Not a parent and can't help much but I do understand you pain.

I've moved every few years for the last 15 years and just downsized a two-bed to a one-bed apartment. The result...there is too much stuff in it. As I was packing I felt the same resentment and hate towards all the things that just kept filling up more and more boxes. As much as I don't like it, I've tried to hang onto that hate and it is fuel for the process now as I'm working to reduce my junk to fit a smaller space.

The process is hard, as selling in person or online is surprisingly hard work (I'm introverted and time poor right now). I'm only doing it for the big-ticket items to spare my sanity. The rest is being donated or as a last resort trashed. It is painful to see the money that was sunk into those items literally being thrown or given away and to consider the unnecessary waste but I'm using the experience as a learning moment and as hard as it is I'm being sure to fully experience the pain of fiscal loss and poor environmental stewardship on my part. It will help make me even more thoughtful before future purchases.

I live in the U.S. and rent prices are climbing at an unsustainable rate with frankly unscrupulous behavior by some (corporate) landlords to squeeze every last cent form you. Combine that with other cost-of-living increases and it seems we are headed into an era of having to move frequently just to be able to afford a roof over our heads. It is motivation for me to live lightly to make the increasingly frequent event as painless as possible.