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

[SimpleCycle]

Found out that a pandemic is an excellent time to be selling boardgames! Six of them out the door and a nice sum in my pocket (it pays to keep things in good shape!!)

What's your secret?  No one has seemed interested in purchasing any of my boardgames.

Sent out a DVD today.  Profit was only $2.71, but better than nothing.

If they are in good condition, I'd try Facebook Marketplace and a reasonable price ($5 each or so).  I've bought several this way.

[NotJen]

Found out that a pandemic is an excellent time to be selling boardgames! Six of them out the door and a nice sum in my pocket (it pays to keep things in good shape!!)

What's your secret?  No one has seemed interested in purchasing any of my boardgames.

Sent out a DVD today.  Profit was only $2.71, but better than nothing.

If they are in good condition, I'd try Facebook Marketplace and a reasonable price ($5 each or so).  I've bought several this way.

I've had them listed there for $5, but no bites.  I have them all together as a group, maybe I'll try breaking them up in to individual posts.

In other news, I just listed my kayak for sale :(  :(  I suppose it doesn't make sense to keep it at this point.

[Zamboni]

The agony of the single sock.

Sigh.

So many single socks.

[okisok]

I've watched both hoarder house series on the Curiosity Inc channel so far, and it's wonderful! They are so kind and respectful to the previous owners of the homes and their workers. They return financial documents, family photos, etc to the families.
They find really cool things, too! To echo another poster, it is really sad to see gorgeous, expensive items that might have been crushed or burnt if the Archbolds weren't willing to sort through everything.

In decluttering my own home, I've gotten rid of two undershirts that I was going to mend (again), but they were too far gone. Also out with some worn cleaning rags and a kitchen towel I'd already mended twice. I turned some bath towels into unpaper towels since I had a few too many of the former and not quite enough of the latter.

I've found it's really helpful to set a boundary on items. For instance, I like to have a dozen unpaper towels, but was down to 7. I only need three bath towels, but had 8. So I turned one bath towel into kitchen towels and am donating the rest. I don't need to hold onto the other 6 bath towels just in case. I can get new ones in less than 20 minutes for under $20 (thanks to Erica Lucas' YouTube channel on minimalism for that metric!). The extras are in good shape, so they're off to bless someone else who is transitioning from homelessness into housing.

[oneday]

Many old reels of Super8 film tossed, after converted to digital. Now they only take up space on my hard drive.

[SunnyDays]

The agony of the single sock.

Sigh.

So many single socks.

Perform some (mis)match making duties and pair them up!  As long as they’re similar weights and colours, they don’t have to look exactly the same.  Who sees them under pants anyway?

[middo]

The agony of the single sock.

Sigh.

So many single socks.

Perform some (mis)match making duties and pair them up!  As long as they’re similar weights and colours, they don’t have to look exactly the same.  Who sees them under pants anyway?

I feel the difference of odd socks.  Can't do it.

We don't have odd socks.  Always wash them in pairs.  (There are only two of us).  When we had kids, we had endless single socks.

[Dutch Comfort]

Checked the ice skates (we finally have ice here!) and found a pair that is way too small for our youngest. So onto Craigslist it goes! Already found a 2nd hand pair for replacement for him on Craigslist as well. Found another pair for myself while I already have a newer pair. So the old pair will go (on BuyNothing, since they are from my childhood years...... so quite old).

[MaybeBabyMustache]

Organized our spare toiletries into two areas. I can now see everything we have, which is a tremendous help when planning, budgeting & just deciding what to buy. I'm way over stocked on most toiletries, which is great. Now we can use those items & not buy more. Organization for the win!

[middo]

We have replaced a couple of widow panes that cracked when we had the foundations rebuilt a while ago.  Got rid of the glass in the rubbish, well wrapped in many layers of plastic that a mattress came in and had been used as a paint drip sheet.

I would have loved to have been home when it went into the rubbish truck, to hear the noise.

[okisok]

Took a bag of items to the little library in my neighborhood. This one has one shelf of books and one for food.

