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

[horsepoor]

Gave away a roll of wire mesh to one of the stable workers today.  Yesterday I was loading manure and he asked about growing a vegetable garden, but needed something to keep his dogs out of it.

Used up a bunch of scrap wood building a small tool shed and 3 new raised beds.  The mess of scraps behind the shed is gone, and the whole area has been cleaned out.

Finally got DH to relinquish his nasty old pillow, and it went out with the trash yesterday.

Sending a saddle off on trial to someone.  Hopefully it will work and she'll buy it and it won't come back.

[oneday]

Paper score:
7 pm - 27 papers in the pile, 8 partially used notebooks
10pm - 19 papers in the plie, 8 notebooks.

Off to a good start!

18 papers in the plie, 8 notebooks.

Plus I organized papers for the class I'm taking.  I have learned that each week's handouts are already in the binder the passed out at the beginning of class & require us to bring each week.  I will not accept any more duplicate handouts! And I have a system for non-duplicate handouts now.

And...I don't know why this wasn't in yesterday's paper count, but I had a clutch of papers to scan, designated as such several months ago when I was first working on paper.  I scanned a few, but several of them didn't need that much work (@joonifloofeefloo I thought of what you said about not needing proof).  Instead, I started a new spreadsheet called Personal History & transcribed the events from those pages.  Then recycle.  So even though the paper score only went down by 1, I really worked a lot more than that.  Hmm...just now realizing one page can get tacked up on my corkboard.

Final paper score for today:
17 papers in the plie, 8 notebooks.

[joonifloofeefloo]

...(@joonifloofeefloo I thought of what you said about not needing proof).  Instead, I started a new spreadsheet called Personal History & transcribed the events from those pages.

Brilliant!!!

[mustachepungoeshere]

It does leave me with an interesting problem. In addition to the useless coins, I found we had a lot more euros in cash than I thought from a previous trip. We aren’t planning to go back for years, if ever. I don’t know anyone else planning to go either. But i’ve got about 100€, including about 25€ in 1 or 2 € coins. I think there’s a couple of places I might be able to sell the paper money for dollars (minus a fee, of course) but none of them take coins. It’s real, spendable money. Just not here. It’s more money than I’d like to waste but I can’t figure out what to do with it. Any ideas for decluttering money?

They are taken for charity here in the UK, maybe there's something similar where you are?  These people do apparently take coins by international post -
https://www.leftovercurrency.com/charity/

In Australia you can donate them to UNICEF through a bank: https://www.commbank.com.au/latest/coins-for-kids.html

[mustachepungoeshere]

We're having a Christmas charity drive at work and they're asking for donations of toiletries.

I bought a couple of items to donate and also raided my airline toiletry stash to donate unopened bottles of mouthwash, tubes of lip balm, etc.

Have to visit a shopping centre tomorrow to pick something up after having it repaired, so I'll take three old pairs of glasses and prescription sunnies to donate to the Lions Club through my optom.

I'm back to tallying everything that gets sold, donated or tossed: more than 60 items this week.

[Sloeginfizz]

I liked the idea of donating the cash to charity. A little google searching and I found a decent and convenient charity that would take foreign coins. The cash as well as the coins are already mailed off this morning. Nearly three bucks in postage because the coins were so heavy but at least someone should be getting value out of this cash.

Also today:

I’ve been recovering from surgery. I received multiple floral arrangements. I finally threw out the fading flowers (no composting available to me, sadly) and have gotten rid of the vases. The high rise I live in has a “take junk, leave junk” table in the trash room, so they went there. One of the arrangements came with not one, but two stuffed bears. Since they were new with tags, I took them to a toy donation bin I saw at the library.

I got rid of the crock pot. We rarely used it and I realized that our instant pot has a setting that does pretty much the same thing, but in a smaller size, which is good. The crock pot was really too big for two people. If I decide I want a crock pot again, I can probably get another at the goodwill at any time.

I found a gold ring I didn’t even remember I still had. It was broken and honestly, not at all the sort of thing I wear. The guy at the jewelry counter still gave me $50 for it, which was more than I expected.

