---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm pretty brutal about getting rid of…"
description: "\"I'm pretty brutal about getting rid of stuff. There wasn't anything where I was like, \"Oh, I miss that,\" because usually it's for a good reason.\" — Nic..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86b/nicholas-stoller-12876_brutal_i-m-pretty-brutal-about-getting-rid-of-s_1069881.jpg"
---

#  I'm pretty brutal about getting rid of stuff. There wasn't…

![“I'm pretty brutal about getting rid of stuff. There wasn't anything where I was like, &quot;Oh, I miss that,&quot; because usually it's for a good reason.” quote by Nicholas Stoller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86b/nicholas-stoller-12876_brutal_i-m-pretty-brutal-about-getting-rid-of-s_1069881.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86b/nicholas-stoller-12876_brutal_i-m-pretty-brutal-about-getting-rid-of-s_1069881.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86b/nicholas-stoller-12876_brutal_i-m-pretty-brutal-about-getting-rid-of-s_1069881.jpg)

> “I'm pretty brutal about getting rid of stuff. There wasn't anything where I was like, "Oh, I miss that," because usually it's for a good reason.”

[Nicholas Stoller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-stoller/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The speaker discards items without sentiment because each thing kept serves a purpose, emphasizing intentional minimalism.

**In simple terms:** He removes things that aren't needed, as they usually have a reason to be gone.

Key Takeaway

Embrace purposeful decluttering.

Themes

minimalism intentionality efficiency

Mood

pragmatic reflective

Type

advice philosophical

When to use this quote

- organizing home
- streamlining workspaces
- digital file management
- travel packing

Key Concepts

consumer psychology decision making value assessment

Questions to Reflect On

- What items could you keep for future benefit?
- How do you decide if something truly serves a purpose?

A Different Perspective

May overlook sentimental value that isn’t immediately apparent.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Brutal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brutal/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/)

## Related quotes

> [I've moved about 10 times over the past 15 years. I don't move for the sole purpose of getting rid of stuff. I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/i-ve-moved-about-10-times-over-the-past-15-years-i-don-t-move-for-the/)

[Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/)

> [Some people have a hard time getting rid of stuff. If that's you, pray for God to give you the courage to get rid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/some-people-have-a-hard-time-getting-rid-of-stuff-if-that-s-you-pray/)

[Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/)

> [This kind of stuff, it wasn't the cool thing when I was growing up. Now, pop culture is comic books, super-hero movies, anime, manga,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-daniels/this-kind-of-stuff-it-wasn-t-the-cool-thing-when-i-was-growing-up-now/)

[Mike Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-daniels/)

> [The only thing I've consistently been interested in in the last twenty-five years is writing very short texts. That continues to interest me as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-manguso/the-only-thing-i-ve-consistently-been-interested-in-in-the-last/)

[Sarah Manguso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-manguso/)

> [I hung around New York and did a little stock-company stuff. I wasn't really sure at that time if I even wanted to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bronson/i-hung-around-new-york-and-did-a-little-stock-company-stuff-i-wasn-t/)

[Charles Bronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bronson/)

> [The absurdist stuff wasn't terribly popular at the time I was doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-sheckley/the-absurdist-stuff-wasn-t-terribly-popular-at-the-time-i-was-doing-it/)

[Robert Sheckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-sheckley/)

> [Having a child as a single mother was a crucible - maybe this is true for all parents. I got rid of so much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/having-a-child-as-a-single-mother-was-a-crucible-maybe-this-is-true/)

[Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/)

> [I edit things down, and I've got a massive dressing room in the country, and so all the things I'm not going to wear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-moss/i-edit-things-down-and-i-ve-got-a-massive-dressing-room-in-the/)

[Kate Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-moss/)

> [Rewriting is a large part of the whole job. And get rid of stuff that's not working. Just pare it down until it's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-loder/rewriting-is-a-large-part-of-the-whole-job-and-get-rid-of-stuff-that-2/)

[Kurt Loder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-loder/)

> [If you want to get rid of stuff, you can always do a good spring-cleaning. Or you can do what I do. Move.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/if-you-want-to-get-rid-of-stuff-you-can-always-do-a-good-spring/)

[Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/)

> [I am trying to Marie Condo the house starting with my books, although it's really hard to part with them! But I really want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shabana-azmi/i-am-trying-to-marie-condo-the-house-starting-with-my-books-although/)

[Shabana Azmi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shabana-azmi/)

> [“This is terrific. What a gorgeous kitchen. You’ve decorated it so beautifully. Now you’re going to have to clear all the counters. Vases. Books.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominique-browning/this-is-terrific-what-a-gorgeous-kitchen-you-ve-decorated-it-so/)