Made a crockpot stew of bits and bobs from the pantry and freezer. Now it's pretty well cleaned out before I pick up groceries this evening and I have a few meals prepped for the rest of the week.

Used some cobbled-together packing supplies to mail off a small gift. I now have zero mailing or packing supplies! A coworker asked for moving boxes, so they got the last of the boxes I had.

Ate the last of the Christmas clearance chocolate, just in time to stock up on Valentine's clearance chocolate next week :)

[halftimer]

A few more items out, and it feels so good. Lots of warm stuff out - which will hopefully help someone through the super cold snap we are experiencing. Donated a feather duvet since someone in our house is allergic and I don't want to accidentally put it on their bed (again), a wool winter coat, a new hat and new double knit mittens.
Then, filled a big box with groceries, toys, hand sanitizer that was gifted to us, and a few dozen home made cookies and left them safely outside the apartment of friends newly diagnosed with Covid. They only requested some eggs and butte, but we added in all same comfort items that people gave us when we were sick - cough drops, juice, soup, and some treats. Is it bad that I'm happy we helped, but more happy about all the big winter items that are no longer taking up closet space here?

[happy]

Ate the last of the Christmas clearance chocolate, just in time to stock up on Valentine's clearance chocolate next week :)

LOL!

I've been busy weeding and mowing - does that count as decluttering? Still managed to get rid of a small bag of linens/clothing to donate.

[oneday]

@happy , maybe you have a gardening season and a decluttering season?

Made it to the post office finally and sent 5 packages that had been waiting on my procrastination.

Yesterday, rode along with a friend to the haz mat station to keep them company. As a bonus, got to include the lone CFL bulb I found after my last trip to haz mat. Then we had biryani. A satisfying decluttering!

[happy]

@happy , maybe you have a gardening season and a decluttering season?

Ha! Yes!, Thats it. Hard to get past the weeding and mowing with hot weather and lots of rain.

[MayDay]

I had another good round of weekend decluttering!

Things out:
-5 cans of paint
-a box of blank cards (to craft your own)
-a pile of records from my parents
-some books and puzzles into the LFL

It is extremely cold here so none of the items are actually out yet because no one wants to pick up in this weather. But they are waiting by the front door.

[MaybeBabyMustache]

-Listed an item on Buy Nothing. If it has no takers, I think it will sell well on eBay
-Finally got a buyer for a bike my son bought, fixed & sold. He earns the money & I'm happy to support his COVID hobby, but I have to coordinate with all of the potential buyers, so I'm happy to have this out of the house
-Discovered my son's fitted sheet had a foot long tear in it. He brought it up only when his foot started getting suck in the night? Ordered a replacement on Amazon, and planned to find something to "make do" until that arrived. Turned out I have a random solo fitted twin sheet in the linen closet. Cancelled the Amazon order, and we're all set with a new sheet. No idea where it came from, but I'm happy to have it.

[PMG]

I dropped off assorted things at a friend's yesterday, with their permission!  She was actually really excited about one organizer that just doesn't fit in our house, said it completes her.  It's especially nice to get rid of something if someone else thinks it completes them! lol

Today I got down the glass drink dispenser I bought (at thrift) a couple years ago imaging using for lemonade at picnics. Well, that hasn't happened... and we've since acquired two plastic drink dispensers. They aren't as pretty as the glass one, but we use them for camping, and they'll also work if we ever do have a party and want to serve lemonade.  So, I'm a bit reluctant about letting this go, but I think I do it, and I think it's the right move.  We sure could use the cupboard space. 

I washed out plastic shower curtain liner and it cleaned up nicely, so I will remove the one I had in my online shopping cart.  When I hung it up I used a different fabric curtain with it, we both really like the texture of it compared to the curtain we have, but the color is too dark. It makes the already small bathroom feel even smaller.  I'll take it down and let that go.  Again I'm oddly reluctant about this one, but I've tried it.  It doesn't work.  Writing here for accountability.

I figured out and hung two more frames in our bedroom.  We still have a stack of frames and art we're trying to mix and match and get the house just right.