I also got rid of a pair of sandals that I really wanted to like. They were a half size too big or something, because they always rubbed up and down and shredded the back of my heels. Even putting in a set of those heel pad things didn’t help.

Also, a handful of books I finished went back to Open Books.

https://www.open-books.org/stores/open-books-west-loop/

[joonifloofeefloo]

Way to go, Sloeginfizz!! You're a pro :)

[MaybeBabyMustache]

Need to get back into this thread! So far:
-Gave another child a pair of snorkel fins (in Hawaii), while we were there. They were from a set we've had for 6+ years, but my son had outgrown them
-Posted a couple of toys that have never been used on eBay

[horsepoor]

I got rid of the crock pot. We rarely used it and I realized that our instant pot has a setting that does pretty much the same thing, but in a smaller size, which is good. The crock pot was really too big for two people. If I decide I want a crock pot again, I can probably get another at the goodwill at any time.
https://www.open-books.org/stores/open-books-west-loop/

I keep thinking about doing the same thing.  But the CrockPot is stored out of the way so I wouldn't really put anything else where it lives.  The only thing it does better than an InstantPot is cook down tomatoes for sauce, but it seems dumb to keep it around just for that 1x a year occurrence.

[MaybeBabyMustache]

Couldn't sleep this morning, so have been up since 3:45! But, trying to be productive.

So far, I've listed 3 items on eBay, including my old (too small) ski pants. Tried on my new ski pants, verified they fit, and added them straight to the ski bag.

I'm mostly doing kitchen/cooking prep today, but will also try to work on my decluttering a bit.

[Nancy]

Decluttered three cooking pans.

[Bracken_Joy]

Sold the weedwacker for $40. Circular saw, two crockpots, and a large dresser are all still listed. I've dropped the dresser price a ton, and gotten some interest but it hasn't panned out (someone didn't read the dimensions, someone wanted to see if it would be safe for someone to hold onto as they walk around (?! NO. Cure nurse heart attack! May have lost the sale, but hopefully provided some valuable education....) etc). Might drop it to $20 and just get it gone.

The donation boxes continue to grow as well. We're starting to get to the point where all areas of the apartment are fully functional, although the office could still use some work.

[oneday]

Final paper score for today:
17 papers in the plie, 8 notebooks.

Final paper score for today:
3 papers in the plie, 8 notebooks.

Funniest was one scrap that said "decide on dates to visit Mom on Thanksgiving weekend."  I've counted that paper several time over the last week, but didn't read it till today.  Had I read it sooner, I would have been able to toss it sooner, as those dates were decided weeks ago! lol

[I'm a red panda]

Cleaned out the pen/stamp drawer. I have to do this every 6 months as stuff in it seems to breed.

Got rid of 15 pens, 3 used gift cards and a bunch of paper.

[Raenia]

Two steps forward, one step back.  Came back from my mom's for a belated Thanksgiving with a huge bag of stuff from her.  Not part of the plan!  Some of it will be an easy swap, one in one out, but some I'll have to put some thought into.

[Bracken_Joy]

Put up christmas lights (around a pillar in our apartment) and went through the seven bins of christmas stuff we have. SIX can go back to my parents, now that they'll be hosting christmas again since we sold our house. Also, two cardboard boxes worth of decor will go down as well. We need to store it for a month until we drive there for christmas, but well worth it. We'll also be taking down some extra area rugs we won't be using.

[I'm a red panda]

Listed 71 baby clothes for sale.
They will go to Goodwill in 2 weeks

[oneday]

Two steps forward, one step back.  Came back from my mom's for a belated Thanksgiving with a huge bag of stuff from her.  Not part of the plan!  Some of it will be an easy swap, one in one out, but some I'll have to put some thought into.

Hope the thinking things don't give you too much trouble.

You reminded me that Mom gave me a pair of her old jeans that she shrunk out of.  I'll shrink into them in a week or two.  Used one-in-one out to feel comfortable moving a different pair of too-big pants into the donate box.  Almost feel silly for keeping the other pair of too-big pants, but the amount of clothes I have keeps shrinking, and I have a good belt...

