Say, “I’ve Loved This Enough, Now Someone Else Can Love It”

This is part of Stewie's Guide to Ruthlessly Declutter Your Clothes Today.

I remember when one of my younger brothers was three years old, and he was completely and utterly attached to his pacifier. It was his comfort, his security blanket, his constant companion. My parents tried everything to convince him it was time to let go.

“Big boys don’t use pacifiers,” they told him.
“Wouldn’t you rather have a cool toy instead?”
“You don’t need it anymore.”

None of it worked. He wasn’t letting go.

So, my parents got creative.

One day, my Dad came up with a plan. He told my brother that the babysitter needed pacifiers for the younger kids—kids who didn’t have any of their own.

Something about that idea clicked. My brother loved the thought of helping the little kids, of passing his pacifiers down to someone who needed them. So, he carefully handed them over, believing they were going to a good home. (My brother didn’t know the babysitter just threw them away.)

And honestly? I think this logic works in general for kiddos.

Letting Go is Hard—For Kids and Adults

Decluttering is hard. And for kids? It’s even harder.

They struggle to part with toys they never play with, puzzles that are missing half their pieces, and even tiny, insignificant scraps of paper. To them, it’s not clutter—it’s theirs.

So one of the best strategies I’ve found to help my kids declutter is shifting the focus. Instead of saying, “You don’t need this anymore,” we discuss how another child could need it.

“A little kid out there would love this stuffed animal.”
“Imagine how happy another family would be to have this puzzle.”

And suddenly, parting with an old toy doesn’t feel like losing something—it feels like giving something.

I Use the Same Trick on Myself

It turns out, adults aren’t that different from kids when it comes to holding onto things we don’t need.

I struggle to part with clothes I paid good money for. Even if I never wear them. Even if they’re stuffed into a box in the back of my closet.

Because the moment I think about donating them, my little brain protests:
“But I spent so much on that sweater!”
“But what if I need it someday?”
“But it’s still in good condition!”

Sound familiar?

That’s when I flip the script.

“Why keep sweaters buried in my closet when someone else could actually use them?”
“What’s the point of hoarding something that’s not serving me?”
“I’ve loved this enough—now it’s time for someone else to love it.”

That last one? It changes everything.

When we frame letting go as an act of generosity rather than a loss, it feels completely different.

What Are You Holding Onto?

Take a look at your closet, your dresser, and your space.

How many things are you keeping out of habit rather than joy? How much is sitting unused when it could be in the hands of someone who needs it?

Decluttering doesn’t have to feel like getting rid of things. It can feel like passing things forward—to people, to families, to strangers who will actually use and appreciate them.

So next time you struggle to let go, ask yourself, “Have I loved this enough?”

And if the answer is yes, maybe it’s time to let someone else love it.

Next steps…