We got some gifts mailed off and that allowed us to get rid of a pile of stuff from the living room.

And, I listed my old sewing machine on ebay. *deep breath*  One of my other items sold, but the buyer never paid, so I'm waiting for the case to close so I can list again. I haven't quite decided how long I will let ebay items linger.

I'm feeling good about things.  I've been making and effort to make sure the kitchen counter is cleaned off almost every night, and that just inspires both of us to keep after things.  It's good momentum. 

[okisok]

Added two sweaters to the donate pile. f I'm not willing to wear it for a video meeting, I'm never going to wear it. Out it goes! That will balance out the two pairs of new pants I just got for work.

Remembered to get birthday cards out of my stationery stash and get them in the mail on time.

I have a new book ordered so I'll go through the shelf to see if there a book I can donate.

Now to get my taxes finished, get the paperwork digitized, and off my desk!

[oneday]

An old metal box that was made to be a slide storage container, similar to this, I inadvertently offered to Room Mate. We both have a "thing" for storage containers. Since the slides are now digital, this box can leave my life. As I was lamenting that she just made a run to the donation station for both of us, of course I find this one thing that could have also gone. And she might want it. But might not. So it sits on the coffee table while she decides. Sigh.

It can only be my problem for 2 more weeks, max. Hopefully less.

[horsepoor]

Lots of snow on the ground, so I'm inside taking care of minor to-do items. Yesterday I used up two small containers of chalk paint as the base coat for a furniture painting project.

Now I'm having a satisfying morning decluttering my desk area. It started with getting a new power strip with more USB outlets so I could get rid of the (probably somewhat unsafe) piggy-backed bunch of cords and adapters. Repaired my desk supply organizer with some fabric tape. Threw out some small appliance instruction booklets (can always find online if needed).

Thinking about dumping my collection of Mother Earth magazines in the recycle bin, but maybe I should see if anyone in my local gardening FB group would want them.

I'm also finally taking all the files off of my old computer to transfer to the laptop that replaced it about a year ago. The old computer had been set up in the kitchen so I could get to the files if needed, but it will be better to have it all consolidated to the new machine. Sorted out some outdated electronic accessories (16 mb memory card anyone??) to be disposed of. Repurposed an old camera case to carry my rechargeable handwarmers.

Threw out a toilet plunger that doesn't work very effectively.

[Prairie Gal]

 - gave away a mattress topper to a group that is making bean bag chairs for a school
 - listed three more decor items on FB Marketplace. Why do people always feel they can offer less? Got smart and listed for $5 more than I wanted.
 - put some more books and odd and ends in the donate box. There is a lady that wants stuff that people are donating so she can try to sell it, with the full disclosure that they are trying to save up for a down payment on a house. I might give the stuff to her. Beats giving it to Value Village so they can make a profit.
 - I also packed up a bag of craft stuff that I would like to donate to an after school program, but I'm not even sure if those are running right now.
 
ETA: Wow! That was fast! All the items sold within a couple of hours.

[halftimer]

Mixed success here - I got rid of 2 big bulky items we would never use by trading them locally for 5 small items. I will definitely use 4 of the new items, and the 5th might get donated soon now that I've tried it out but I'll wait a bit.

[Loretta]

The Buy Nothing crowd has been reluctant to come inside my building where you have to ride in an elevator etc to get to my doorstep where I typically leave things outside my door.  Going to visit the big thrift store tomorrow afternoon with a friend and will donate 2 bags of clothing and housewares.  The already pretty cheap thrift store emailed me a 50% off coupon that’s good Wednesday-Sunday.  I will look for some new work dresses because a few of mine are getting too stretched out around the neckline. 

[Fresh Bread]

I sold a dog crate I no longer needed and listed an unwanted gift on eBay.

Next up is an electric water bath for preserving - bought second hand but never used >_< It's in a massive box in the garage and the associated bits take up half a shelf in the kitchen so this would be a massive win. I'll be able to rearrange a couple of things, get the dog stuff a proper storage space (she wasn't a part of the family when we first moved in a year ago).