[Linea_Norway]

DH gave away a couple of book he had won to people who really appreciated it.

[diapasoun]

In the spirit of "more out than in," I'm looking for some things to get rid of. I got a pair of backpacks (for use as go bags), a new ledger, and some kapok filling for craft supplies, and I need to figure out what to get rid of so that I'm not piling endless possessions in my room. I decided to add three books to the bye-bye pile. One is already out (given to a friend); I just e-mailed my old academic department to see if they'd be interested in the other two. I'm now trying to figure out a good fourth thing -- maybe another book? Or some comics....

[Shinplaster]

Got Mr. SP to clean out the floor of his closet and his desk drawers today.  Found lots of old papers and magazines that will get recycled.  By the end of the day we had 3 boxes worth of decent things to donate, plus some things to trash. He hasn't gone through his clothes yet, but it's already looking so much neater.

[Goldielocks]

I spent yesterday afternoon decluttering the spare room.

Start -- a spare room, currently unusable, filled with DD's (she is 18) items removed from her closet when we emptied it for a repair, and replaced the "immediately needed" things.

Last week -- DD saying that she hadn't thought at all about any of the things in the spare room, (it have been over 2 months), and did not need any of it, and could get rid of it, but it was such a chore.   She wanted BF to stay over, but we did not have any bed for him to do so, and I suggested tackling the spare room (which has a clean set of sheets on the bed, ready to go, otherwise).

I asked if she wanted me to do it for her, she said yes.

Sunday -- I spent 3-4 hours sorting items, emptying binders, keeping a few keepsakes and photos into one tin, and tossing most, getting rid of garbage, Christmas presents that were opened and never used (I am keeping a few brand new things to donate to the hamper charity), I went through shoes, two bags of clothing, several "jewelry" boxes, etc.

Sunday night -- Garbage put into the bins, two large boxes for donations, moved one very large box of (mainly good winter clothing that is in excellent condition that I think she should keep if it fits... she did not move back her winter clothing to her room yet) and an area rug back to her room, AND... one box of items for me to use / give away myself (office supplies, new presents to give away).

NOW -- the bedroom is available for guest use, bed is free, floor is clear, and you can even see most of the floor in the closet.

Sunday night - Part two -- "What are all these boxes at the front door?  WAH! I had a lot of momentos that I wanted to keep!  I wanted to go through everything myself, I just did not feel like it in the past two months!  I have a friend that may want my plastic but functional gramaphone - don't give it away...!"

Sunday night - Part three -- "What!?  you opened the clothing bags that I had already decided to donate?  some of it is back in my room!  I did a lot of work to sort that stuff out, and now I need to do it again"...    (Queue Monday morning and she is wearing a nice warm cashmere sweater from that box.)

Sheesh.
I think I had better borrow the car and get these things out of here!.  I only added a large box of clothing that I had been collecting myself, but have not decluttered anything of mine yet, either.   This is takes a very long time.

[mspym]

Yeah, that's the situation where you needed to get the stuff out of the house immediately before the takebacks start.

[Sugaree]

Yeah, that's the situation where you needed to get the stuff out of the house immediately before the takebacks start.

What she said.  When I was packing stuff up to go in the pod while the house was being fixed, I would have to take bags to my parents' trash can because my husband would go through them and pull stuff out.  It's maddening.

[horsepoor]

I posted a bunch of blankets to Facebook sales pages from a horse I got rid of over the summer.  This thread motivated me to go cross post them to Craigslist as I haven't had any bites.  There is a chance my new horse will grow into them, but they're big and bulky, and I'd rather have cash in my pocket.

[joonifloofeefloo]

When I was packing stuff up to go in the pod while the house was being fixed, I would have to take bags to my parents' trash can because my husband would go through them and pull stuff out.  It's maddening.

A boyfriend used to go out to the trash, dig through, and take out what I'd put in. (Only my own, personal stuff, ditched to maintain my health, e.g. when others would give me a pile of junk food.) The conversations after those moments were revealing, and helped signal the beginning of the end.

