or to 3 types of events don’t buy it! (kinda strict huh?) Good luck, I love cleaning!
omg i NEED to get on board with this too! im so so so bad at cleaning things up and getting rid of things! IM SO DOWN
Have you ever seen the show hoarders? The show makes me want to clean out my whole house ten times over hahaha
haha yes! that show/those people are crazy!!
I’m doing the exact same thing! I’m moving in a few weeks too, so I’m trying to get rid of some of my junk as well. I actually just dropped off a huge bag of clothes at the womens shelter.
Yeah, good call! I definitely want to donate stuff I’m getting rid of…
I’m not really too much of a hoarder, but I’ve still accumulated quite a few things over the years that I don’t really use/need anymore. I’m definitely on board with downsizing.
I downsized to come to NYC like crazyyyy and left my car behind too
I feel like I have no clothes anymore!! Its the price we pay. 
hehehe yes, a price I’m more than willing to pay!!
I tend to hoard makeup (things i tried once and never used again) because I think somehow I’ll find a purpose for it in the future. But recently i’ve been good about just TOSSING the things i haven’t touched in months, and keeping my go-to products!
I go through my closet every month or so. Whenever I go on a big shopping trip, I get rid of (at least) the number of pieces I’m bringing in. Having less options to choose from when getting dressed is actually a lot easier for me than having a closet overflowing with stuff that’s just ‘meh’
I’m moving back to Florida after I graduate from Ohio State in a few months, and I’m really starting to worry about transporting all of the junk I’ve accumulated over the past 4 years.
I want to start doing that - getting rid of stuff as I buy new pieces. When my closet is too cluttered I don’t know what clothes are stuffed in there so I end up wearing the same things all the time!
I looove doing that! I call it Spring Cleaning. Even when it’s not Spring time.
I love creating more space in my life
I hope it’s fun!
Ah, getting rid of your car?? I don’t think I could go without my car, but I guess you won’t need it/have room for it in the city! I need to clean out my closet. And I should probably go through my old books that I never sold back. And all of my folders, notebooks, and papers. It’s just such a daunting task.
Yep, my baby Escape is leaving me
It actually works out because my lease is up in May anyway…
But, actually, I use my car like once a week as it is!! So there’s no point in keeping the payment.
I am def a hoarder! But we are in the process of moving (hopefully next week. My family has banned me from grocery shopping…I tend to collect food.
Love your challenge. I am a total pack rat! When I switch apartments next year I want to purge everything before the move. If something comes into my apartment it never leaves….so much clutter. Don’t you admire those houses where there seems to be no clutter or little baskets and boxes of stuff. Where do they keep it all!?! I wish I could be that much of a minimalist.
Take pics of the things you love, if you want to keep the memory!!
Check out consignment shops in your area. That way you can make some money off of your ‘junk’. This works really well with clothes. Good luck!
Ah, great suggestion. thanks!
I love downsizing! Whenever I can I’ll pick a room and decide to go through it and get rid of whatever we feel like isn’t being used. I’m always jealous of people moving, because they really have a good chance to go through their house.
I’m big on downsizing. We move about every 3-5 years for our job and I hate having to pack and unpack everything. I try not to buy new stuff unless I need it but I love “shopping.” For me that means walking around Target looking at everything, even holding a few things while walking and then leaving.
I tend to have problems downsizing food items. I love to grocery shop and every time I move I end up with at least one tote full of dry goods. I should work on using some us soon.
You’re turning into a reeeal city girl!!! No car? Condensed apartment space? I am so proud of you!
I definitely go through phases! I’m currently in a “don’t buy anything new” phase. Mostly because my apartment is pretty tiny too and I just don’t have space! Oh how I long for the days of a walk in closet!
I’m a hoarder! After my wedding, my fiance (husband?) and I will be moving in together and we’ve made a challenge out of seeing who can downsize the most. I know he’s going to win
Ack, I can relate! My rooms both at school and at home are filled with clutter-piles of books, papers, random things everywhere. I need to get rid of some things! Just like when I clear my mind, it feels good to reduce the clutter!
I’m a big time hoarder until I can’t find any space in my closet and then it’s time to dump out!
I am a pack rat…and I never learn. I have moved so many times and yet I continue to keep collecting more and more stuff.
greatest spring cleaning tip i’ve heard in years: every spring, turn all your hangers the same way (either hooked toward the back of the closet, or hooked toward the front). when you wear an item, hook it the opposite way the first time. then, next year, you know for sure which clothes you didn’t wear!
no clue where i heard it, but i’m seriously starting this method right now.
oh my gosh…AMAZING tip! Thank you!!!
I’m the opposite of hoarder, haha. I can’t hold onto stuff. Sometimes that can be just as much of an issue.
i’m so with you! we’re about to move into a (slightly smaller but way more fun) apt and i am so excited to STREAMLINE + MINIMIZE. moving definitely helps b/c it’s a chance to decide what is really worth bringing to the new place. if i don’t either a) love it or b) use it regularly . . . then it should be gone
I’m so bad at downsizing. Don’t get me wrong I’m not a hoarder either
I just feel like so many things have memories attached to them that I want to keep forever. Enjoy your mission to downsize!
I try to clean things out with the seasons; if I haven’t worn a clothing item in a season I get rid of it. But I have attachments to stupid things like notebooks from high school that pile up and take a ridiculous amount of space in my closet. But I’ve also lived in the city for 4 years now so I’ve gotten it down to what works in my space
I live in a really small studio apartment in Los Angeles and have been forced to turn into the anti-hoarder. There is NO ROOM for anything extra! On the upside it’s forced me to figure out ways to be organized (a couple things out of place and my apartment looks like a disaster) and always feels nice to donate clothes and other stuff
I am excited to see how this goes! I have some major downsizing to do but instead I decide that my apartment should just always be a mess where I can’t find anything and keep buying even more stuff. AHHHH
I’m in the process of downsizing/saving for a move too… it’s alot of work! UGH!
I can so relate to this post! I graduated college last spring, and literally purged my room until I could fit everything in my car (albeit, my car is rather large) to make the move to Washington, DC (other stuff went back to my parents, as well). In reality I ended up moving with just a bunch of clothes - priorities, girl! Soon after moving up here, I sent my car back home too..it was just ridiculous to keep it in the city, with all of the public transportation available. My advice for getting rid of things is to just do it! I found things that I thought for sure I would use/miss, are things I never really used in the first place but I just liked having them there.
[...] dress. While going through my closet for downsizing purposes, I came across this never-worn dress that I’ve had for over a [...]