Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2

[Jim Fiction]

Visited my folks this weekend and grab two huge bins of my DVDs that I've been storing there. Planning to go through and ebay/decluttr/good will the vast majority of them. So I helped to declutter their house, while temporarily cluttering mine!

[oneday]

@MaybeBabyMustache I appreciate you posting so steadily.  That goes for everyone.  I just *love* coming back here periodically to find how much others are "in it with me". 

Yesterday got 4 small boxes of CDs back to Mr. X.  Actually, 3 boxes of CDs and one box of empty CD cases.  Nice to get that particular box out of the house with only minimal effort on my part!

5 down, 4 to go.  Those were the smallest 5, so the last 4 will likely take more effort.  Maybe a box a week rather than 3?  Putting the end date for this project at Nov 18.  Yes, that is what I'll shoot for.

In the last little while, I have been able to rip 3 of the remaining 4 boxes.  One of the ripped boxes was completed today, so will definitely be gone by next weekend. The last remaining box is the second biggest, not totally sure I'll be able to get that done in a week, but my estimate of 11/18 was not that far off.  I'll probably make a push to try to get done by then.  But work has been taking extra time, so we'll see how that shakes out.

So, next project is a combined paper/digital decluttering.  Getting all my passwords into a password manager.  It's deadly dull.  But I've been hanging on to this one dog-eared piece of paper that has the passwords written on it, so will be nice to ditch that even though it doesn't take up much space.

[Linea_Norway]

I have asked DH if we could throw away a whole moving box full of cassette tapes. We don't have a cassette player anymore.
Most of the tapes are stuff he recorded as a hobby, not music, but stand-up comedy. He didn't want to use time on it exactly then, but I hope he can let it go when (or before) we will sell the house.

[Roadrunner53]

Linda_Norway not sure if your husband would be interested but there is a converter that you can use to convert cassettes to CD's.

http://www.cassette2usb.com/?tid=B002

[Linea_Norway]

Linda_Norway not sure if your husband would be interested but there is a converter that you can use to convert cassettes to CD's.

http://www.cassette2usb.com/?tid=B002

We did that once with a bunch of longplay records. We borrowed a record player, connected it to the audio in the computer and recorded it on CD. Worked very well. I guess we could score a cassette player somewhere and do the same trick. It is just that this box contains so many tapes, that it is a very big job. Also, he knows 99% of the content by hart and can citate it. He also hasn't been playing them for the last 10 years or so. Maybe time to let go...
We have also 4 boxes full of VHS tapes with stand up comedy. They are not standing in the way, as they stand on top of a closet in a bedroom. But we also haven't opened these boxes for a decade at least. We still have a VHS player which is not connected to the TV and stereo. I hope we can some day ditch both the player and the video tapes, including the movies that we still have on video tapes.

[Roadrunner53]

I just donated VHS movies to Vietnam Vets. Some were brand new and never opened. UGH! I still have two VCR's! We have the first one and the last one and I think we got rid of another one. The first one has the remote on a wire, that is how old that one is! It was SUPER expensive because it was new technology at the time! Now it isn't worth 10 cents!

[Unique User]

This weekend I took two full boxes to our county shredding event - tax returns and insurance policies are all scanned now.  Sold a sewing machine we no longer use and listed 5 more items on craigslist. 

[Sugaree]

This probably isn't exactly in the spirit of this thread, but I thought you all would understand. I'm in the midst of unpacking boxes.  I guess when everything was packed away I could kind of lie to myself about how much china I have.  I just unpacked 9 place settings of my "good" pattern and 12 settings of my grandmother's pattern (that I'm 95% sure she got free for buying an air conditioner).  Oh yeah, and the extra 8 dinner plates and hostess pieces that match my grandmother's set.  The only mustacian thing about any of this is that I've never paid full price for any of them. They are mostly pieces that I've picked up over the years at thrift stores and yard sales.  But it's still ridiculous for dishes I might use once a year.  Trying to talk myself into at least consolidating to one set...

[MaybeBabyMustache]

I went through our three tiered tray that we keep to organize incoming mails, coupons, bills, etc. It's supposed to be cleaned out weekly. It gets. . . less attention than that. It's now pretty much organized. Could use one more pass to reassign things to their proper filing drawers, but all of the junk is now recycled & gone, at least.

[I'm a red panda]

Dropped more clothes off at Once Upon a Child. They'll only take 1/4 of them, but maybe I can get $10 before sending them to goodwill.

[smalllife]

This probably isn't exactly in the spirit of this thread, but I thought you all would understand. I'm in the midst of unpacking boxes.  I guess when everything was packed away I could kind of lie to myself about how much china I have.  I just unpacked 9 place settings of my "good" pattern and 12 settings of my grandmother's pattern (that I'm 95% sure she got free for buying an air conditioner).  Oh yeah, and the extra 8 dinner plates and hostess pieces that match my grandmother's set.  The only mustacian thing about any of this is that I've never paid full price for any of them. They are mostly pieces that I've picked up over the years at thrift stores and yard sales.  But it's still ridiculous for dishes I might use once a year.  Trying to talk myself into at least consolidating to one set...

Do the sets go together, or at least not clash? Keep the plates from one, bowls from another, etc.  Or serving bowls/hostess piece as a centerpiece? Basically, a way to keep a pattern you like without having to get rid of it immediately.

I struggle with china because I don't care for it, but there's still a 12 piece set that my husband agrees we don't need but have to keep while his mother is still alive.  Huge chunk of cabinet space...