I made a list of items I want to get rid of / areas to tackle in a list in descending order of space they take up. So the biggest wins will come first, genius!

[lazycow]

This month has been an awesome decluttering success! My 20 yo (ADHD) daughter semi-graciously allowed me to help her declutter and organise her bedroom for the first time ever! Previously, I would do it once or twice a year, when she was at school (usually started because we were out of teaspoons, forks and bowls - hidden in her wardrobe, under the bed, chest of drawers). Anyway, we went through EVERYTHING.  I lost count at 400 items gone, not including rubbish.

I tried to dispose of everything in as an environmentally-friendly way as possible without driving myself crazy. There was sooo much empty packaging (cardboard went to green waste bin, plastic went to soft plastics recycling program), but surprisingly not much actual trash. The car is full of stuff to take to the local op shop when our lockdown finishes tomorrow, and my neighbours took some of her childhood toys and books for their grandkids. I am so very proud of her for facing up to her mess, and working out how and why it got this way. Hopefully this clear, calm new space will allow her creativity to flourish again. It will certainly cause less friction between her neatnik father and her!

[mspym]

@lazycow that is a stunning victory and high fives ✋ for your daughter in tackling this. These things are hard enough without having any sort of executive function shenanigans on top of regular This Problem Is Too Hard

[lazycow]

@lazycow that is a stunning victory and high fives ✋ for your daughter in tackling this. These things are hard enough without having any sort of executive function shenanigans on top of regular This Problem Is Too Hard

Thank you @mspym. I wish I had been aware of how neurodivergancy (is that a word?) actually manifests. For years we just thought she was lazy, and I am so very sorry about that. Fortunately she is a very loving, and forgiving girl.

Coincidentally, I was just posting a comment on your journal!

[Fresh Bread]

@lazycow Well done! How long did it take, and how did you keep up the momentum?

[mspym]

@lazycow the tone is not for everyone but Unf*ck Your Habitat is pretty amazing for people with executive function issues, depression, mental health problems etc and managing your environment so it doesn't contribute to the downward spiral.

[Frugal Lizard]

We used a number of bits and bobs hanging about our space to make a three shelf seedling starter stand.  Lumber, some wheels, wire shelving, Styrofoam, cardboard, ceramic tiles all came in handy.  And then the leftovers found their way to the proper disposal bin.

[MaybeBabyMustache]

Awesome win, @lazycow

@okcisok - the line about not keeping anything I'm unwilling to wear on a video call - amen to that! I've been taking a similar approach, which has been helpful.

For me:
-Returned a few things we don't to Costco that have been sitting in my closet waiting an opportunity. Money in, junk out.
-Gave away some crafts on Buy Nothing. Bonus, they came from my son's room, and it's hard to get anything out of his room.
-Gave away a sun visor on Buy Nothing. Never been used, so I'm happy to get it out of the garage
-Sold running ear buds on eBay, and they are off to a new owner

[Dogastrophe]

Sold and shipped the last couple of motorcycle tools I pulled out of tool box.

We have a large box of odds and ends to donate to our local SPCA thrift store.

Took two vintage Japanese watercolour's to get reframed (original frames were hideous and did nothing to highlight the paintings) - this gets clutter out of a closet and will get art on the wall.

[happy]

Small bag of clothes/ tablecloth donated. I gave a set of watercolour pencils sitting idle to a friend of second child. Looking at 2 cardboard boxes of items packed up for donation sitting in my study and thinking I need to get them out soon.

[mspym]

Two books to the street library, one returned to the actual library. Some day I will get around to putting up manga for sale on gumtree.

[lazycow]

Lazycow I find it helpful to designate an "in progress projects" location. We have a low dresser as our living room sideboard and I use one of the drawers for in process craft projects (paintings, knitting) and my nightstand for books I plan to read soon (library or my own). It needs to fit in those places, and I put them away, don't keep them out.

Maybe designate a drawer or shelf each in your room for books and other projects.

