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

[slackmax]

I am just jumping on board but, my son and I have gone through toys, I have gone through part of the garage and a couple a rooms. Posting on Buy nothing, donating, giving to friends, shredding papers! Feels good!

Welcome!

[slackmax]

I also have 2 Pop Vinyls that my daughter wants gone, but am undecided over whether to try and sell or just donate. One is going for 3x what she paid for it but I don't have an ebay account and my local FB groups are too small for this kind of thing. Can I be bothered going through the hassle of it all? It exhausts me just to think of it...

I can relate, lazycow.  I have a lot of "collector item" stuff that apparently only sells on eBay.

But eBay is so full of fees, and the hassle of mailing, and worrying about a bad review.

I just recently set up myself an eBay account, just in order to buy something.

So I now have an eBay account. So.... I guess I can sell now. (Ugh,  lol)   

 

[LaineyAZ]

I donated a large print to Goodwill yesterday.  It's a colorful and interesting image but just didn't spark joy, as they say. 
It's been in a closet for a few years because I'd paid $200+ for a custom frame which was giving me the "sunk cost" problem, but I finally decided I'd prefer to have the space and let the print go to someone who could enjoy it.

[MountainGal]

Lately:
~Two clothing items went into the Goodwill bag
~One clothing item was tossed
~A plant that didn't survive me being on vacation went into the trash
~A small chipped and broken dinner plate was tossed
~Tossed some reading material
~A facemask from last year that I didn't use because it has ties instead of elastic
~The remnants of a bottle of body wash finally used up last week
~My airline boarding passes, luggage claim tickets, etc. from a few weeks ago, and the ones hiding in my suitcase from Sept 2020 went into the trash

[Serendip]

A visit to my parents (cluttered) home has set me on a decluttering path so I just put some books in the local Buy Nothing group and all of them have been requested...

now, onto other items!

[SunnyDays]

We had our annual bulky waste pick up today and got rid of two expired car seats, a rusted kids bike, broken microwave, broken kids chair, and some large pieces of styrofoam.

We still have a ways to go with the garage, but it feels much more spacious now, and I think most of what's left that I want to get rid of is donate-able.

I also donated several bags of clothes, books, toys, etc. over the weekend, and gave away a couple things on my Buy Nothing group. The Buy Nothing group is definitely the slowest way to get rid of things, but also the most satisfying, since I know for sure there's someone who actually wants it.

I'm a little discouraged by how little difference the things I donated made in the overall feel in the house. I think I need to go area by area more, instead of collecting random things from around the house, so that I see more progress and stay motivated.

I found the same thing initially.  I Kondo'd my clothes and books, but then couldn't make myself stick to certain categories after that.  I would get bored with a category or just get stuck in making one more decision, so instead, I would just find items wherever I found them, and it took quite a while before I began to see a difference in particular rooms or the overall house.  But it did happen eventually, and I found that as my surplus got smaller, it was actually easier to make decisions, because now it made a visible difference.  I still have things I want to get rid of, and I doubt I'll ever be truly "done," because the more I get rid of, the more I want to get rid of!  Maybe I'm a minimalist at heart.  I guess I haven't yet found the "click point" Kondo talks about, so I feel that's a sign I still have t0o much.  Just keep at it, bit by bit, and one day, you will feel the difference.

[slackmax]

I get my decluttering "fix" from seeing the bags as I drop them off at the Salvation Army. I know that that volume of stuff used to be in my house, and now it is gone.

Same thing when I sell something at the flea market.

[LaineyAZ]

I get my decluttering "fix" from seeing the bags as I drop them off at the Salvation Army. I know that that volume of stuff used to be in my house, and now it is gone.

Same thing when I sell something at the flea market.

slackmax,
I'm just curious - since you've started this major decluttering, what do you estimate that you've donated/tossed/sold?  Maybe 20% or 40% of your total?
I remember that you started with a big hoard. 
No judgment, just wondering because I know you've been working steadily and we all applaud that effort.