[Sugaree]

This probably isn't exactly in the spirit of this thread, but I thought you all would understand. I'm in the midst of unpacking boxes.  I guess when everything was packed away I could kind of lie to myself about how much china I have.  I just unpacked 9 place settings of my "good" pattern and 12 settings of my grandmother's pattern (that I'm 95% sure she got free for buying an air conditioner).  Oh yeah, and the extra 8 dinner plates and hostess pieces that match my grandmother's set.  The only mustacian thing about any of this is that I've never paid full price for any of them. They are mostly pieces that I've picked up over the years at thrift stores and yard sales.  But it's still ridiculous for dishes I might use once a year.  Trying to talk myself into at least consolidating to one set...

Do the sets go together, or at least not clash? Keep the plates from one, bowls from another, etc.  Or serving bowls/hostess piece as a centerpiece? Basically, a way to keep a pattern you like without having to get rid of it immediately.

I struggle with china because I don't care for it, but there's still a 12 piece set that my husband agrees we don't need but have to keep while his mother is still alive.  Huge chunk of cabinet space...

They sorta, kinda, but not really match.  The nicer set is my Lennox Opal Innocence.  My first husband came from old money so his family insisted on a very traditional registry so we had to pick china, stemware, and flatware.  I got the china and stemware back a few years after the divorce and have added pieces here and there.  I figure those were the things my ex couldn't hock.  It's basically white/platinum so it can kind of match anything.  The other set is pink and grey.  I don't normally like pink, but this one is pretty.  It's Harmony House, which was Sears' store brand for many years.  I also don't think I'll be able to get rid of it while mom is still alive either.  Oh God.  I didn't even think about my mom's set.  At least she knows that I've never particularly cared for it.  Maybe she'll leave it to my brother's wife and I won't have to deal with it.  Supposedly there is another set from my other grandmother that's supposed to be mine, but it's packed in a box somewhere and I couldn't tell you what it looks like.

[Yasha]

Gave sister in law a book and got hubs’ blessing to donate the five others by the same author. I am planning on gifting them to the giving tree at work but on the instructions at the tree it is requesting new books/toys, not second-hand... the books have each been read once, then on a bookshelf since then. They are clean and undamaged and if I hadn’t read the instructions I would have gladly donated them to the gifting tree without a second thought, but now that I’ve read that instructions sheet I’m conflicted... thoughts? The books are all young adult fiction books by John Green (popular YA author) if that makes any difference.

[Roadrunner53]

Gave sister in law a book and got hubs’ blessing to donate the five others by the same author. I am planning on gifting them to the giving tree at work but on the instructions at the tree it is requesting new books/toys, not second-hand... the books have each been read once, then on a bookshelf since then. They are clean and undamaged and if I hadn’t read the instructions I would have gladly donated them to the gifting tree without a second thought, but now that I’ve read that instructions sheet I’m conflicted... thoughts? The books are all young adult fiction books by John Green (popular YA author) if that makes any difference.

Goodwill
Vietnam Vets-Will pick up donations but would probably have to be more than just a few books.

[HappierAtHome]

Gave sister in law a book and got hubs’ blessing to donate the five others by the same author. I am planning on gifting them to the giving tree at work but on the instructions at the tree it is requesting new books/toys, not second-hand... the books have each been read once, then on a bookshelf since then. They are clean and undamaged and if I hadn’t read the instructions I would have gladly donated them to the gifting tree without a second thought, but now that I’ve read that instructions sheet I’m conflicted... thoughts? The books are all young adult fiction books by John Green (popular YA author) if that makes any difference.

Given they're in excellent condition, I wouldn't hesitate to give them to the giving tree.

[I'm a red panda]

Gave sister in law a book and got hubs’ blessing to donate the five others by the same author. I am planning on gifting them to the giving tree at work but on the instructions at the tree it is requesting new books/toys, not second-hand... the books have each been read once, then on a bookshelf since then. They are clean and undamaged and if I hadn’t read the instructions I would have gladly donated them to the gifting tree without a second thought, but now that I’ve read that instructions sheet I’m conflicted... thoughts? The books are all young adult fiction books by John Green (popular YA author) if that makes any difference.

Given they're in excellent condition, I wouldn't hesitate to give them to the giving tree.

Agree, if it looks like a book you'd  get at Barnes and Noble, having read it doesn't change the condition- you didn't use up the story.  If the spine is broken or pages are bent, then the condition is "used".

[Unique User]

This probably isn't exactly in the spirit of this thread, but I thought you all would understand. I'm in the midst of unpacking boxes.  I guess when everything was packed away I could kind of lie to myself about how much china I have.  I just unpacked 9 place settings of my "good" pattern and 12 settings of my grandmother's pattern (that I'm 95% sure she got free for buying an air conditioner).  Oh yeah, and the extra 8 dinner plates and hostess pieces that match my grandmother's set.  The only mustacian thing about any of this is that I've never paid full price for any of them. They are mostly pieces that I've picked up over the years at thrift stores and yard sales.  But it's still ridiculous for dishes I might use once a year.  Trying to talk myself into at least consolidating to one set...

Do the sets go together, or at least not clash? Keep the plates from one, bowls from another, etc.  Or serving bowls/hostess piece as a centerpiece? Basically, a way to keep a pattern you like without having to get rid of it immediately.

