I was reading with interest thru this thread.

Oh My we have a lot of "stuff" we have ended up with in over 41 years of marriage, in our 3000 sqft 4 BR, 3 BA, W/full size office home with 2 separate HVAC system units and two 50 gallon water heaters and another 2000sqft of shop space behind the house on 1.7 acres. Most 90% of it surrounded by wooden privacy and chain link fence that constantly needs repair. We bought the house as an investment 16 years ago knowing that we would never stay here until we die but its getting to be a PITRA. and property taxes that keep going up every year! If you're locked in tax % they raise your property value to get the same increase in taxes.

Down here in Texas we constantly have problems with termites, carpenter ants, fire ants, scorpions, spiders and a whole host of other pests that we constantly have to treat for to keep them from eating our wooded structures. Also the stupid armadillos that keep digging pot holes in the yard and black jack oak trees that constantly lose limbs, branches and die because of drought is a constant job cleaning up after. Oh and did I mention blowing dirt in the dry season? Then there is the 5 acres adjacent to us that has never been maintained and is full of yopon, giant ragweed that stands 5 feet high and cedar trees that all migrate over into our property. Right now its time for cedar fever allergies. Giant clouds of green cedar pollen floating through the air. But Texas does have great weather!! LOL

Whats in the house and shops, we ended up with lots of antique glassware and china, hand made quilts 3 cedar chests full, antique clocks, ceramic figurines, paintings, tools and all sorts of stuff from my parents, grand parents and great aunts/uncles when they past. My In-laws also collected antique & depression glassware and also porcelain dolls that stand @ 3ft, Fred& Ginger, Princess Diana, Marie Osmond and a whole host of other figures. A huge task in keeping clean even in the 4 glassware cabinets we have.
Then our proclivity to collect things. For my wife more paintings -Thomas Kinkade, glassware, native american art. She has a complete native american bead breast plate hanging on a wall. Oh and did I mention the full set of Texas longhorn cattle horns hanging on the wall that spans 7 feet?

For me military stuff, american west cowboy and rodeo figurines and covered / conestoga wagons, bull whips and ropes and oh yes, my antique auto stuff collections- miniature gas pumps, models, antique oil & gas cans, stop lights, pictures and posters and lots of other car "stuff". Oh and did I mention tools? Out in my shop 3 tool chests full (classic car restorations). Tools Including old hand cross cut and rip saws that were my fathers and grand fathers, nobody uses these anymore or wants them except to paint murals on. Then there are all the spare car parts from the 50s, 60s ,70s.

Some of the things haven't seen the light of day in years, or since we moved from Ohio 15 years ago. The last time we saw some of the stuff was when we and had to pack it all up 16 years ago. Or for that matter stuff hanging on the walls been dusted in the last few months. Some I started a year ago trying to sell off. Haven't really made a dent in it yet!

Funny how my children do not want most of this stuff, changing times I guess or they had more guts to say no! How do you tell your parents no, I don't want all the stuff you have collected when they are in wheel chair nursing homes drowning in their oatmeal?

A lot of the stuff came from family members who lived back in the 1920s who our kids never met. They don't want to have to deal with all the "stuff" once we are gone. A lot more families do not live in the same locations anymore, family members grow up and move away and family heirlooms do not mean as much as they used to.
We have told our kids to pick out whatever they want and what they dont want will be offered to my sisters, nieces, nephews and other family members. A lot of them, younger family members have told us they don't want it either! Who wants an old Seth Thomas kitchen clock from the 1920s? After all it doesn't have WIFI!!

What is left and doesn't sell gets donated.

We intend to go full time and even if we don't, and end up extended part timing (still don't like the idea of a house setting without people for extended periods, too many things can go wrong and sub-leasing is out out the question. Ever had your main water line break in your front yard and end up with a $2000 water bill because you were gone for 2 weeks and the people watching your house didn't see it either? We did!
Even if we end up in an old folks apartment and part time RV, we have to down size, we have too much stuff and too big of house now. Will I miss all this crap, headaches and upkeep - heck no! When your dead - your dead -you cant take it with you.

Different strokes for different folks.