[slackmax]

I get my decluttering "fix" from seeing the bags as I drop them off at the Salvation Army. I know that that volume of stuff used to be in my house, and now it is gone.

Same thing when I sell something at the flea market.

slackmax,
I'm just curious - since you've started this major decluttering, what do you estimate that you've donated/tossed/sold?  Maybe 20% or 40% of your total?
I remember that you started with a big hoard. 
No judgment, just wondering because I know you've been working steadily and we all applaud that effort.

Thanks for asking,  LaineyAZ.

I'd say I have about 70% of the hoard  gone, just by volume.  And 85% of the weight is gone. My floorboards and joists applaud me.
 

 

[former player]

That's amazing progress.  Congratulations.

[diapasoun]

Omg slackmax!! That's amazing!!!! You badass.

[Ladychips]

Omg slackmax!! That's amazing!!!! You badass.

+1!!

[mspym]

Omg slackmax!! That's amazing!!!! You badass.

+1!!

-1 so your overall supply doesn't increase!

[oneday]

Go @slackmax ! That's amazing.

[nessness]

Omg slackmax!! That's amazing!!!! You badass.

+1!!

-1 so your overall supply doesn't increase!

lolol

Great job slackmax!

[slackmax]

Thanks, guys! You are so nice!   

[Shinplaster]

You've done so much work slackmax - way to go!

I finally got a big bag of clothing off to donation.   Picked up a bag my son had ready at his house too and added it to mine.   Next up are some 40 year old dining chairs we can finally get rid of.  We'd kept them because it was the only chair my 90+ Mom could sit on comfortably, but now that we've moved and she's in a retirement home, we don't have to keep them anymore.  Time for an upgrade!

[diapasoun]

Did a big closet cleanout -- I think I've gotten rid of something like 30 items, all of which no longer fit but which I had sequestered away somehow in my closet.

Also got rid of something like 15 books, got another 15 or so which are gonna be on their way out soon.

[Dutch Comfort]

DD cleaned out her book shelve. 10 books already found new readers (and DD had some money in her pocket, happy teen!).
Sold 4 bikini's which she outgrown and...... drum roll...... we sold old camping gear for 100 euro! That was a BIG BIG BIIIGGGG box which left my house!

[MaybeBabyMustache]

Stayed with my sister for a few days, and inadvertently stumbled into a decluttering project. Helped her get rid of about 15 closet items & maybe 50 pieces of (costume) jewelry. We went in stages, as we were also doing other stuff, and the trip wasn't intended as decluttering. ;-) She was very surprised by how much she had, as she said she declutters regularly, & found it helpful to have another opinion. We have more to do on my next trip!

[slackmax]

I was looking for wood putty and caulking to use on a project, and found a tube of both, but they were both hardened up inside their tightly sealed containers.

I was less sad about it than I was happy, since I could now throw them both out!

 

[LaineyAZ]

I was looking for wood putty and caulking to use on a project, and found a tube of both, but they were both hardened up inside their tightly sealed containers.

I was less sad about it than I was happy, since I could now throw them both out!

It's funny because I've had the same satisfaction in tossing out this kind of stuff.  I related to someone else who said how much they actually liked being the one to toss the bottles of ketchup, or shampoo, or other household stuff when they used it up.  Do we humans actually like generating trash, or is it because we now have the thrill of being the first one to open the new bottles of ketchup, etc.??

[Prairie Gal]

I found out that my town is having a Re-use Rendezvous again in September so I started a box of things for that. I think there are some things in the basement that can go.

I also gathered up some "wishful thinking" things from my closet for my sister to try on as she is returning to working in the office in September.

Gave my son a couple of fans for his place.

[MaybeBabyMustache]

Went through all of my eBay listings, decided what to adjust pricing, what to donate & what to give away on Buy Nothing. Made a list of other items that can still be listed. Updated my eBay tracker. I feel much more organized now

[mspym]

- Two books off my TBR pile and into a street library
- One less glass in the household (shattered)
- One container of moisteriser used up

We've also been working on using up things in the cupboards and maintaining less of an inventory. I am really enjoying the additional whitespace in our cupboards.