I struggle with china because I don't care for it, but there's still a 12 piece set that my husband agrees we don't need but have to keep while his mother is still alive.  Huge chunk of cabinet space...

China.  I have a set of family Wedgewood from the late 1700s, I struggle with it and with other family pieces.  I also have several old books that have been signed by ancestors in the 1800s and early 1900s as well as my father's Hardy Boys books that he signed in the 1950s and I'm assuming used for target practice since there are several bb holes.  Technically it's all clutter, but I can't get rid of any of it. 

[Sibley]

This probably isn't exactly in the spirit of this thread, but I thought you all would understand. I'm in the midst of unpacking boxes.  I guess when everything was packed away I could kind of lie to myself about how much china I have.  I just unpacked 9 place settings of my "good" pattern and 12 settings of my grandmother's pattern (that I'm 95% sure she got free for buying an air conditioner).  Oh yeah, and the extra 8 dinner plates and hostess pieces that match my grandmother's set.  The only mustacian thing about any of this is that I've never paid full price for any of them. They are mostly pieces that I've picked up over the years at thrift stores and yard sales.  But it's still ridiculous for dishes I might use once a year.  Trying to talk myself into at least consolidating to one set...

Do the sets go together, or at least not clash? Keep the plates from one, bowls from another, etc.  Or serving bowls/hostess piece as a centerpiece? Basically, a way to keep a pattern you like without having to get rid of it immediately.

I struggle with china because I don't care for it, but there's still a 12 piece set that my husband agrees we don't need but have to keep while his mother is still alive.  Huge chunk of cabinet space...

China.  I have a set of family Wedgewood from the late 1700s, I struggle with it and with other family pieces.  I also have several old books that have been signed by ancestors in the 1800s and early 1900s as well as my father's Hardy Boys books that he signed in the 1950s and I'm assuming used for target practice since there are several bb holes.  Technically it's all clutter, but I can't get rid of any of it.

See, the Wedgewood I might take and very happily (I have a Jasperware collection, which I have thinned a bit).

My mom has 4, yes FOUR, complete sets of china, plus a bunch of partials, etc. We did get her to got through all of it, with the "we're JUST repacking the stuff, the boxes are falling apart for goodness sake" phrase. We managed to go through all of it, get it all packed into boxes of only one pattern per box. And she actually designated some stuff as "sell" boxes, not that they've actually been sold. They're just sitting in the basement with everything else she's marked sell. Some estate sale company is going to have a bunch of work one of these days.

[Shinplaster]

I struggle with china because I don't care for it, but there's still a 12 piece set that my husband agrees we don't need but have to keep while his mother is still alive.  Huge chunk of cabinet space...

What is it with parents and china?  My Mom gave me a set that was her Aunt's decades ago, and is horrified that I want to get rid of it.  It is monogrammed (not our initial) and gold rimmed, so can't go in the dishwasher.  I'm sure it cost my Great Aunt a fortune when she bought it.  But no one wants it now, including us.  We have carted this stuff around through 4 houses, and it is not going with us next time.  So I've been sneaking it out so Mom doesn't notice - first the cups and saucers, then the bread plates, etc.   We are down to the dinner plates and a couple of small bowls now, and those will go after Christmas.

Got Mr. SP to go through a bunch of files, and shredded at least 10 pounds of paper.   Every time I think we've found everything that isn't needed, we find more.   I've also got a box out in the garage just about ready for Goodwill - books, things people have given us over the years that we don't need, etc.  So far I've been sticking to my goal of at least one good size bag or box out of the house each month.   

[Poundwise]

Gave sister in law a book and got hubs’ blessing to donate the five others by the same author. I am planning on gifting them to the giving tree at work but on the instructions at the tree it is requesting new books/toys, not second-hand... the books have each been read once, then on a bookshelf since then. They are clean and undamaged and if I hadn’t read the instructions I would have gladly donated them to the gifting tree without a second thought, but now that I’ve read that instructions sheet I’m conflicted... thoughts? The books are all young adult fiction books by John Green (popular YA author) if that makes any difference.

Given they're in excellent condition, I wouldn't hesitate to give them to the giving tree.

Same. If the covers are flat and shiny, I'd give them to the giving tree.

I've been doing unusually well on the decluttering front. Gave away a lot of winter stuff to collection for refugees, also used up a lot of fleece fabric making scarves for same.  While looking for the fleece in my stash, found a big bag of scraps way too small to be useful... why was I saving them? They're going to textile recycling.

Selected a bunch of children's books that I hate reading out loud  (I'm talking about YOU, Pinkalicious!) to give to the library book sale.  Turned down an offer to return some doll furniture that I once gifted to a friend's daughter before I had my own daughter. Friend's daughter is now grown and wants to sell her kid stuff, but my daughter has plenty of tiny furniture that just ends up all over the carpet and underfoot.

[diapasoun]

Getting rid of some small stuffies and the litter box -- someone in the local Buy Nothing group is taking supplies up to Butte County to help out fire victims. Also gave a small spider plant away to a guest yesterday.

[JanetJackson]

I struggle with china because I don't care for it, but there's still a 12 piece set that my husband agrees we don't need but have to keep while his mother is still alive.  Huge chunk of cabinet space...

What is it with parents and china?  My Mom gave me a set that was her Aunt's decades ago, and is horrified that I want to get rid of it.  It is monogrammed (not our initial) and gold rimmed, so can't go in the dishwasher.  I'm sure it cost my Great Aunt a fortune when she bought it.  But no one wants it now, including us.  We have carted this stuff around through 4 houses, and it is not going with us next time.  So I've been sneaking it out so Mom doesn't notice - first the cups and saucers, then the bread plates, etc.   We are down to the dinner plates and a couple of small bowls now, and those will go after Christmas.

