Author Topic: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2  (Read 1254282 times)

LaineyAZ

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #5100 on: May 17, 2021, 09:24:54 AM »
Proud of myself for doing the dreaded paperwork declutter this past weekend.  Amazing what a few hours of focused work can accomplish.
Managed to toss 2 boxes and 1 small plastic tub of old tax files, articles, old bank paperwork, photos, and other miscellaneous. 

And it's true that seeing a cleared space can motivate you even further, so organizing the remaining photos and reviewing the last 4 boxes should be much easier.
Just do it!
 

oneday

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #5101 on: May 17, 2021, 06:43:37 PM »
@lazycow That is a wonderful question to ask!

@okisok thanks! As predicted, it didn't last past getting the mail! But I did my deal-with-one-paper-a-day thing today and it will at least stay in control.

What is it you are getting? Can you switch to estatememts and ebills? And cancel circulars? 

I rarely get mail. I get a vehicle registration papers once a year, my local area parking stickers and quarterly business bank statements (as annoyingly they can't do estatememts for business accounts??) And maybe 3 Xmas cards, lol.  Mr F gets a few charity donation letters & the waste of money & paper (not to mention "gifts" they send) is infuriating and makes us *not* want to donate.

Everything else goes straight in the bin as it's junk, even though I've got a sign requesting no junk. Conveniently most companies have stopped sending paper mail without me needing to cancel, I wish charities would follow suit.

I got a coupon from a store I have a credit card with, and that went into the Time Will Tell place. It will get recycled if I don't use it, but it might be handy as I need to replace sheets soon.

And I got a newsletter from the Parks District I joined for the first time in January. It was actually pretty easy to go through and discard, but since it was the first time I'd seen one of those, I wanted to check it out.

And I also got a page of checks from the bank, because my payroll dept requires something printed from the bank to start direct deposit. But the one check I needed is in the mail to payroll and the rest are in The Filing Place.

I'm actually back to Inbox Zero as of this evening. Which will last for a while, but if my life gets stressful, that's probably something that will get less attention.

Have been able to maintain Physical Inbox Zero for most of the intervening time. Today I have a few paycheck stubs out because I'm working on financial projections based on income from a brand-new job. This is acceptable.

On the plus side, attempt #2 to give away some really nice self-closing cardboard boxes worked. The last of the unpacked moving boxes gone!

lazycow

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #5102 on: May 18, 2021, 04:26:55 AM »
A few weeks ago I went through my framed artwork, and took out the cheapest plastic frames to get rid of (kept the artwork since it was all stuff I made).  Today I took the frames (14) to the Goodwill donation center.  Part of me wanted to try to sell them (some $ is better than no $), but I never could get up the gumption to meet up with people, so donate was the way to go.

I still have a lot of frames, and while they still should be pared down, I'm willing to let that go for a while (probably until the next time I move).
@NotJen I did this a while back, but with framed photos. Now I've just stuck the photos on the wall -  in serried ranks - with washi tape, to make a photo wall. It looks a lot neater and way less bulky.

Found 4 mindfulness magazines/workbooks from when it was a new Thing. A girlfriend is going to take them all as they are in pristine condition. That is the very last of the magazines.

Now I just have to decide whether the photo wall in my dining room, which comprises around 100 photos, all of which are more than 10 years old, means that I am 'living in the past' or 'nostalgic for happier times' (as my latest decluttering book seems to suggest). For the time being they make me and my family happy so they stay. Though I really *could* update it by printing some recent photos. They really are the final frontier of organisation though.

crocheted_stache

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #5103 on: May 18, 2021, 08:35:28 PM »
Tackled my sock drawer this evening. Between droopy, holey, mismatched (only one), and not really the right size, I'm keeping fewer than I'm parting with. I'm going to try with the much reduced selection for a while. I may eventually get a few more of the kind I like that fits and lasts.

I even pulled a couple t-shirts, which are hard for me because they often say things I want to remember.

In general, how do folks here decide what to donate versus what to put on Buy Nothing? Is there such a thing as textile recycling for the truly worn out stuff?

Fresh Bread

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #5104 on: May 18, 2021, 08:57:19 PM »
Tackled my sock drawer this evening. Between droopy, holey, mismatched (only one), and not really the right size, I'm keeping fewer than I'm parting with. I'm going to try with the much reduced selection for a while. I may eventually get a few more of the kind I like that fits and lasts.