[MaybeBabyMustache]

-Gave away 30 serrano peppers from the garden (I'm counting it. Waste makes me nuts)
-Someone posted on my Buy Nothing looking for soccer gear from the club my kids played/play in. (I posted about this up thread, as I couldn't find any good method of donating.) So happy that our outgrown stuff will be going to another player.
-Sold an item on eBay
-My son is switching desks, and cleaned out a bunch of junk from his prior desk. I've listed his old one on Buy Nothing

I need to walk three books I just finished down to the book share on my street. A friend gave them to me a week ago, so clearly I enjoyed them,& they were the perfect in & out of my house in no time.

[slackmax]

I was looking for wood putty and caulking to use on a project, and found a tube of both, but they were both hardened up inside their tightly sealed containers.

I was less sad about it than I was happy, since I could now throw them both out!

It's funny because I've had the same satisfaction in tossing out this kind of stuff.  I related to someone else who said how much they actually liked being the one to toss the bottles of ketchup, or shampoo, or other household stuff when they used it up.  Do we humans actually like generating trash, or is it because we now have the thrill of being the first one to open the new bottles of ketchup, etc.??

For me it's the '1930's Depression mentality' even though I wasn't alive then.     Can't throw it out if you can make use of it sometime. But you CAN throw it out if it's broken or unusable.  And it's one less thing to worry about.   

[SunnyDays]

I was looking for wood putty and caulking to use on a project, and found a tube of both, but they were both hardened up inside their tightly sealed containers.

I was less sad about it than I was happy, since I could now throw them both out!

It's funny because I've had the same satisfaction in tossing out this kind of stuff.  I related to someone else who said how much they actually liked being the one to toss the bottles of ketchup, or shampoo, or other household stuff when they used it up.  Do we humans actually like generating trash, or is it because we now have the thrill of being the first one to open the new bottles of ketchup, etc.??

For me it's the '1930's Depression mentality' even though I wasn't alive then.     Can't throw it out if you can make use of it sometime. But you CAN throw it out if it's broken or unusable.  And it's one less thing to worry about.   

Well, everything "might" come in "useful" "someday," but do you want to have to live with it all in the meantime?  And while it's sitting there unused by you, it could be useful to someone else.  And what is so rare that you wouldn't be able to get another one if needed?

[MountainGal]

~Tossed some reading material after I finished it
~Threw away a well worn plastic container that had no lid
~Gave 6 peaches to a neighbor
~One more use of hair conditioner and that container will be finished
~An empty box went to the recycle bin
~Upcycled 3 magazines to my sister, and one to a neighbor
~Deleted 75+ shared photos and gifs from my cell phone

[Prairie Gal]

Whoo hoo! Sold a lens for an old camera that I don't have any more.

Read three books on vacation and rather than bringing them back home I left them on the book shelf at the Air BnB for someone else to enjoy.

[SunnyDays]

I've read and participated in this thread for a while now, and it just occurred to me today that there is a difference in getting rid of items temporarily and permanently.  For example, clothing will continue to come and go, as will papers, and books, in my case.  So I wonder how much of our decluttering is a permanent reduction in stuff and how much is just churn?  I'm hard pressed to estimate these categories myself - I'd have to give it more thought, does anyone else want to hazard a guess on their own efforts?

[draco44]

I've read and participated in this thread for a while now, and it just occurred to me today that there is a difference in getting rid of items temporarily and permanently.  For example, clothing will continue to come and go, as will papers, and books, in my case.  So I wonder how much of our decluttering is a permanent reduction in stuff and how much is just churn?  I'm hard pressed to estimate these categories myself - I'd have to give it more thought, does anyone else want to hazard a guess on their own efforts?