[JanetJackson]

I posted a bunch of blankets to Facebook sales pages from a horse I got rid of over the summer.  This thread motivated me to go cross post them to Craigslist as I haven't had any bites.  There is a chance my new horse will grow into them, but they're big and bulky, and I'd rather have cash in my pocket.

the shelter I got my dog from uses horse blankets when they do outreach and for cold kennel pups.  In the city I used to live in there was a horse rescue that accepted them. 
Worst case, if you can't get any money for them, there's definitely a need for them to be donated somewhere.

[DS]

When I was packing stuff up to go in the pod while the house was being fixed, I would have to take bags to my parents' trash can because my husband would go through them and pull stuff out.  It's maddening.

A boyfriend used to go out to the trash, dig through, and take out what I'd put in. (Only my own, personal stuff, ditched to maintain my health, e.g. when others would give me a pile of junk food.) The conversations after those moments were revealing, and helped signal the beginning of the end.

He was taking food out?

[joonifloofeefloo]

Yes. He dumpster-dived food (and anything else) regularly. But I felt I should be able to throw out my own kryptonite and have it stay gone from my home. He disagreed.

[mspym]

Well this morning's flooding will be spurring on the storage room clean-out that we should have done months ago.

[Bracken_Joy]

Well this morning's flooding will be spurring on the storage room clean-out that we should have done months ago.

Oh nooo! Hope there isn't too much damage/hassle to deal with.

I got the dresser sold! Only getting $30 for it, but I was about to donate it, so that's $30 more than I would have gotten. (Glossing over the small stab in the heart that it's being bought by a pregnant woman to go in the baby's room, which is why I had been holding onto it. Talk about a heavy handed metaphor for letting go of my dreams, life. Jesus). Anyway, she'll pick it up Friday so that her boyfriend and I can load it since she can't lift right now.

I shuffled the last bits of decor that are in flux (do I store? Do I ditch? Do I put them out once holiday decor is stashed? Etc) into the office, so now there is only the dresser and donation items in the den. Wooo! The end is in sight for everything having a home. Still some to do on the office, for sure, but I might need to get additional storage in there. Need to figure that out, I really don't have a 'home management' area right now where I deal with all our papers and so on. Mainly though, now it's just about getting it done.

Still waiting to sell:
2 crock pots
circular saw
table top mirror

I'll give those a couple more weeks, then move on to donating. May donate the saw to the local tool library if they want it.

[Roadrunner53]

Well this morning's flooding will be spurring on the storage room clean-out that we should have done months ago.

Oh nooo! Hope there isn't too much damage/hassle to deal with.

I got the dresser sold! Only getting $30 for it, but I was about to donate it, so that's $30 more than I would have gotten. (Glossing over the small stab in the heart that it's being bought by a pregnant woman to go in the baby's room, which is why I had been holding onto it. Talk about a heavy handed metaphor for letting go of my dreams, life. Jesus). Anyway, she'll pick it up Friday so that her boyfriend and I can load it since she can't lift right now.

I shuffled the last bits of decor that are in flux (do I store? Do I ditch? Do I put them out once holiday decor is stashed? Etc) into the office, so now there is only the dresser and donation items in the den. Wooo! The end is in sight for everything having a home. Still some to do on the office, for sure, but I might need to get additional storage in there. Need to figure that out, I really don't have a 'home management' area right now where I deal with all our papers and so on. Mainly though, now it's just about getting it done.

Still waiting to sell:
2 crock pots
circular saw
table top mirror

I'll give those a couple more weeks, then move on to donating. May donate the saw to the local tool library if they want it.

Why don't you dig out some stuff you don't need and give to the pregnant lady. Seems she could use stuff.

[Bracken_Joy]

Well this morning's flooding will be spurring on the storage room clean-out that we should have done months ago.

Oh nooo! Hope there isn't too much damage/hassle to deal with.