I even pulled a couple t-shirts, which are hard for me because they often say things I want to remember.

In general, how do folks here decide what to donate versus what to put on Buy Nothing? Is there such a thing as textile recycling for the truly worn out stuff?

There definitely is such a thing as textile recycling - what country are you in? Here in AUS, Vinnie's sell stuff they can't sell instore to the rag recyclers and H&M also take it instore.

I put everything on Facebook because I think it's got a wider reach than a charity shop. I take the odd thing there.

middo

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #5105 on: May 19, 2021, 04:34:17 AM »
Tackled my sock drawer this evening. Between droopy, holey, mismatched (only one), and not really the right size, I'm keeping fewer than I'm parting with. I'm going to try with the much reduced selection for a while. I may eventually get a few more of the kind I like that fits and lasts.

I even pulled a couple t-shirts, which are hard for me because they often say things I want to remember.

In general, how do folks here decide what to donate versus what to put on Buy Nothing? Is there such a thing as textile recycling for the truly worn out stuff?

There definitely is such a thing as textile recycling - what country are you in? Here in AUS, Vinnie's sell stuff they can't sell instore to the rag recyclers and H&M also take it instore.

I put everything on Facebook because I think it's got a wider reach than a charity shop. I take the odd thing there.

Anything that gets beyond wearing in our household ends up as rags for when I change the oil on the car or have sone other dirty work to do. 

slackmax

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #5106 on: May 19, 2021, 06:05:22 AM »
After thinking about it way too long, I threw out an almost empty  5 gallon tub of 25 year old joint compound. More space in the garage! Woohoo !     

LaineyAZ

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #5107 on: May 19, 2021, 08:01:09 AM »
I've decided to downsize my ironing board from full-size to table-top.  Got a table-top version at Goodwill yesterday for a few dollars, so the full-size will be donated.
It's funny because I noticed about 5 full-size ironing boards for sale at Goodwill, so I'm wondering if they are a casualty of the pandemic?  No need to be ironing business clothes if everyone's working from home in sweatpants.

Also, it's bulk trash pickup here starting the end of the month.  It's fun to watch what neighbors put out on the curb, and then watch cars drive by slowly so they can eyeball everything.  Maybe 70% of this stuff gets picked up by the City trucks, about 30% just gets snagged by other neighbors.  The quarterly swap!

Sibley

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #5108 on: May 19, 2021, 09:21:02 AM »
After thinking about it way too long, I threw out an almost empty  5 gallon tub of 25 year old joint compound. More space in the garage! Woohoo !     

How did you keep joint compound from drying out that long? Whenever I've bought it, it hasn't lasted more than a year. Sometimes it gets moldy!

SunnyDays

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #5109 on: May 19, 2021, 09:27:20 AM »
After thinking about it way too long, I threw out an almost empty  5 gallon tub of 25 year old joint compound. More space in the garage! Woohoo !     

Maybe it would make life easier for you to have blanket rules about things.  Such as: any kind of sprays, cleaners, compounds etc older than two years gets tossed.  Any food more than a year past expiry gets tossed.  Any clothes that aren't mine are given away.  And so on.  Then you don't have to decide about every single item.  The chances of you missing those items or regretting getting rid of them are near zero.  Unless you really want to be doing this forever?

Ladychips

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #5110 on: May 19, 2021, 09:55:35 AM »
After thinking about it way too long, I threw out an almost empty  5 gallon tub of 25 year old joint compound. More space in the garage! Woohoo !     

Maybe it would make life easier for you to have blanket rules about things.  Such as: any kind of sprays, cleaners, compounds etc older than two years gets tossed.  Any food more than a year past expiry gets tossed.  Any clothes that aren't mine are given away.  And so on.  Then you don't have to decide about every single item.  The chances of you missing those items or regretting getting rid of them are near zero.  Unless you really want to be doing this forever?

This sounds like a great idea.  And the best part is that you are making the rules so you can make ones that work for you.  And you can change them later as things become easier to get rid of.

MaybeBabyMustache

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #5111 on: May 19, 2021, 10:58:19 AM »
Sold two stickers & a sunglasses kit on eBay. More junk out of the house! I've taken a pause  listing items, because I need a break.