I agree!  Parents just don't understand (Cue DJ Jazzy Jeff and Fresh Prince)….
I haven't thought about it too much, but I KNOW my mom has at least one set of.... maybe not china, but something she considers "her fancy dishes" and used for Thanksgiving, Xmas, etc.  I also KNOW she has a cabinet of tchotchkes (that she apparently now calls Nic Nacs, she was insisting on the phone last night that she's never used the word tchotchkes). 
We were talking a bit about my grandma, who still lives alone and just turned 91 yesterday... and I was asking if she still has cabinets full of junk at her house... my mom kept insisting that one of my aunts helped clean the house out so that it would be more livable... but when I pressed her, she said that "of course" she still has her Nic Nacs in big cabinets with glass doors... as if that's NOT what I was referring to as 'Junk' (it was).
THIMBLES and BELLS.  OH THE THIMBLES AND BELLS.

This makes me nervous that there are more cabinets of junk at my parents house than I realize.  :::Shudder:::
I try not to press them too much about the state of their junk, as I live a thousand+ miles away...  But my dad grew up dirt-floor-poor, and I know he just feels secure stockpiling stuff even though they've been securely lower-middle class for decades (not ideal, but they're secure) and he likely DOES NOT NEED his old mower salvage parts, or two decades worth of his old factory-issued steel toed boots that "have plenty of life left in them". 
OK, FEELING PANICKED, MUST STOP THINKING ABOUT THAT CROWDED HOUSE.

[Sugaree]

I struggle with china because I don't care for it, but there's still a 12 piece set that my husband agrees we don't need but have to keep while his mother is still alive.  Huge chunk of cabinet space...

What is it with parents and china?  My Mom gave me a set that was her Aunt's decades ago, and is horrified that I want to get rid of it.  It is monogrammed (not our initial) and gold rimmed, so can't go in the dishwasher.  I'm sure it cost my Great Aunt a fortune when she bought it.  But no one wants it now, including us.  We have carted this stuff around through 4 houses, and it is not going with us next time.  So I've been sneaking it out so Mom doesn't notice - first the cups and saucers, then the bread plates, etc.   We are down to the dinner plates and a couple of small bowls now, and those will go after Christmas.

I agree!  Parents just don't understand (Cue DJ Jazzy Jeff and Fresh Prince)….
I haven't thought about it too much, but I KNOW my mom has at least one set of.... maybe not china, but something she considers "her fancy dishes" and used for Thanksgiving, Xmas, etc.  I also KNOW she has a cabinet of tchotchkes (that she apparently now calls Nic Nacs, she was insisting on the phone last night that she's never used the word tchotchkes). 
We were talking a bit about my grandma, who still lives alone and just turned 91 yesterday... and I was asking if she still has cabinets full of junk at her house... my mom kept insisting that one of my aunts helped clean the house out so that it would be more livable... but when I pressed her, she said that "of course" she still has her Nic Nacs in big cabinets with glass doors... as if that's NOT what I was referring to as 'Junk' (it was).
THIMBLES and BELLS.  OH THE THIMBLES AND BELLS.

This makes me nervous that there are more cabinets of junk at my parents house than I realize.  :::Shudder:::
I try not to press them too much about the state of their junk, as I live a thousand+ miles away...  But my dad grew up dirt-floor-poor, and I know he just feels secure stockpiling stuff even though they've been securely lower-middle class for decades (not ideal, but they're secure) and he likely DOES NOT NEED his old mower salvage parts, or two decades worth of his old factory-issued steel toed boots that "have plenty of life left in them". 
OK, FEELING PANICKED, MUST STOP THINKING ABOUT THAT CROWDED HOUSE.

I so understand.  FIL grew up, not exactly poor, but his parents worked for different school districts.  They would move somewhere for the school year and when the year was over they would sell everything, including FIL's toys and stuff, and move back to their farm.  Then in the fall the cycle would repeat.  So FIL holds on to EVERYTHING.  Combine that with the fact that MIL and FIL are both only children they inherited everything from both sides.  There are at least 4 storage units full of furniture and other "antiques" that will have to be gone through and disposed of eventually.  I'm pretty sure there are at least 3 pianos including the one in their house.  And several curio cabinets like were popular in the 80s for displaying dolls and shit.  It's going to be a long process and my husband (and to some extent son if I don't nip it in the bud early) shows hoarding tendencies too.  BIL doesn't care about the stuff, so he may end up being my ally when it comes down to that stuff not coming in my house.

[JanetJackson]

I struggle with china because I don't care for it, but there's still a 12 piece set that my husband agrees we don't need but have to keep while his mother is still alive.  Huge chunk of cabinet space...

What is it with parents and china?  My Mom gave me a set that was her Aunt's decades ago, and is horrified that I want to get rid of it.  It is monogrammed (not our initial) and gold rimmed, so can't go in the dishwasher.  I'm sure it cost my Great Aunt a fortune when she bought it.  But no one wants it now, including us.  We have carted this stuff around through 4 houses, and it is not going with us next time.  So I've been sneaking it out so Mom doesn't notice - first the cups and saucers, then the bread plates, etc.   We are down to the dinner plates and a couple of small bowls now, and those will go after Christmas.