I got the dresser sold! Only getting $30 for it, but I was about to donate it, so that's $30 more than I would have gotten. (Glossing over the small stab in the heart that it's being bought by a pregnant woman to go in the baby's room, which is why I had been holding onto it. Talk about a heavy handed metaphor for letting go of my dreams, life. Jesus). Anyway, she'll pick it up Friday so that her boyfriend and I can load it since she can't lift right now.

I shuffled the last bits of decor that are in flux (do I store? Do I ditch? Do I put them out once holiday decor is stashed? Etc) into the office, so now there is only the dresser and donation items in the den. Wooo! The end is in sight for everything having a home. Still some to do on the office, for sure, but I might need to get additional storage in there. Need to figure that out, I really don't have a 'home management' area right now where I deal with all our papers and so on. Mainly though, now it's just about getting it done.

Still waiting to sell:
2 crock pots
circular saw
table top mirror

I'll give those a couple more weeks, then move on to donating. May donate the saw to the local tool library if they want it.

Why don't you dig out some stuff you don't need and give to the pregnant lady. Seems she could use stuff.

Well, for one I already gave it away. For two, that would be unbelievably awkward. "Oh hey do you want all these baby clothes" "Oh, do you have kids?" *looking around trendy urban apartment* "Nope! Infertile and had a miscarriage and I'm slowly dying inside being around your belly for even a second more. Here you go, good luck, ta!"

[former player]

Two small rugs and a bag of books gone to the charity shop today.  There's a few too many papers in the study still, and the spare bedroom needs a good sort-out but otherwise I think I'm down to the right amount of stuff properly stored in ways that look good and function well.

[joonifloofeefloo]

(Glossing over the small stab in the heart that it's being bought by a pregnant woman to go in the baby's room, which is why I had been holding onto it. Talk about a heavy handed metaphor for letting go of my dreams, life. Jesus).

:(   :(    :(

[mspym]

(Glossing over the small stab in the heart that it's being bought by a pregnant woman to go in the baby's room, which is why I had been holding onto it. Talk about a heavy handed metaphor for letting go of my dreams, life. Jesus).

:(   :(    :(

:(   :(    :( is right

[I'm a red panda]

Well, for one I already gave it away. For two, that would be unbelievably awkward. "Oh hey do you want all these baby clothes" "Oh, do you have kids?" *looking around trendy urban apartment* "Nope! Infertile and had a miscarriage and I'm slowly dying inside being around your belly for even a second more. Here you go, good luck, ta!"

It's really really hard to get rid of baby stuff.  I can't fathom how you are feeling, because I had one come along; but after my loss, we shut the door to the baby's room and didn't open it for over a year, and even then we didn't get rid of most of it.  His stuff wasn't clutter.

Don't feel you have to get rid of anything until you are ready.

[Bracken_Joy]

Well, for one I already gave it away. For two, that would be unbelievably awkward. "Oh hey do you want all these baby clothes" "Oh, do you have kids?" *looking around trendy urban apartment* "Nope! Infertile and had a miscarriage and I'm slowly dying inside being around your belly for even a second more. Here you go, good luck, ta!"

It's really really hard to get rid of baby stuff.  I can't fathom how you are feeling, because I had one come along; but after my loss, we shut the door to the baby's room and didn't open it for over a year, and even then we didn't get rid of most of it.  His stuff wasn't clutter.

Don't feel you have to get rid of anything until you are ready.

Ah, I *do* have to get rid of stuff though. We moved from a 1900 sq ft house with a large (400 sq ft) garage and a little attic space, to a 1300 sq ft apartment with an open floor plan. The dresser is *literally* sitting in the middle of a room. I think ultimately it would bring me a lot more pain to have the visual reminder all the time, so this is like "pulling bandaid off" status right now. I just want to get it done. I'm also considering, the items I *am* keeping, taking to my parents house in (other state) when we drive there for Christmas. I still have cloth diaper I was gifted, and a large painting my mom handed down to me of a baby wrapped in a quilt I'd always wanted to put in a nursery. If the third round of IVF actually works, I can always go get stuff back, you know?