We are selling our vacation house "turn key", which means we won't have to move out anything other than clothes & food. This is huge, as I was overwhelmed by the idea of getting rid of everything in a tiny market, over a very short period of time.

slackmax

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #5112 on: May 20, 2021, 06:01:08 AM »
After thinking about it way too long, I threw out an almost empty  5 gallon tub of 25 year old joint compound. More space in the garage! Woohoo !     

How did you keep joint compound from drying out that long? Whenever I've bought it, it hasn't lasted more than a year. Sometimes it gets moldy!

It was still moist, but cracks had formed in it. And yes, it had a mildew odor, lol.

It was just a big unknown tub in the corner of my garage forever. I don't even know how it got there.

I finally dragged it out to see what the heck it was. 
 

MaybeBabyMustache

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #5113 on: May 20, 2021, 07:26:24 AM »
-Sold a book from our vacation house & a shirt that is too big for my husband on eBay
-Heading to our vacation house today. We have about a month until closing. We did the majority of clean out last time we were there, but there are still things to go through & clean/organize/declutter. I'm bringing my mom & sister, so it will be a bit of a combo fun trip, & clean out "party"

oneday

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #5114 on: May 20, 2021, 06:01:08 PM »
Yesterday, received a delivery of materials to repair the back fence. Immediately put the pallet and misc lumber they came packed with at the curb with a free sign. The lumber is gone, but the pallet, which is in poor condition, is still there. I remain hopeful that someone will take it for the wood.

SunnyDays

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #5115 on: May 20, 2021, 10:45:50 PM »
Yesterday, received a delivery of materials to repair the back fence. Immediately put the pallet and misc lumber they came packed with at the curb with a free sign. The lumber is gone, but the pallet, which is in poor condition, is still there. I remain hopeful that someone will take it for the wood.

Are you at all handy?  You could make some birdhouses from the pallet.

oneday

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #5116 on: May 20, 2021, 11:31:23 PM »
Yesterday, received a delivery of materials to repair the back fence. Immediately put the pallet and misc lumber they came packed with at the curb with a free sign. The lumber is gone, but the pallet, which is in poor condition, is still there. I remain hopeful that someone will take it for the wood.

Are you at all handy?  You could make some birdhouses from the pallet.

A good suggestion! But I lack the tools, time and motivation (I have a cat, and think it's not fair to attract prey to the yard. Maybe I will print out plans for a birdhouse and attach it to the pallet for someone else to make.

crocheted_stache

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #5117 on: May 20, 2021, 11:44:55 PM »
Tackled my sock drawer this evening. Between droopy, holey, mismatched (only one), and not really the right size, I'm keeping fewer than I'm parting with. I'm going to try with the much reduced selection for a while. I may eventually get a few more of the kind I like that fits and lasts.

I even pulled a couple t-shirts, which are hard for me to part with because they often say things I want to remember.

In general, how do folks here decide what to donate versus what to put on Buy Nothing?

Sibley

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #5118 on: May 21, 2021, 07:44:21 PM »
I am generally unwilling to deal with people, so I tend to donate a lot. I'm more likely to sell furniture. Random piles of dirt/rocks/whatever I give away free, just come and get it out of my yard.

oneday

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #5119 on: May 21, 2021, 09:14:43 PM »
Yesterday, received a delivery of materials to repair the back fence. Immediately put the pallet and misc lumber they came packed with at the curb with a free sign. The lumber is gone, but the pallet, which is in poor condition, is still there. I remain hopeful that someone will take it for the wood.

I was unaware that LandLord had decided to hire someone to build the fence; they disposed of the pallet. Hooray!

SunnyDays

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #5120 on: May 21, 2021, 09:28:52 PM »
Yesterday, received a delivery of materials to repair the back fence. Immediately put the pallet and misc lumber they came packed with at the curb with a free sign. The lumber is gone, but the pallet, which is in poor condition, is still there. I remain hopeful that someone will take it for the wood.

I was unaware that LandLord had decided to hire someone to build the fence; they disposed of the pallet. Hooray!

