Why is it that when you are trying to simplfy and declutter your MIL buys you things on clearance that are actually quite pointless and certainly something you do not need???????
My MIL does this to me all the time. She will find things on clearance one for herself, one for me, and usually one for my SIL. It is making me crazy. How can I tell her to please stop doing this without hurting her feelings?

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~Jill~

I don't know if there's a way to do it without hurting her feelings. Why not just graciously accept, then return the item (if you know what store she bought it from) or sell it at a garage sale? That way, she's happy that she gave you something, and you come out ahead. Or, graciously accept it and then give it to someone who will need it more than you (homeless shelter, battered womens shelter, Goodwill, etc.)

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This same issue was in Dear Abby not to along ago. There is nothing you can do but gently tell her. "While you appreciate the gesture you and your dh are trying to live simply......

I have to agree its probaly the only way to get her to stop as hard as that might be.

My MIL does the same thing esp when it comes to buying things for the kids. Every few months I have gotten into the habit of not only rotating my DD's toys, but also getting rid (by donating or tossing out) of toys that she really doesn't play with or even care about. And once I've gotten DD's stuff under some kind of manageable control, MIL brings over more "stuff."

I think my daughter handled this one REALLY well!.

She had a MIL that did the same thing, not only buying gifts for her but the kids too! She was glad that her MIL thought so much of her, but she had a closet full of junk....in her words.

So she asked her MIL to come over one day because she needed some advice.
Naturally her MIL was there right away.

My daughter asked her if she had any ideas how she could tell the rest of the family to Stop buying things for her and the kids, she didn't want to hurt anyones feelings, but she just didn't have a place to put everything and she was afraid that if she didn't use it or put it where someone could see it, she would hurt someones feelings and it was starting to upset her.

Well, needless to say, the MIL understood completely, gave her a few ideas and ALSO stopped bringing little gifts over unless it was a birthday or holiday.

My daughter waited a few months, called the MIL and thanked her for her great advice and asked her if she ever had another problem if she would mind if she would call and ask her how to handle it!!

Smart little girl I have there wouldn't you say?

Wow, grammajan11 that was a brillant plan your daughter had. I'm going to have to remember that for my MIL. Good deal.

My mil does this all the time. I just let her since it makes her happy. I just give the stuff away after a while. She enjoys buying bargains and I like to keep her happy.

That was a brilliant plan. I have also talked a lot to family members about all my trips to the goodwill, etc , and how my overbuying and having too much stuff is making life hard. I think they are starting to understand where I am coming from.

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I think your daughter was very smart. I have a friend who buys stuff I don't need or want, but could never tell them to stop. I would worry about hurt feelings.

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