[I'm a red panda]

Well, for one I already gave it away. For two, that would be unbelievably awkward. "Oh hey do you want all these baby clothes" "Oh, do you have kids?" *looking around trendy urban apartment* "Nope! Infertile and had a miscarriage and I'm slowly dying inside being around your belly for even a second more. Here you go, good luck, ta!"

It's really really hard to get rid of baby stuff.  I can't fathom how you are feeling, because I had one come along; but after my loss, we shut the door to the baby's room and didn't open it for over a year, and even then we didn't get rid of most of it.  His stuff wasn't clutter.

Don't feel you have to get rid of anything until you are ready.

Ah, I *do* have to get rid of stuff though. We moved from a 1900 sq ft house with a large (400 sq ft) garage and a little attic space, to a 1300 sq ft apartment with an open floor plan. The dresser is *literally* sitting in the middle of a room. I think ultimately it would bring me a lot more pain to have the visual reminder all the time, so this is like "pulling bandaid off" status right now. I just want to get it done. I'm also considering, the items I *am* keeping, taking to my parents house in (other state) when we drive there for Christmas. I still have cloth diaper I was gifted, and a large painting my mom handed down to me of a baby wrapped in a quilt I'd always wanted to put in a nursery. If the third round of IVF actually works, I can always go get stuff back, you know?

Do you have someone who can come remove it for you?  That way YOU don't have to empty it all out.

[Bracken_Joy]

Well, for one I already gave it away. For two, that would be unbelievably awkward. "Oh hey do you want all these baby clothes" "Oh, do you have kids?" *looking around trendy urban apartment* "Nope! Infertile and had a miscarriage and I'm slowly dying inside being around your belly for even a second more. Here you go, good luck, ta!"

It's really really hard to get rid of baby stuff.  I can't fathom how you are feeling, because I had one come along; but after my loss, we shut the door to the baby's room and didn't open it for over a year, and even then we didn't get rid of most of it.  His stuff wasn't clutter.

Don't feel you have to get rid of anything until you are ready.

Ah, I *do* have to get rid of stuff though. We moved from a 1900 sq ft house with a large (400 sq ft) garage and a little attic space, to a 1300 sq ft apartment with an open floor plan. The dresser is *literally* sitting in the middle of a room. I think ultimately it would bring me a lot more pain to have the visual reminder all the time, so this is like "pulling bandaid off" status right now. I just want to get it done. I'm also considering, the items I *am* keeping, taking to my parents house in (other state) when we drive there for Christmas. I still have cloth diaper I was gifted, and a large painting my mom handed down to me of a baby wrapped in a quilt I'd always wanted to put in a nursery. If the third round of IVF actually works, I can always go get stuff back, you know?

Do you have someone who can come remove it for you?  That way YOU don't have to empty it all out.

I appreciate the concern. Luckily I already did all the emptying. Hopefully, my husband will be home Friday so he can do the loading. If not it's on me, but at least it'll be done. Honestly, the stroller and high chair were worse. At this point, I'll just be glad to be able to access my laundry closet easily <3 It might help that I have an appointment tomorrow, too, to restart treatment. So I'm hoping meeting the new doctor will make me feel more optimistic again. We'll see I guess!

[Nancy]

I finally brought the bags o' stuff to Goodwill. My husband asked me what was in them, and I couldn't remember. That's how out of my life the stuff already was. I told him I could check the public record (this forum!), but he didn't care and was happy it was going. It helps that I don't declutter any of his stuff and check with him before getting rid of any of our joint items. Onward!

[Nederstash]

(Glossing over the small stab in the heart that it's being bought by a pregnant woman to go in the baby's room, which is why I had been holding onto it. Talk about a heavy handed metaphor for letting go of my dreams, life. Jesus).

Jesus @Bracken_Joy I'm so sad for you. I'm crossing all my limbs that the next try succeeds. Good luck with everything.

[Bracken_Joy]

(Glossing over the small stab in the heart that it's being bought by a pregnant woman to go in the baby's room, which is why I had been holding onto it. Talk about a heavy handed metaphor for letting go of my dreams, life. Jesus).

Jesus @Bracken_Joy I'm so sad for you. I'm crossing all my limbs that the next try succeeds. Good luck with everything.