I thought you were going to say that the pallet was used to build the fence.  One of my neighbours has done that.  Turned the pallets so the boards run vertically and strung a bunch together and stained it.  I’m all for saving money, but really!  He doesn’t see it because it’s behind a bunch of trees along a walkway, but everyone else has to look at it.  I think he put it up to keep the pine cones from rolling onto the walkway, because he can’t be expected to actually rake them up, can he?

RetiredAt63

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #5121 on: May 22, 2021, 06:30:08 AM »
Pallets can be useful.  I used to wire them together to make compost bins.  I knew someone who built a frame, walled it with pallets and then sided it with wood shakes.  Pallets for floor plus a basic roof, and he had a nice well-ventilated shed for firewood.

draco44

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #5122 on: May 22, 2021, 11:37:47 AM »
Tackled my sock drawer this evening. Between droopy, holey, mismatched (only one), and not really the right size, I'm keeping fewer than I'm parting with. I'm going to try with the much reduced selection for a while. I may eventually get a few more of the kind I like that fits and lasts.

I even pulled a couple t-shirts, which are hard for me to part with because they often say things I want to remember.

In general, how do folks here decide what to donate versus what to put on Buy Nothing?

Various factors can influence what I choose to do at any given time, but donating is the fastest way to give stuff away because you don't have to work with another person's schedule. This can be especially helpful if you have a large quantity of items and are at a moment in life when you may not have mental energy to describe and post everything.

Assuming limitless time and energy (ha!), other considerations for me are the (1) the uncommonness of the item and (2) if I think it can sell at a resale shop.  Breaking this down:
- If the item in question is something that might not be self-explanatory to a random stranger, I like giving it away on Buy Nothing because I can say in my post what it is and therefore maximize the changes it will get used instead of going to the landfill.
- Buy Nothing would also be my first choice for items that are brand specific in terms of what they work with, like say a car window reflector/sun shade that's sized to a certain make and model of vehicle, or extra parts for an item I no longer own that I later find around my home (vacuum cleaner bags, e.g.).
- Examples of items likely unsellable in a thrift store items include things like beauty or cleaning products you tried but didn't like and don't want to pour down the drain. Or something that may require repair before being usable but is structurally sound, like furniture that needs repainting. On my Buy Nothing group I also see a fair number of food posts for fridge/pantry clean-outs, especially when people move, for things that would likely not be suitable for a food kitchen donation, like a partially used bottle of olive oil or holiday-specific candy or an assortment of frozen food.

There's also an emotional element to it. Sometimes if I have an item to get rid of that I still have a lot of attachment to, I will choose Buy Nothing over a thrift store donation because it seems too special to do anything other than give directly to another person. It's a more personal interaction, and avoids the risk that the item may slip through the cracks of a thrift store's sorting system and never find a new home. Of course, the person on Buy Nothing could turn around the next day and donate it themselves if they change their minds about the item, but it can be really satisfying to feel like you've found the right home for a special item.
« Last Edit: May 22, 2021, 11:39:20 AM by draco44 »

SquashingDebt

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #5123 on: May 22, 2021, 05:24:38 PM »
Just found out that I need to move in the next few weeks.  Time to declutter!  I'll be combining households with my partner, so we'll need to work on reducing duplicates.  The apartment we're moving into is about half the size of my current one, so it'll be good motivation to let things go. 

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #5124 on: May 23, 2021, 03:45:26 PM »
Sold a camera bag for $50.

Next up is try to sell an old camera. Not sure if it will sell as they upgrade the models on digital cameras every year or so now.

The person came and picked up the camera bag today, and I sold a pair of canvas prints for $20. I also listed the camera, but I am not too confident that it will sell. If not, I might see if I can donate it to the high school or something. Even a charitable receipt would be better than nothing.

A weird thing happened when I was trying to list it on FB Marketplace. They wanted me to upgrade the listing for money. I had seen that one other time, but today it wouldn't let me go any further, so I had to exit. I wonder if it was because I used the word Canon?

I sold the camera! Pretty stoked about that. It was a little stressful as the buyer wanted me to ship it, which I have never done before, but the only other offer was lower, and the guy seemed sketchy. Whew! I feel like I need a drink after all that. Plus, the new camera that I want is on sale. I still have one more little mirrorless camera that I need to sell, but I am going to take a few days off before I list it.

slackmax

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #5125 on: May 24, 2021, 06:48:54 AM »
Sold a big Totes bag at the flea market, and a lot of smaller stuff.