That depends. There are many types of decluttering. Sometimes you give something away if you've upgraded to a replacement object that does more or less the same thing, which I think may be what you are thinking of when you talking about "churning" possessions. But sometimes your life situation changes in a fundamental way and you no longer need a certain type of item at all ever again. Or you just want to own less overall. Or sometimes you give something away and later realize you need a replacement. There's reducing your overall load of possessions, but there's also adjusting the tally of what you own to changing life circumstances.

Also, if when you need objects you buy them used, instead of only buying new then giving away, it's sort of like you are tapping into a collectively maintained cloud or river of used possessions, none of which were manufactured specifically for your use, but that become available to you when you need or want them.

[mspym]

I've read and participated in this thread for a while now, and it just occurred to me today that there is a difference in getting rid of items temporarily and permanently.  For example, clothing will continue to come and go, as will papers, and books, in my case.  So I wonder how much of our decluttering is a permanent reduction in stuff and how much is just churn?  I'm hard pressed to estimate these categories myself - I'd have to give it more thought, does anyone else want to hazard a guess on their own efforts?

Overall, there is a permanent reduction of total number of objects in our house. There is some churn but most things that are entering my house now also have an exit plan, instead of continuing to accumulate.
- There are some areas where I have hit my balance point in terms of both number and item specifics so no more churn. (Most clothing, cook books & gear, gym gear)
- There a couple of areas where I have hit my balance point for number but not quite specific items so I'm doing more thinking and planning before bringing new items in in the hopes of reducing that churn. (Shoes, some clothing categories)
- There are other areas where no new purchases are being made so numbers are slowly trending down as I use things up or decide that a thing hasn't earned a permanent place. (Hobby stuff, work clothing, TBR pile, games)
- There are some things that I can repurchase once something is used up, keeping the number static (personal grooming, food stuffs)

[MaybeBabyMustache]

I've read and participated in this thread for a while now, and it just occurred to me today that there is a difference in getting rid of items temporarily and permanently.  For example, clothing will continue to come and go, as will papers, and books, in my case.  So I wonder how much of our decluttering is a permanent reduction in stuff and how much is just churn?  I'm hard pressed to estimate these categories myself - I'd have to give it more thought, does anyone else want to hazard a guess on their own efforts?

Some of both for us. We have kids. They grow, and need new things. They switch hobbies, stop playing with toys, etc. I pass them on. Mail/papers come in, we recycle and save what we need. That doesn't stop.

However, we've also drastically reduced the amount of things we have in our house. We don't keep things we don't regularly use, I comb through my closet and probably have less than 1/2 of what I had a few years ago. Same with many other house hold objects. I stay on top of the "ongoing churn" stuff, because if you don't, that builds & gets really messy. But, I also just like/need/want substantially less. Clutter makes me anxious.

[Zamboni]

I'm not very good at this. It's so slow for me, in fits and starts.

Tomorrow I'm gonna actually do something I really struggle with: throw some things away. Not donate. Not resell. Trash.

Towels with big holes? Trash.
CD's we burned back in the day? Trash.
Toiletries that were manufactured in 1996? Trash.

Why am I so bad at that? Literally I have accumulated various piles of these things . . . even though I know they are trash.

[oneday]

@Zamboni you can do it, I have faith in you! You don't need to exist with this trash infringing on your living spaces. (Even if it's in cabinets, it's taking space from useful things.)

[Zamboni]

Okay, I've watched some design videos, and decided that I'm going to push everything in my home towards a Zen/Scandanavian/Minimalist vibe.

And you know what isn't in that vibe?

Trash.

Yep . . . out with the trash. Out with the piles of garbage that I've not been throwing away for some reason.

[shadesofgreen]

I got rid of a really bulky carpet cleaner yesterday. So happy to have that gone! It was no longer working very well and had been passed down.

I will be writing things up to get out of the house when cooler. There is a heat wave/dome over me until next week.