I agree!  Parents just don't understand (Cue DJ Jazzy Jeff and Fresh Prince)….
I haven't thought about it too much, but I KNOW my mom has at least one set of.... maybe not china, but something she considers "her fancy dishes" and used for Thanksgiving, Xmas, etc.  I also KNOW she has a cabinet of tchotchkes (that she apparently now calls Nic Nacs, she was insisting on the phone last night that she's never used the word tchotchkes). 
We were talking a bit about my grandma, who still lives alone and just turned 91 yesterday... and I was asking if she still has cabinets full of junk at her house... my mom kept insisting that one of my aunts helped clean the house out so that it would be more livable... but when I pressed her, she said that "of course" she still has her Nic Nacs in big cabinets with glass doors... as if that's NOT what I was referring to as 'Junk' (it was).
THIMBLES and BELLS.  OH THE THIMBLES AND BELLS.

This makes me nervous that there are more cabinets of junk at my parents house than I realize.  :::Shudder:::
I try not to press them too much about the state of their junk, as I live a thousand+ miles away...  But my dad grew up dirt-floor-poor, and I know he just feels secure stockpiling stuff even though they've been securely lower-middle class for decades (not ideal, but they're secure) and he likely DOES NOT NEED his old mower salvage parts, or two decades worth of his old factory-issued steel toed boots that "have plenty of life left in them". 
OK, FEELING PANICKED, MUST STOP THINKING ABOUT THAT CROWDED HOUSE.

And several curio cabinets like were popular in the 80s for displaying dolls and shit.

…. I snort-laughed when I read that!  These are the EXACT thing my parents have in their house.  Displaying who knows what?  I think there's a model airplane in one and like... some bells and a few figurines in the other?  WHYYYYYYYYY.  I'm having vague memories of what's inside those things "displayed" and... a desk clock for like a fancy bosses desk (why), figurines of ladies in bonnets and crap, model cars my dad put together in the 1990's on like one weekend a year when we weren't allowed to bother him, ummm… some childrens crafts, some glasses for whisky or something (no one drinks), um...
I'm getting a headache thinking about it.  Ha.

[Fresh Bread]

I have a glass doored 60s display cabinet that holds books so I don't have to dust them! And my late dog's ashes and collar. There is one nic-nac in there that was a gift to hubby. It's ugly but he likes it so I put it at the bottom :P

When I was shopping for a cabinet the ad would say "contents not included", like you'd really want their collection of tat :)

[NevermindScrooge]

Following for the inspiration.

We moved earlier this year and we got rid of quite a lot of stuff (mainly my books which I sold/donated *blush*)
Now we are settled I want to address the still unopened boxes, which is a bit daunting. I will start small, tomorrow.
I found out that a donation container for clothing is close to my route to work, so I will donate two sweaters I haven’t been wearing for years.

Reading through the posts made me realize that I put too much emotional value on stuff. Just keeping things and not using them is a funny way of ‘appreciating’ I think.

[halftimer]

Loving the progress here! The descriptions about stockpiles of china and curio cabinets, and hoarding tendencies reminds me very vividly of some close family friends. She grew up living in a shack, and feels the need to hold on to everything now as security or because it is 'collectible' and 'worth something' with the idea that they can sell it at an indeterminate future date for cash. He is a recovered alcoholic, many years dry who has turned to making collections and shopping pawn shops as his new addiction. Together they just reinforced those tendencies - it was always a very clean hoard but so overwhelming.  They had rooms with hundreds of shoes, any vintage victorian item you can think of, stamps, coins, and VHS and DVDs by the hundred. We helped him once to make up a list of his movies so that he could find them easier and we found doubles of dozens of them and triplicates of many titles too!   Later, they rented out a room and the boarder secretly started a side business selling their stuff. It took them many months and many emptied storage sheds before they even suspected.

I got rid of another box of unneeded kitchen items this week - margarita glasses, crockpot insert, water filter, plus some clothes.  Then I did a reorganize project to clear up shelves, which will hopefully lead to more items to donate.  I made a floor cushion and added a hidden lapped zipper, then put all my medium sized clean fabric scraps and odds of other fabric projects (and lonely socks) inside to fill it up.  It is an 18" cube and it is more than half full already!  I'm very happy with the extra space I got back on the shelves, and now we have extra seating.  If I ever feel inspired to do mini projects or need a scrap I can rescue what I need - but I hope to just keep filling it to capacity.

[mspym]

I definitely find the more I get rid of, the more I look at what I still keep. I gave away 6 nice handbags and now I am looking at another three "keepers" and wondering if they should go too. AND next week, we go to NZ and my luggage will be a suitcase of manga, that is being rehoused with a friend. I may even be able to leave the suitcase there. Poor bag - I had such plans for being a person with a good travelling suitcase and then I transformed into a Carry-on Luggage person the moment I moved. In its life it's been on one[1] cross-Tasman trip in total and has mostly been used when shifting house.

[dashuk]

Freecycled old dining table and four chairs*. There were another two chairs that had been broken by the kids tipping them over which we'd never got round to fixing. Offered those to the guy when he came to collect in case he wanted to try fixing them. Said "No, but since you're giving us stuff do you want me to dispose of them for you?". Unexpected bonus.

Got electric guitar and amp advertised because I only ever play the acoustic. Just trying to decide whether to accept the first slightly lower offer for a quick sale or let the ad run a bit longer.