Thanks @MayDay! I took your advice on board, and moved the little bookshelf that was in my bedroom to my craft/yoga area and all my unread books, plus library books are corralled on it. Plus I have designate a storage basket for each craft project. Now I just need to clear the big spare bed of photos. I keep all the family photos (haven't printed any out since around 2013 though) in a big box, but I am planning on picking my favourites and creating a second photo wall. I just stick them up in neat rows with a bit of washi tape, which does the job. The grown up kids love to look at themselves when they were younger. Lots of happy memories.

[Dutch Comfort]

Have sorted out the shoe collection. Found 6 pairs (of various owners) with holes in it, so they are not even good for gardening anymore. Out they go!
Next on the list is the kids summer clothing collection...... spring is starting soon so I should check what still fits and what can be sold/donated/trashed.
And I need to declutter the 2nd floor hallway. This is also my WFH space but is now also full of toys and other items that need a home (whether in or outside the house....).

[SunnyDays]

Have sorted out the shoe collection. Found 6 pairs (of various owners) with holes in it, so they are not even good for gardening anymore. Out they go!
Next on the list is the kids summer clothing collection...... spring is starting soon so I should check what still fits and what can be sold/donated/trashed.
And I need to declutter the 2nd floor hallway. This is also my WFH space but is now also full of toys and other items that need a home (whether in or outside the house....).

Shoe Goo is great for patching holes in shoes that are otherwise wearable.  I've used it on a cheap pair of gardening shoes and a slipper that the dog chewed.  They have new life now.

[draco44]

+1 on the power of Shoe Goo (or cobblers, in the case of fancier shoes). Though I also support your decision of getting rid of 6 pairs of shoes if you simply have too many overall.

I was considering buying a new tote bag. Then I remembered I had tote bags already. I gave one bag away in a batch of donations to a local charity shop that funds research on blindness, and repaired the handle of a second tote bag that I used so much it was starting to wear through. Net result: -1 bag in the house, and one more saved from the trash by fixing it.

[draco44]

If anyone has athletic shoes that have worn out, you can drop them off at most Nike stores in North America or Europe for shredding and being turned into athletic track surfaces. They accept any brand of shoes, but only athletic shoes.
https://www.nike.com/help/a/recycle-shoes

When I've done this before, my closest store sort of hides the bin but the employees knew about the program and would take the shoes no questions asked. I wasn't pressured to buy new shoes there either, though I'm sure that's what the company is hoping for.

[mspym]

After years of dithering, I finally posted some manga for sale and people are already keen to buy it? None of the tasks involved - taking a photo, logging into an account, writing an ad- are particularly onerous so why did it always seem easier to just give them away?

ETA: oh that's right, people are terrible? Don't message me after midnight and then send "???" at 9am because I haven't responded. Dude. People sleep.

[lazycow]

If anyone has athletic shoes that have worn out, you can drop them off at most Nike stores in North America or Europe for shredding and being turned into athletic track surfaces. They accept any brand of shoes, but only athletic shoes.
https://www.nike.com/help/a/recycle-shoes

When I've done this before, my closest store sort of hides the bin but the employees knew about the program and would take the shoes no questions asked. I wasn't pressured to buy new shoes there either, though I'm sure that's what the company is hoping for.

For the Aussies: Rebel Sport also has a similar program, if you don't have a Nike store close by. Why they don't promote this at all sporting clubs, schools and unis I will never understand!

[MaybeBabyMustache]

-Sold a pair of outgrown kids swim trunks & an iron I've never used
-Listed a bunch of stuff on eBay
-Gave away a few more craft items on Buy Nothing

[Loretta]

Successfully gave away coffee filters that didn’t fit.

Ate from the fridge and recycled our recyclable bits.

[SunnyDays]

For those of you who sell things on eBay, I’m curious how you decide on shipping charges.  Whenever I think I’m interested in buying something on there, it seems there’s usually some ridiculous charge, like the seller is hoping no one will notice and think they’re getting a reasonably priced item.  I’ve pretty much given up even looking at it anymore due to this issue.