An encouraging sale was the 3 inch high stack of card stock paper I sold, for $1.  Let the card stock craze begin!  I have tons of this paper to sell, lol.

Also have decided to donate 5 books that didn't sell, to the library.   
« Last Edit: May 24, 2021, 06:55:03 AM by slackmax »

SquashingDebt

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #5126 on: May 24, 2021, 07:32:45 AM »
For those who sell things on Facebook, what's the common way to pay for this sort of sale these days?  Cash?  Venmo?  I'm going to try selling a few things and am out of touch with what's normal these days.

It'll be low-value items where I wouldn't be heartbroken if I didn't get paid at all, if that helps.

Prairie Gal

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #5127 on: May 24, 2021, 08:11:19 AM »
For those who sell things on Facebook, what's the common way to pay for this sort of sale these days?  Cash?  Venmo?  I'm going to try selling a few things and am out of touch with what's normal these days.

It'll be low-value items where I wouldn't be heartbroken if I didn't get paid at all, if that helps.

Cash or e-transfer for me. During the pandemic I have preferred e-transfer, and then porch pickup, but not everyone wants to do this. There is an element of trust.

MaybeBabyMustache

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #5128 on: May 24, 2021, 02:32:54 PM »
For those who sell things on Facebook, what's the common way to pay for this sort of sale these days?  Cash?  Venmo?  I'm going to try selling a few things and am out of touch with what's normal these days.

It'll be low-value items where I wouldn't be heartbroken if I didn't get paid at all, if that helps.

I've never had anyone stiff me, and do quite a bit of porch pickup. I offer both cash (money under the mat) or Venmo.

MaybeBabyMustache

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #5129 on: May 24, 2021, 02:34:42 PM »
I sold outgrown (kid) swim trunks & a book today, so got those mailed out. It always feels like a double win, as I used repurposed packaging, & both the packaging & the item leaves my house.

I bought my son a few items of clothing, and about 1/2 of it didn't fit. Rather than procrastinate, I packaged up the return today & dropped it off at the mailbox along with my two eBay sales.

Ladychips

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #5130 on: May 24, 2021, 02:49:09 PM »
I bought my son a few items of clothing, and about 1/2 of it didn't fit. Rather than procrastinate, I packaged up the return today & dropped it off at the mailbox along with my two eBay sales.

In my world this is some high-level adulting.  Congratulations!

MaybeBabyMustache

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #5131 on: May 24, 2021, 03:29:27 PM »
I bought my son a few items of clothing, and about 1/2 of it didn't fit. Rather than procrastinate, I packaged up the return today & dropped it off at the mailbox along with my two eBay sales.

In my world this is some high-level adulting.  Congratulations!

These things usually end up in my closet for at least a few weeks, until I get tired of seeing them, so turning them around in under 24 hours is a pretty big improvement.

Ladychips

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #5132 on: May 24, 2021, 03:47:20 PM »
I bought my son a few items of clothing, and about 1/2 of it didn't fit. Rather than procrastinate, I packaged up the return today & dropped it off at the mailbox along with my two eBay sales.

In my world this is some high-level adulting.  Congratulations!

These things usually end up in my closet for at least a few weeks, until I get tired of seeing them, so turning them around in under 24 hours is a pretty big improvement.

These things usually end up in my donate pile, which leads to plenty of guilt and shame.  I was genuinely expressing kudos!

MaybeBabyMustache

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #5133 on: May 24, 2021, 04:39:55 PM »
I bought my son a few items of clothing, and about 1/2 of it didn't fit. Rather than procrastinate, I packaged up the return today & dropped it off at the mailbox along with my two eBay sales.

In my world this is some high-level adulting.  Congratulations!

These things usually end up in my closet for at least a few weeks, until I get tired of seeing them, so turning them around in under 24 hours is a pretty big improvement.

These things usually end up in my donate pile, which leads to plenty of guilt and shame.  I was genuinely expressing kudos!

Oh, I read it that way! :-) I've been down the donation pile path as well

MountainGal

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #5134 on: May 25, 2021, 01:26:30 PM »
Space clearing at the office has begun!  I trimmed a few plants and tossed another, will donate a stack of office supplies, discovered two unopened packages of photo printer cards w/ envelopes which DH said he can use, and will bring ink cartridges to Office Depot for recycling purposes the next time I'm in the big city.  I also brought several empty boxes to the recycle bin.