* In a truly extravagant upgrade, we've gone from the table and chairs my parents gave us 13 years ago (which were left in a rental property belonging to my grandmother) to a nicer setup which cost us a total of £35 from charity shop (table) and local free-ads (chairs).

[Nancy]

I struggle with china because I don't care for it, but there's still a 12 piece set that my husband agrees we don't need but have to keep while his mother is still alive.  Huge chunk of cabinet space...

What is it with parents and china?  My Mom gave me a set that was her Aunt's decades ago, and is horrified that I want to get rid of it.  It is monogrammed (not our initial) and gold rimmed, so can't go in the dishwasher.  I'm sure it cost my Great Aunt a fortune when she bought it.  But no one wants it now, including us.  We have carted this stuff around through 4 houses, and it is not going with us next time.  So I've been sneaking it out so Mom doesn't notice - first the cups and saucers, then the bread plates, etc.   We are down to the dinner plates and a couple of small bowls now, and those will go after Christmas.

I agree!  Parents just don't understand (Cue DJ Jazzy Jeff and Fresh Prince)….
I haven't thought about it too much, but I KNOW my mom has at least one set of.... maybe not china, but something she considers "her fancy dishes" and used for Thanksgiving, Xmas, etc.  I also KNOW she has a cabinet of tchotchkes (that she apparently now calls Nic Nacs, she was insisting on the phone last night that she's never used the word tchotchkes). 
We were talking a bit about my grandma, who still lives alone and just turned 91 yesterday... and I was asking if she still has cabinets full of junk at her house... my mom kept insisting that one of my aunts helped clean the house out so that it would be more livable... but when I pressed her, she said that "of course" she still has her Nic Nacs in big cabinets with glass doors... as if that's NOT what I was referring to as 'Junk' (it was).
THIMBLES and BELLS.  OH THE THIMBLES AND BELLS.

This makes me nervous that there are more cabinets of junk at my parents house than I realize.  :::Shudder:::
I try not to press them too much about the state of their junk, as I live a thousand+ miles away...  But my dad grew up dirt-floor-poor, and I know he just feels secure stockpiling stuff even though they've been securely lower-middle class for decades (not ideal, but they're secure) and he likely DOES NOT NEED his old mower salvage parts, or two decades worth of his old factory-issued steel toed boots that "have plenty of life left in them". 
OK, FEELING PANICKED, MUST STOP THINKING ABOUT THAT CROWDED HOUSE.

And several curio cabinets like were popular in the 80s for displaying dolls and shit.

…. I snort-laughed when I read that!  These are the EXACT thing my parents have in their house.  Displaying who knows what?  I think there's a model airplane in one and like... some bells and a few figurines in the other?  WHYYYYYYYYY.  I'm having vague memories of what's inside those things "displayed" and... a desk clock for like a fancy bosses desk (why), figurines of ladies in bonnets and crap, model cars my dad put together in the 1990's on like one weekend a year when we weren't allowed to bother him, ummm… some childrens crafts, some glasses for whisky or something (no one drinks), um...
I'm getting a headache thinking about it.  Ha.

Those curio cabinets are like the precursor to Instagram/Facebook, where people would collect images or objects of their lives to present a narrative to themselves (and their guests) about themselves over time. It's interesting that people do that virtually now. Humans are silly.

Anyway, I laughed when I read your post. My husband and I jokingly refer to all of our possessions as our precious golden trinkets.

[Frugal Lizard]

Yesterday I gave 8 crystal liquor glasses that I have had for 18 years and never once drank a liquor from, to the church treasures sale.  Also leaving the house were a number of pots and old Christmas decorations.  Man it felt good.  And they will be used in the big fundraiser.

My gramma went through a phase of making dolls.  She would make clothing for them out of her wedding dress or other important clothing.  The fabric from the suits or dresses that she had made over the years was too good for turning into a quilt or a rug.  One doll for each of her grandchildren in the  wedding dress she made herself.   I have been able to store my doll at my parents house.  She lives in the glass case on the curio cabinet in the living room with the three other dolls , for each of my brothers anď my dad.

[Roadrunner53]

Okay, here is a curio cabinet story...years ago the hub and I went to Florida on vacay. We went to some shop that sold these pretty bird figurines. They are fairly large. So I get carried away and buy about 4 of these birds. They came in fairly large boxes with Styrofoam to protect them. Well, not only do we have these birds, we bought other stuff. We now realize we have no way to get these treasures home because we have no room in our suitcases. So, while we were shopping, we find this place that is selling giant roller suitcases for like $19.99 so we bought two. Now we get all this junk back to the hotel and no way we can maneuver 4 suitcases on wheels and carry bags. So we put one of our smaller suitcases into the gigantic suitcase with some of the junk we bought. We still had 3 rolly bags and one was super heavy in a cheap suitcase so it rolled like crap! Well, somehow we made it to the airport and home. Now, I have these birds and no where to put them. I have no shelves and no room to put shelves in. OMG! So, I went to Bob's furniture store (nightmare furniture store) and bought a narrow cheap curio cabinet that fit all the birds. I also had a few other random smaller birds I was able to put in the cabinet. Now, occasionally I have to dust these dumb birds. Why oh why did I buy all the birds, that led to the suitcases that led to the curio cabinet that now leads me to dust them! These birds are not collector stuff and are not worth anything but are pretty.

[I'm a red panda]

When I was a kid my Mom took me to the house of someone I now recognize as a hoarder who was a doll lady. She must have had thousands. But she had a collection of 20 she changed daily based on the weather.