[mspym]

Tiny wins:
- first set of manga in the capable hands of the post office
- ingredients purchased to turn cupboard lurkers into meals
- I'm copying out the ONE recipe I regularly make from a cookbook and then that will go into the street library.

[NotJen]

For those of you who sell things on eBay, I’m curious how you decide on shipping charges.  Whenever I think I’m interested in buying something on there, it seems there’s usually some ridiculous charge, like the seller is hoping no one will notice and think they’re getting a reasonably priced item.  I’ve pretty much given up even looking at it anymore due to this issue.

I do the automatic calculation - I enter the weight and dimensions, and then USPS rates are determined based on the buyer's address, and that's what gets charged.  If you're used to free shipping from big companies, then USPS rates can seem pretty high.  I have told buyers who complain about the shipping that there's nothing I can do - they should try to find someone selling the item closer to home.  I might sometimes make a dollar or two using eBay's discounted shipping rates, but that goes towards paying for packing materials, which I don't charge extra for.

[LaineyAZ]

Just a note to say that I've seen a number of ironing boards in the thrift stores in the last 6 months, more than I've seen at any other time.

Makes me think that's another sign that business wear/formal wear will continue to be a thing of the past and that this Covid/stay-at-home leisure wear will be a permanent lifestyle.  I've been wondering if I should donate my ironing board too, and just keep my iron for any touch-ups. 
And finally wondering if there's any creative re-uses of ironing boards??  That could be a fun project.

[Unique User]

For those of you who sell things on eBay, I’m curious how you decide on shipping charges.  Whenever I think I’m interested in buying something on there, it seems there’s usually some ridiculous charge, like the seller is hoping no one will notice and think they’re getting a reasonably priced item.  I’ve pretty much given up even looking at it anymore due to this issue.

I do the automatic calculation - I enter the weight and dimensions, and then USPS rates are determined based on the buyer's address, and that's what gets charged.  If you're used to free shipping from big companies, then USPS rates can seem pretty high.  I have told buyers who complain about the shipping that there's nothing I can do - they should try to find someone selling the item closer to home.  I might sometimes make a dollar or two using eBay's discounted shipping rates, but that goes towards paying for packing materials, which I don't charge extra for.

I do the same.  Facebook marketplace has you put in the weight of an item, not dimensions.  So far, so good with both. 

I've sold 10 items this month along with a stack of 1940s cookbook pamphlets for a grand total of $450.  One of those items was a set of dishes that was packed into three boxes for the person picking up so that cleared out a lot of space.  Not much other clearing out as I took a two month gig for Feb/March, but April 1st I'll start again.  I took down all my ebay and facebook listings as I head to the job site next week for a month. 

[MaybeBabyMustache]

For those of you who sell things on eBay, I’m curious how you decide on shipping charges.  Whenever I think I’m interested in buying something on there, it seems there’s usually some ridiculous charge, like the seller is hoping no one will notice and think they’re getting a reasonably priced item.  I’ve pretty much given up even looking at it anymore due to this issue.

I do the automatic calculation - I enter the weight and dimensions, and then USPS rates are determined based on the buyer's address, and that's what gets charged.  If you're used to free shipping from big companies, then USPS rates can seem pretty high.  I have told buyers who complain about the shipping that there's nothing I can do - they should try to find someone selling the item closer to home.  I might sometimes make a dollar or two using eBay's discounted shipping rates, but that goes towards paying for packing materials, which I don't charge extra for.

This exactly. @SunnyDays - I think you'll find that most the time this is the actual cost of the shipping, not any special fees the seller is charging. I always just enter the dimensions & weight, and eBay calculates the price. Unfortunately, postage is not cheap. Many times I opt not to sell an item, because I have to reduce the item sale price to make it a reasonable offer for the buyer, once factoring in shipping. I almost never see crazy shipping on eBay that's unrelated to actual shipping charges.

Like @NotJen , I don't charge for any packing supplies (mailing envelopes, tape, etc) which adds up, depending on how much you sell. Sometimes eBay offers a small discount on shipping, which I used to cover the shipping supplies.