I recently bought a Keurig Slim so I can offer clients coffee, and set up a little coffee station in the reception area.  I relocated several items from the drawer underneath, and it now houses creamer, sweetener packets, stirrers, and napkins.  I also tossed the broken tabletop water fountain and replaced it with a new one, and bought a new neon OPEN sign.  It looks great!

Raenia

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #5135 on: May 25, 2021, 01:37:06 PM »
Noticed I've been skipping over the first two shirts in my drawer all week, so I pulled them out for the donation box.  Box will need to go out to the donation point sometime this week, as we're moving over the weekend, so the more that makes it in now, the better!

slackmax

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #5136 on: May 26, 2021, 08:11:13 AM »
I took the Maria Muldaur 'Sweet Harmony' album out of my sell box, just to hear 'Midnight at the Oasis' one more time.

Turns out that song wasn't on there at all. What was on there were 14 excellent other songs that I really enjoyed.

Why did I ever put this album in the sell box? I guess my musical taste has changed. So I am keeping it in my 'in house forever' stash now.

Just for kicks, I also took out my Edmundo Ros 'Great for Dancing' album to give it one more chance. Nope, It stays in the sell box for now, lol.

MaybeBabyMustache

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #5137 on: May 26, 2021, 08:16:02 AM »
I ordered my son a school logo mask, and he refused to wear it. It was a school fundraiser, so I was happy to support, but couldn't figure out what to do with the (new, unused) mask. A parent of a senior posted yesterday that they needed the same mask, as they are no longer available, and all of the seniors are wearing them to graduation. Excellent! She's picking it up today. Love to see things go to someone who needs them.

lazycow

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #5138 on: May 27, 2021, 01:40:03 AM »
Had a lovely conversation with a volunteer when I dropped of some stuff at the local Foster Kids op shop. I asked if there was anything in particular they needed re donations and she said they were always after baby clothes; they can't keep up with demand. Not that I have any, but will put the word out to everyone I know.

She accepted 2 queen doona covers, a pillowcase and a large cork board. I had a single bed doona/quilt, which has a permanent (coffee? tea?) stain and was unsure of how to get rid of it, but decided I will keep it as emergency dog bedding for when one of our dogs manages to completely shred her current bed.

I still have a stack of towels to go through (we host a LOT of visitors), but most are now so old they are stained or ripped and not guest-standard, though, as I told my husband, we may be a cafe/bar/restaurant, we are not a bloody hotel, so friends can bring their own towels in future; they do get a comfy bed and their own bathroom, so I can't see anyone complaining!

SquashingDebt

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #5139 on: May 27, 2021, 04:50:45 AM »
I'm making good progress on my pre-move decluttering.  It's a weird mix of emotions.  On one hand, it's really motivating knowing that I'm combining lives with my partner, and also moving to a significantly smaller place.  If I'm on the fence about anything, knowing that it's not his taste helps me put it in the donate box.  On the other hand, it's a little scary, feeling like I'm giving up some of my own life as I combine with his.  I've been living alone for 12 years and have never lived with a partner, so this is a big transition!

Here's a partial list of what I've let go of:

spare lampshade
old digital camera
old Wii system
3 old computers (found an electronics recycling nonprofit to give them to!)
old monitor
assorted decorations - candles, trip souvenirs, etc. (I've kept plenty - just donated the ones I'm less excited about)
old rugs I had just been storing in the closet
spare picture frames
extra canning jars
canning equipment (haven't done it in 6 years, and I can always buy new equipment if I want to start canning again eventually)
candlesticks and salt & pepper shakers that my mom bought for me at an antique sale
antique cookbooks I had previously bought as decorations

MaybeBabyMustache

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #5140 on: May 27, 2021, 07:40:27 AM »
@SquashingDebt - I can imagine the combination of those emotions. Good work on the decluttering front!

I gave away a serving tray that we never use. I had it listed on eBay, but it never sold due to shipping costs, & there was no cheaper way to mail it. Someone on my Buy Nothing group was thrilled to have it, so another item out of the house.