I was determined to do the same with my American Girl dolls, but seasonally.

Well shit, that takes a lot of time!

So my dolls get changed yearly. And I have 13 of them (down from a high of 15).  But Toy Story emotionally scarred me, so I don't know how to get rid of any of them.  I think I should have 5. That would be more reasonable...

My daughter will get a few when she's old enough to play with them. But mostly it's an oversized collection...


But curio cabinets were the stuff of my dreams when I was a kid.  I just threw out the 11 pewter figurines I got for selling girl scout cookies (I have a traumatic story about why I don't have 12...)  I LOVE a collection, but now as an adult, I only collect postcards.

[Mongoose]

I think that, maybe, today is the day that the boxes of donations we filled several months ago will be able to leave the house and actually make it to the donation center. They have been sitting silently in the basement waiting for a day when I had room in the car and some extra time. I'm unreasonably excited about their immanent departure.

This weekend, DH has a whole day free. He is planning on maybe cleaning out the piled junk in said basement. More stuff may be unearthed that can leave. I think we still have too much snow to remove the leaves from the dog's yard so an inside job would be just the ticket.

[Yasha]

Any time I think I’m ‘done’ with decluttering I watch someone doing the minimalism game on YouTube and always find a few more things. I tend not to play the game properly: one thing on the first day, two on the second etc, but instead I write the numbers 1-30 and then go in little bursts to see what numbers I can cross off. Last night it was 1, 2, 3, 20. I purged some old makeup, an adjustable rod for hanging things that was super wobbly and no longer needed since I built shelves for our entry hall, a skipping rope still in its packet (to the giving tree), a little bag (coin purse maybe?) that looks like a tiny backpack that I have never used, some Fitbit ‘acessories’ a different sized band etc, and a foam roller that was too firm. All packed up into the donation bag except the skipping rope which went into my work bag to drop at the tree.

[Nederstash]

The way we all list out the specific items we ditch reads like death notices for things. Don't get me wrong; I love this thread. It just struck me as funny and deliciously weird.

Old pillows, sodastream, and computer backpack are added to the donation pile.

Lol, it does seem like an obituary for stuff, doesn't it?

[mustachepungoeshere]

Listed nine things on eBay. If everything sells I'll end up with $185 back in my pocket.

I topped up my shampoo, etc, so I can throw out the empty refills.

And I started writing Christmas cards so I can get them out of my house. This is the first year I didn't buy cards in the post-Christmas sales. I had about dozen left over from Christmas 2015, a dozen from Christmas 2016 and a dozen from Christmas 2017, so I'm using up those first.

I'm undecided if I will buy cards in January as I hate to be contributing to landfill. But for now I still have seven grandparents (it's a long story), two of whom are in care, and the cards mean a lot to them.

[HappierAtHome]

Doing a huge wardrobe clearout, plus a heap of baby things. One big surprise is EIGHT great quality bras in a size I haven't been for years - probably the only time in my life I've owned eight bras in one size?! Such luxury. Luckily a friend thinks they'll fit her so they're going to a good home.

They all fit her! Yay! Friend is happy, I'm happy, everybody wins.

[Nancy]

@Roadrunner53 I thoroughly enjoyed your bird/cabinet story. It sounds like a Dr. Seusian tale against buying souvenirs (to me anyway).

Today, I decluttered the notebooks. I tore out all of my writings and put them in a folder, then I either donated or recycled the notebooks. When I Kondoed a few years ago, I just recycled all of my writings, but I think I'll keep these for a future me to look over and say, why did I keep these? I also got rid of a bunch of what I consider school supplies because I still have the mindset of a 12 year old, but I think adult people might call them stationery supplies. (Also looked into the etymology of the word stationery because that seemed like a good use of time).

[Poundwise]

Today I want to start the process of purging my cloth diapering supplies.  This is hard for me because I paid good money for them. But doing so would clear a cubic yard or so, and I have no intention of using them.
- solid metal snap setter and dies, think they cost me $150 or so
- several thousand new plastic snaps, many colors
- a few yards of hemp sherpa, PUL, foldover elastic, and performance wicking fabric for liners

Will take photos, then post on Craigslist to see if I can make a local sale. If they don't move, need to consider my options. The cost of shipping these materials, especially the heavy snap setter, would easily double their price.

[Bracken_Joy]

The final trips of STUFF are today and yesterday. MOST was yesterday. Including my dreaded memory boxes. Dreaded just because I have nowhere to store them, and I really don't have the emotional energy to go through them. Included are some paper things, like old letters, but also stuffed animals from when I was a child, a feather from my show roo I loved when I was a kid, that sort of stuff. No idea how I'll manage to get through everything.

Got the go ahead on getting rid of 1 of 2 dressers I had gotten from my mom. The other fits, and she okay'd me selling this one. Also yesterday was able to fit in the sale of a vacuum (we had 2, this was my old one) for $75. So far I've been able to sell $160 worth of stuff during this move with pretty minimal effort.

At least now that the final pieces are up here, I can finalize decor stuff. Know what I'll be using and not. I also have a growing stash of "stuff to give back to family". Up next: neon colored fiesta ware serving plate and gravy boat MIL inexplicably showed up with one day after we bought the house. No room now, so back they go at thanksgiving! Now I need to decide if it's more rude to show up with a large dish at someone else's thanksgiving, or show up with an empty serving platter!