[Dominique Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominique-browning/)

> [In the second part of life you get rid of stuff you've accumulated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-baryshnikov/in-the-second-part-of-life-you-get-rid-of-stuff-you-ve-accumulated/)

[Mikhail Baryshnikov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-baryshnikov/)

> [To better myself I'm getting rid of my past, putting grudges from way back then to the side, making amends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-better-myself-i-m-getting-rid-of-my-past-putting-grudges-from-way/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [You can't drain the swamp, as President Trump has touted doing, without getting rid of Mitch McConnell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/you-can-t-drain-the-swamp-as-president-trump-has-touted-doing-without/)

[Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/)

## More by Nicholas Stoller

> [Yes, the fans are going to get their money's worth. It's like...and everything on there is funny. It's not like random crap they put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-stoller/yes-the-fans-are-going-to-get-their-money-s-worth-it-s-like-and/)

[Nicholas Stoller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-stoller/)

> [Every day is still exciting. I have like a very good system worked out with my editor. Some directors are in there every day,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-stoller/every-day-is-still-exciting-i-have-like-a-very-good-system-worked-out/)

[Nicholas Stoller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-stoller/)

> [I think people try to jam a lot of artificial plot devices into a lot of romantic comedies, and they don't treat it with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-stoller/i-think-people-try-to-jam-a-lot-of-artificial-plot-devices-into-a-lot/)

[Nicholas Stoller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-stoller/)

> [And I watch all the dailies and I grade the jokes or the moments, you know, on a scale from... so I know exactly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-stoller/and-i-watch-all-the-dailies-and-i-grade-the-jokes-or-the-moments-you/)

[Nicholas Stoller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-stoller/)

> [I never liked the extended cut personally because I like...we spend a lot of time figuring out our final cut. We test and test…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-stoller/i-never-liked-the-extended-cut-personally-because-i-like-we-spend-a/)

[Nicholas Stoller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-stoller/)

> [But having said that, regardless to what reviews come out whatever, I like love the movie. I think it's great, and so people can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-stoller/but-having-said-that-regardless-to-what-reviews-come-out-whatever-i/)

[Nicholas Stoller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-stoller/)

> [All of the things I've directed, I'm really emotionally close to. That's why I choose to direct them and spend years on them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-stoller/all-of-the-things-i-ve-directed-i-m-really-emotionally-close-to-that/)

[Nicholas Stoller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-stoller/)

> [And then afterwards I worked in advertising for a year which taught me about writing even when you don't want to (laughter) because there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-stoller/and-then-afterwards-i-worked-in-advertising-for-a-year-which-taught/)

[Nicholas Stoller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-stoller/)

> [The Lampoon was definitely quite formative. You know there's a crazy like kind of network of comedy writers from The Lampoon that are, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-stoller/the-lampoon-was-definitely-quite-formative-you-know-there-s-a-crazy/)

[Nicholas Stoller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-stoller/)

> [All movies are inherently collaborative, and animation even more so. There are hundreds and hundreds of people involved with an animated movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-stoller/all-movies-are-inherently-collaborative-and-animation-even-more-so/)

[Nicholas Stoller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-stoller/)

> [Like everyone is either, "I grew up with it," or "I loved it," or loved them now. And when you watch The Muppet Movie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-stoller/like-everyone-is-either-i-grew-up-with-it-or-i-loved-it-or-loved-them/)

[Nicholas Stoller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-stoller/)

> [When I was writing the script I thought he is this guy. I really hoped...I kept imagining him as that guy. And then he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-stoller/when-i-was-writing-the-script-i-thought-he-is-this-guy-i-really-hoped/)

[Nicholas Stoller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-stoller/)

> [Every video you see in the movie we have an entire video of it that will be on the DVD, so the whole video…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-stoller/every-video-you-see-in-the-movie-we-have-an-entire-video-of-it-that/)

[Nicholas Stoller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-stoller/)

> [We have tons of live performances that we're putting on there. We have music videos. There's a music video for the song called I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-stoller/we-have-tons-of-live-performances-that-we-re-putting-on-there-we-have/)

[Nicholas Stoller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-stoller/)

> [When I just write something, it's usually because I love it, I love the material, but I feel like I really need a creative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-stoller/when-i-just-write-something-it-s-usually-because-i-love-it-i-love-the/)

[Nicholas Stoller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-stoller/)

[Explore all 52 Nicholas Stoller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-stoller/)

## More Brutal quotes

> [In 2001, we were told that the war in Afghanistan was a feminist mission. The marines were liberating Afghan women from the Taliban. Can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/in-2001-we-were-told-that-the-war-in-afghanistan-was-a-feminist/)

[Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/)

> [The novel is the dream release, the suspension of reality that history needs to escape its own brutal confinements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/the-novel-is-the-dream-release-the-suspension-of-reality-that-history/)

[Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/)

> [Hitler recruited around him homosexuals to make up his Stormtroopers, they were his enforcers, they were his thugs. And Hitler discovered that he could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-fischer/hitler-recruited-around-him-homosexuals-to-make-up-his-stormtroopers/)

[Bryan Fischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-fischer/)

> [The Lord expects us to enjoy our lives. He says there will be some brutal times, but we shouldn't get all bent out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-henderson/the-lord-expects-us-to-enjoy-our-lives-he-says-there-will-be-some/)

[Paul Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-henderson/)

> [We face a brutal enemy who will kill the innocent for one purpose and that is to gain control of the Middle East and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-rove/we-face-a-brutal-enemy-who-will-kill-the-innocent-for-one-purpose-and/)

[Karl Rove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-rove/)

> [No matter how well-born, how intelligent, how highly educated, how virtuous, how rich, how refined, the women of to-day constitutea political class below that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-corinna-putnam-jacobi/no-matter-how-well-born-how-intelligent-how-highly-educated-how/)

[Mary Corinna Putnam Jacobi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-corinna-putnam-jacobi/)

> [I find that truly heartbreaking that, like, it's such a common, constant thing in people's lives - a brutal abuse of people by other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-duritz/i-find-that-truly-heartbreaking-that-like-it-s-such-a-common-constant/)

[Adam Duritz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-duritz/)

> [I think brutal honesty is extremely important. Don't be afraid of being up-front about your feelings and your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minka-kelly/i-think-brutal-honesty-is-extremely-important-don-t-be-afraid-of/)

[Minka Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minka-kelly/)

> [When my friends have been heartbroken, I give them a shoulder to cry on and some brutal advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maura-higgins/when-my-friends-have-been-heartbroken-i-give-them-a-shoulder-to-cry/)

[Maura Higgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maura-higgins/)

> [Something that comes to us, some gym shoe that comes to us as a result of child labor from a brutal dictatorship, where people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/something-that-comes-to-us-some-gym-shoe-that-comes-to-us-as-a-result/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [In my experience sometimes the darker the material that you're doing, the more necessary it is to have some sort of levity around. I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-stahl/in-my-experience-sometimes-the-darker-the-material-that-you-re-doing/)

[Nick Stahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-stahl/)

> [I do have one very brutal writing ritual. If I'm working in the morning, I don't allow myself a cup of tea until I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-lane/i-do-have-one-very-brutal-writing-ritual-if-i-m-working-in-the/)

[Anthony Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-lane/)

> [The circle of an empty day is brutal and at night it tightens around your neck like a noose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elena-ferrante/the-circle-of-an-empty-day-is-brutal-and-at-night-it-tightens-around/)

[Elena Ferrante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elena-ferrante/)

> [“I had brutal beginnings. I will not let the darkness in.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-jennings/i-had-brutal-beginnings-i-will-not-let-the-darkness-in/)

[Melissa Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-jennings/)

> [Usually I avoided college students, whom I considered brutal, wrapped up in themselves, particularly in their youth, in which they found material for drama…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/usually-i-avoided-college-students-whom-i-considered-brutal-wrapped/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

[Browse all 790 Brutal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brutal/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I'm pretty brutal about getting rid of stuff. There wasn't anything where I was like, \"Oh, I miss that,\" because usually it's for a good reason.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Nicholas Stoller"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-stoller/i-m-pretty-brutal-about-getting-rid-of-stuff-there-wasn-t-anything/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Brutal"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-stoller/i-m-pretty-brutal-about-getting-rid-of-stuff-there-wasn-t-anything/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86b/nicholas-stoller-12876_brutal_i-m-pretty-brutal-about-getting-rid-of-s_1069881.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86b/nicholas-stoller-12876_brutal_i-m-pretty-brutal-about-getting-rid-of-s_1069881.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86b/nicholas-stoller-12876_brutal_i-m-pretty-brutal-about-getting-rid-of-s_1069881.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I'm pretty brutal about getting rid of stuff. There wasn't anything where I was like, \"Oh, I miss that,\"…” — Nicholas Stoller",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Nicholas Stoller",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-stoller/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I'm pretty brutal about getting rid...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-stoller/i-m-pretty-brutal-about-getting-rid-of-stuff-there-wasn-t-anything/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-stoller/i-m-pretty-brutal-about-getting-rid-of-stuff-there-wasn-t-anything/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