I have a bunch of barely used soccer cleats, due to the kids growing during COVID & not getting to wear them. I'll post those soon, as soccer season will be starting again shortly.

Ladychips

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #5141 on: May 27, 2021, 08:07:38 AM »
I'm in the process of cleaning out my office at work (FIRE in 17 more working days!).  It's really challenging to figure out what to do with some things.  All of my work-related tchotchkes I've put on a table for others to pick up. Papers I'm throwing out by the handfuls.  Gifts and pictures are a little more challenging.  Pictures of my family are easy to take home and find a place for.  But I have some pictures of (work) people who are important to me but not something I want to put up in my house.  And then I have a number of 'work' gifts.  I'm a little afraid to put them in the donate pile because I live in a small town.  I think at this point, I'm going to put them in the trash (I'm not talking anything valuable...more like coffee cups...).  It's a tiny bit stressful.

MountainGal

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #5142 on: May 27, 2021, 03:08:15 PM »
@Ladychips, congratulations on your upcoming FIRE.  Regarding work people pictures, what I did years ago (not retired yet, just wanted them out of my house) is give a picture album containing pictures of our sales team to our former sales manager.  I also have a few other pictures of a former co-worker friend that I plan on mailing to her.

Dutch Comfort

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #5143 on: May 28, 2021, 01:46:58 AM »
Sold a children's toy in almost new condition for a good price yesterday. The lady was thrilled with her find, I was thrilled with the cash!
Next thing for sale will be the garden trampoline. Will first give it a good clean this weekend and then put it on Craigslist. Hope this bulky thing will be out of our garden soon!

The donations box in the house was getting full, so I put a few things on our Buy Nothing group. First thing will be picked up today. Hope the rest will go too.....


MaybeBabyMustache

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #5144 on: May 28, 2021, 07:55:14 AM »
-Sold a fridge magnet I've had on eBay for what feels like forever.
-I have a long weekend, so have committed to going through my eBay stuff & organizing. From there, I'll decide what to keep, donate, or give away on Buy Nothing.
-I also need to drop off the takeout containers I'm saving for a lady in my Buy Nothing group who uses them for meals at the homeless shelter. We don't get takeout often, so it takes a while to accumulate.

Loretta

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #5145 on: May 28, 2021, 05:30:39 PM »
I have 2 things listed on CL and Marketplace. I also bought some groceries to specifically use up some random bits in my fridge. 

Prairie Gal

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #5146 on: May 29, 2021, 08:22:43 AM »
Emptied out a two drawer filing cabinet and put most of it's contents in a box for shredding. The stuff I need to keep went in a plastic box that I already had. The only problem was that the plastic box was holding old home movies on video tapes. Not sure what I am going to do with those. Ideally I would like to be able to watch them and then get the ones digitized that are worth keeping, but I don't have a VCR any more.

Anyway, now I can find a home for the filing cabinet.

Need to list for sale:
 - lens for old camera
 - little travel camera

MaybeBabyMustache

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #5147 on: May 29, 2021, 05:08:13 PM »
I'm in the process of going through my eBay listings, pulling things down that haven't sold & giving them away/donating. Clearing up clutter, just as the post title suggests!

So far, I've given away:
-2 like new pair of soccer shorts
-Shoe inserts that never fit
-2 pair of soccer cleats from an ill fated COVID season. Most of the time, cleats cannot be passed down after my kids are done, as they play A LOT of soccer. But, during what is non-fondly known as the "COVID season", we bought our gear, they played two games, and the rest of the season was cancelled. All of their gear is very lightly used, and now they are too big for it. We often go through multiple cleats in a season, feet are growing so fast. I posted these on Buy Nothing, and had takers within 15 minutes. So happy they will get more use!

lazycow

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #5148 on: May 29, 2021, 10:25:25 PM »
A novel I have no interest in reading, and some papers of my late father's from the 1940s when he was in refugee camps after WW2. Sadly, they are too faded to read, and mostly in Italian and German. I have kept the few that are legible.

Now we are in Lockdown again (and likely to be for at least another 10 days) I will have plenty of time to give the house and sheds another going over, but I don't think is really going to be very much left to get rid of.

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #5149 on: May 30, 2021, 01:58:22 AM »
No major decluttering but still doing great on not bringing in new things and also eating down the pantry by using up the less-often used items and not re-buying.