[Poundwise]

Up next: neon colored fiesta ware serving plate and gravy boat MIL inexplicably showed up with one day after we bought the house. No room now, so back they go at thanksgiving! Now I need to decide if it's more rude to show up with a large dish at someone else's thanksgiving, or show up with an empty serving platter!

Could you put food in the big serving plate, and send it home with somebody when they take leftovers home? 

As for sentimental stuff from your childhood, how about taking a few photos before you get rid of them?

[Bracken_Joy]

Up next: neon colored fiesta ware serving plate and gravy boat MIL inexplicably showed up with one day after we bought the house. No room now, so back they go at thanksgiving! Now I need to decide if it's more rude to show up with a large dish at someone else's thanksgiving, or show up with an empty serving platter!

Could you put food in the big serving plate, and send it home with somebody when they take leftovers home? 

As for sentimental stuff from your childhood, how about taking a few photos before you get rid of them?

No, I need to give it to MIL. I can't very well pass a family 'heirloom' onto another person without her permission. Also, it's a giant serving platter, like what you put the turkey on, and weighs about 14lbs, lol.

And I don't *want* to get rid of any of that stuff. That was my point! Photos don't replace the tangible experience of seeing the indents from your hands as a child. And at this point, I'm still not giving up the idea I might have children of my own. So my plan is to try and get rid of enough other stuff that I might be able to make room.

[JanetJackson]

I am still really really into this thread!

I think I'm down to close to my bare-bones materialism besides the old family photos.  I might be able to find a thing her and there to give away or sell, but right now I think I am tapped out.

This means the rest of my clean up energy needs to go to my 'Big List', which is... probably about 50% complete?


To be clear, my home is not without fluff, it's just down the essential fluff.  Right now I am staring at this beautiful hand made machete and leather decorate machete sash.  It hangs from the wall like art.
This machete was one of the items left in the first house that I purchased by the prior owners.  Everything else they left I threw out/gave away, but for whatever reason this thing made me smile and seemed like such a whimsical thing to keep.  Now that I've sold that house I keep it as a reminder of that proud amazing moment when I walked into the HOME THAT I HAD JUST PURCHASED and how warm my heart felt... and how I looked over and saw a machete sitting in the kitchen, laughed, and just never got rid of the dang thing.  HA.

[Poundwise]

Up next: neon colored fiesta ware serving plate and gravy boat MIL inexplicably showed up with one day after we bought the house. No room now, so back they go at thanksgiving! Now I need to decide if it's more rude to show up with a large dish at someone else's thanksgiving, or show up with an empty serving platter!

Could you put food in the big serving plate, and send it home with somebody when they take leftovers home? 

As for sentimental stuff from your childhood, how about taking a few photos before you get rid of them?

No, I need to give it to MIL. I can't very well pass a family 'heirloom' onto another person without her permission. Also, it's a giant serving platter, like what you put the turkey on, and weighs about 14lbs, lol.

And I don't *want* to get rid of any of that stuff. That was my point! Photos don't replace the tangible experience of seeing the indents from your hands as a child. And at this point, I'm still not giving up the idea I might have children of my own. So my plan is to try and get rid of enough other stuff that I might be able to make room.

ah bummer!  I see what you mean. How about just quietly disappearing it, and when she asks where it is, say it's "in storage"?

Oh, I see what you mean about your childhood stuff.  Yes, this is what storage space is for. I'm getting rid of a lot of stuff that doesn't matter to me, so I can save a few of the clothes worn by my dad who died.

[Serendip]

The way we all list out the specific items we ditch reads like death notices for things. Don't get me wrong; I love this thread. It just struck me as funny and deliciously weird.

Old pillows, sodastream, and computer backpack are added to the donation pile.

Lol, it does seem like an obituary for stuff, doesn't it?

I love this observation (and also like that we give these things one last nod before removing them from our lives)

[dashuk]

OH just freecycled her wedding dress. Listed it for fabric as the actual outer dress had a lot of marks (oh, and a small tear from over-enthusiastic playing of lawn darts during the reception). It never got cleaned after the wedding and a decade of storage didn't do it any favours, but there was a train that never got used, plus all the lining material, etc.  So far, so dull.

But then the woman that came to pick it up said that she wanted the fabric because she used to be in a pop band, they were going on a reunion tour to the Netherlands, and so she was trying to sort out costumes. Way better story than just going into someone's craft stash.

[mspym]

Yesterday was lovely things I never wear : the gorgeous chestnut Kickers, my eelskin cowboy boots, my fluevog heels. They all hurt my feet in some way but have previously escaped the purging because they are souvenirs of Paris, Melbourne and Chicago trips with Ofpym.

Goodbye boots, I hope someone find you and loves you.

[Fresh Bread]

We had people over last night. The time spent tidying the living areas, bathroom & kitchen was minimal and it was easy to clean because.. no clutter! High five!

There's still the spare bedroom and study that are too full but I think I'll just shut the door and make peace with those. In 2019 we are building a double garage which will house stuff like skis, bikes, tools, heaters & fans that currently live in these rooms. It's not really possible to arrange stuff that just shouldn't be there in a pleasing way!

[MrsTuxedocat]

Today is a great day for clearing clutter!

- I sold half my stash of newborn cloth diapers for $80. I only paid $100, so pretty darn good investment.
- I took my free second hand microwave that I myself had for 8 years to the recycling drop it centre.
- Also returned months worth of wine and beer bottles. I don't drink often, so I wait until I get a couple of bucks.