Aww thank you =)

Sorry for bringing the tone of the thread down a bit. I just feel like it helps to be honest with how much MEANING and EMOTION can be wrapped up in all this. "It's just stuff" is true, and yet at the same time, totally misses the point.

[joonifloofeefloo]

Sorry for bringing the tone of the thread down a bit. I just feel like it helps to be honest with how much MEANING and EMOTION can be wrapped up in all this. "It's just stuff" is true, and yet at the same time, totally misses the point.

Absolutely. I only *appreciate* your honesty and sharing.

[HappierAtHome]

I just feel like it helps to be honest with how much MEANING and EMOTION can be wrapped up in all this. "It's just stuff" is true, and yet at the same time, totally misses the point.

So true. Sometimes stuff is "just stuff", and sometimes it's your hopes and dreams.

[oneday]

I can only speak from my own experience, but there is a TON of emotions pent up in the stuff that I've dealt with.  Part of the reason my progress has been slow/stalled many times; just not being able to deal with those emotions anymore.

[Frugal Lizard]

I totally get the emotions and stuff thing.  And @Bracken_Joy I wish you all the best in this journey.  It is awful from what I was able to observe when two of my sister-in-laws were each going through the fertility treatments but still can't imagine the depth of grief. 

In terms of my emotion loaded de-cluttering:  I listed two children's winter coats on kijiji.  I couldn't just give them away because they represent bad spending choices.  One of the coats was not even worn by my kids.  It never got to fitting one of them and will probably never fit anyone.  It is a lovely looking coat but the cut is for someone with arms to their knees and pencil wide shoulders.  It was on sale at MEC.  It was a cool colour and looked really fancy.  But on sale at MEC is often not really a great deal.  I have buried what I paid for it.
The other is a down jacket that was worn two seasons but barely.  My daughter felt it made her look fat.  I wanted her to have something warm.  So we spent a lot of money on a new coat that she never wanted.  (at MEC, not on sale)
Drilling down into it - the whole clothing shopping thing goes back to my lousy childhood of being cold and wet and grubby looking as a kid.  I was tiny for my age - so when I was a tween, I was still wearing 6X clothes, hand-me-downs from second cousins.  It was embarrassing because they were her babyish clothes from when she was five or six.  My boots were never waterproof and wearing plastic bags inside them was also embarrassing but better than being cold and wet all day at school.

When I was 10 my Dad starting bying clothes to leave at his place so we looked presentable on the weekend with him.  Including boots and winter coats.  I was so sad to leave that lovely burgundy winter coat on Sunday night.  And my mom couldn't afford a new coat and wouldn't when she found out I had a nice one I was going to wear 10 weekends at most when I was at my dad's.  So I have issues around used clothes and stylish clothes.

There has been no interest in the ads on kijiji, so I lowered the price last night.  But I am going to pull down the kijiji ads next Friday if the coats haven't sold and give them away to charity.  Slow but steady progress unpacking the baggage. 

[MaybeBabyMustache]

It's hard when the items you're donating are associated with memories. Everyone is making great strides.

Here's my progress for the last few days;
-Sold 3 items on eBay (two kid things, one pair of ski pants I've outgrown)
-Donated a pair of boots that don't fit me, but are gorgeous
-I've also listed two other items on eBay, and if they don't sell, I'll donate

[Shinplaster]

2 display units out the door.  My Dad made them for Mom for her spoon collection.  She got rid of the spoons, and then insisted I take the cases.  It's been at least 10 years - we are never going to use them.  Someone who does craft fairs, etc. will be excited to find them at Goodwill - they would be great for jewelry, etc.  I had a pang as I gave them away because Dad (gone now), but focused on the joy of someone else finding them.

Also another box of mixed things - crystal, glasses, etc.  Never going to use those either.   Having a box always ready in the garage to toss things in is working out really well.

[joonifloofeefloo]

Someone who does craft fairs, etc. will be excited to find them at Goodwill

YES! :)

(I'm grateful my dad made big and tiny things, so I could select a couple of tiny ones to keep ongoing.)