[PMG]

@Zamboni if you’re needing encouragement you might enjoy the Minimal Mom’s YouTube channel. I find her videos so relaxing and empowering. She’s got one about the sink cost fallacy and cleaning out old product from the bathroom. And I really appreciate her inventory approach. “Do I want to spend my time managing this inventory?” Or “this inventory is out of date, it’s time for it to go.” 

[Fomerly known as something]

Well I kind of forced myself to go on a huge purge.  I’m moving from a Midwest 3 bedroom house to a west coast 2 bedroom apartment.  This time no drawer or storage bin is being spared.  Some things are being thrown out (Eason salts that haven’t been used in more than 4 years), some sold goodbye snow blower and lawn mower, much donated furniture that wasn’t selling quick enough (a couch with a $20 price just to keep the flakes away), clothes, the last 4 original water glasses I could no longer match.

[Fomerly known as something]

In other news, I’m supper happy the manual coffee grinder had survived the do I really need this purge (along with the camping teapot and French press) since I might be without power for 5 days.  Also I am super happy my current stove is natural gas.

[oneday]

Okay, I've watched some design videos, and decided that I'm going to push everything in my home towards a Zen/Scandanavian/Minimalist vibe.

And you know what isn't in that vibe?

Trash.

Yep . . . out with the trash. Out with the piles of garbage that I've not been throwing away for some reason.

@Zamboni how'd this go? You doing OK with it?

[MaybeBabyMustache]

Got rid of a huge desk that had been blocking our entry way for almost two weeks. We moved a desk from our vacation house (that we sold) to our other house, and had an extra desk to get rid of. I posted it on Buy Nothing and not even a peep. Posted it on  my neighborhood alias, and got two asks within an hour. We gave it away for free.

So happy to have it out of the house, and into the hands of someone who needs it!

[draco44]

Got rid of a huge desk that had been blocking our entry way for almost two weeks.

Well done! Re-homing large objects can be especially challenging.

I'm facing the opposite problem, where I have some small objects that aren't moving. I tried Buy Nothing first but have switched over to posting on the free section of Craigslist today for another try.

[MaybeBabyMustache]

Got rid of a huge desk that had been blocking our entry way for almost two weeks.

Well done! Re-homing large objects can be especially challenging.

I'm facing the opposite problem, where I have some small objects that aren't moving. I tried Buy Nothing first but have switched over to posting on the free section of Craigslist today for another try.

@draco44 - one thing that works pretty well for me on BN. I gather a bunch of small objects, and list them all at once (each with their own photo/number). People are much more likely to swing by if they are picking up a few small items - it's less tempting to drive even 10 minutes out of the way for something small.

[draco44]

@MaybeBabyMustache That's a good reminder - I've had success with that method in the past.

[mspym]

Not quite Death Cleaning but similar, I am making ongoing passes through my things asking "do I want to move this?"

Today I took 4 books to the street library (2 of mine, 2 of Ofpym's) and when I got back, I found 6 more that I am now ready to let go of plus another 2 that I want to re-read before releasing them.

[Plina]

Not quite Death Cleaning but similar, I am making ongoing passes through my things asking "do I want to move this?"

Today I took 4 books to the street library (2 of mine, 2 of Ofpym's) and when I got back, I found 6 more that I am now ready to let go of plus another 2 that I want to re-read before releasing them.

I have moved pretty frequently so I have asked myself if I want to pay to have this item moved. It works really well. Last week was the first time I missed some stuff that I had sold but it is cheap to replace so no harm done.

[slackmax]

Photographed a big golf bag and some clubs, will try to sell them on Facebook Marketplace.

Also, decided I'm going to donate a hardback book to the library. Tried selling it for a long enough time. 'The Road Less Traveled'.

[oneday]

Traded stuff: unexpectedly, a friend of mine needed pink yarn. I had some and offered it. Happy to have that particular yarn out of the house!

But friend found a Kitchen Aid stand mixer for $7.50 in a thrift shop & gave that to me. It was not meant to be an exchange for the yarn (I am to make her cookies), but it kind of feels like it now!