Author Topic: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!  (Read 1850068 times)

former player

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #3600 on: July 19, 2016, 04:29:21 AM »
the advicist: your local womens' refuge will gladly take the tampons.  There will be a phone number available, and you arrange to meet someone in a (central, busy, well lit, car number plates exchanged) car park for the handover, so they don't have to reveal the location of the shelter.

theadvicist

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #3601 on: July 19, 2016, 04:32:49 AM »
the advicist: your local womens' refuge will gladly take the tampons.  There will be a phone number available, and you arrange to meet someone in a (central, busy, well lit, car number plates exchanged) car park for the handover, so they don't have to reveal the location of the shelter.

Thanks for that info. I don't think it's enough of a donation to warrant someone's time like that in this case. It's only 4 boxes, it's just two years worth at the rate I use them. The foodbank sounds ideal because I donate regularly anyway, and we have a collection point locally, so I can just add them to the bag I'm taking anyway.

But I will definitely bear in mind for the future.

former player

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #3602 on: July 19, 2016, 06:35:24 AM »
the advicist: your local womens' refuge will gladly take the tampons.  There will be a phone number available, and you arrange to meet someone in a (central, busy, well lit, car number plates exchanged) car park for the handover, so they don't have to reveal the location of the shelter.

Thanks for that info. I don't think it's enough of a donation to warrant someone's time like that in this case. It's only 4 boxes, it's just two years worth at the rate I use them. The foodbank sounds ideal because I donate regularly anyway, and we have a collection point locally, so I can just add them to the bag I'm taking anyway.

But I will definitely bear in mind for the future.
They will also take any household stuff you want to get rid of - bedding, kitchen stuff, etc., as they gift it to women who are leaving to help set up home.  They take clothes, too (they are always desperate for knickers in various sizes) and cleaners, washing powder, etc.  I bet they would take just the tampons (worth ringing to see), but if not if you have any other spares to donate they would take those too.

RetiredAt63

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #3603 on: July 19, 2016, 08:45:14 AM »
   I've got a couple of other things up for sale, but no takers.  Thanks to Retired at 63, I've found the online library (Overdrive)  which has allowed me to release some of my books.
Glad to help with book release.  I am also finding that when I get a so-so library book by someone whose books I have, that tells me I can release all my books by that author.  So next time I am culling I can search those books out.  The second hand bookstore staff at the community center where my library is are getting used to me bringing a bag or two of various books each time I come to the library.  I donate there, the money is spent well.  My regular second-hand bookstore has switched from cash to credit for books brought in, and they pay 5% of book price (10% on their books) so for a $5 book I might get 25 cents.  Or they might not take it at all. I would rather donate.  I have always been a book hoarder, this is a 180o change for me. 
My really old fiction is hard to find, it is what I will probably end up holding on to, unless I can get Kindle editions without paying huge amounts.

theadvicist

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #3604 on: July 21, 2016, 01:57:36 AM »
Regarding books, it helped me to figure out why I didn't want to get rid of my favourites.

The answer was that I was scared I would forget about them.

So I made a spreadsheet. And every single book I read I add it on, with a really short plot synopsis (like one sentence just to jog my memory) and if I loved it I put a star next to it. That way I can still go back and see every book I have ever loved, without them getting musty on my bookshelf.

This might not work for everyone, as I am not a big rereader. But safe in the knowledge that I know exactly what my favourites are, I trust the library and Amazon to store them for me. I can buy secondhand usually for 1p plus postage, and then donate / resell, anytime I was to reread.

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #3605 on: July 24, 2016, 11:43:12 AM »
theadvicist: have you heard of goodreads.com ? You can put all that information on there, and it tracks how many books you read each year, as well as if you give books star ratings, then it recommends other books based on the books you like!

Thought this might be another good alternative if you're enjoying the tracking of which books you read / like!

mustachepungoeshere

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #3606 on: July 24, 2016, 01:56:06 PM »
Regarding books, it helped me to figure out why I didn't want to get rid of my favourites.

The answer was that I was scared I would forget about them.

So I made a spreadsheet. And every single book I read I add it on, with a really short plot synopsis (like one sentence just to jog my memory) and if I loved it I put a star next to it. That way I can still go back and see every book I have ever loved, without them getting musty on my bookshelf.

This might not work for everyone, as I am not a big rereader. But safe in the knowledge that I know exactly what my favourites are, I trust the library and Amazon to store them for me. I can buy secondhand usually for 1p plus postage, and then donate / resell, anytime I was to reread.

Thought of you this week while culling books!

I was torn between wanting to buy them as e-books now, or waiting to see if I actually miss them first.

In the end I just made a list of the titles, emailed it to myself, and piled up six more to get rid of.

I've taken to pouring myself a drink and standing in front of my bookshelves, staring at them while I ponder who is next to go...

theadvicist

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #3607 on: July 26, 2016, 08:17:35 AM »
theadvicist: have you heard of goodreads.com ? You can put all that information on there, and it tracks how many books you read each year, as well as if you give books star ratings, then it recommends other books based on the books you like!

Thought this might be another good alternative if you're enjoying the tracking of which books you read / like!

Thanks for the recommendation! I have used it to look up titles and read reviews, or read their 'best 50 (whatever) books' lists, but I have never created an account. I don't know if that is something I would enjoy (the recommendations feature sounds great) or just another thing I'd feel was on my to do list... the spreadsheet is quick, but yeah, no feedback. I'll go and have a poke around, thank you!

RetiredAt63

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #3608 on: July 26, 2016, 10:47:24 AM »

I've taken to pouring myself a drink and standing in front of my bookshelves, staring at them while I ponder who is next to go...

I'm pulling them off the shelves and re-reading (fiction) - if I go "OK, but not to read again" it goes in the pile of donations. 

Non-fiction - I do prefer paper to ebooks - I can read them during a power failure, they won't disappear (unless fire/flood) and I can photocopy easily if I need a few pages.

And yikes I have lot of old personal finance books.  I am reading them (well, skimming), if there is nothing new then they are donate (general advice) or put in paper recycling (definitely outdated).  The only really outdated one I am keeping is Your Money and How To Keep It (Brian Costello)(1985) who introduced me to the value of paying off a mortgage early.  Of course his interest tables start at 8% and end at 19 7/8%.  Definitely those rates were an incentive to pay down the mortgage.

For the younger readers, yes those were real rates.  Our mortgage was at 9% back then, 5 year fixed, and a friend had her mortgage come up and she renewed at 18%. 

Chranstronaut

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #3609 on: July 27, 2016, 03:14:45 PM »
Picked up my KonMari cleaning after leaving it alone in the middle of Komono for a couple months (not so good at the "do it all at once part").  I finished up Komono and started on mementos.  I was able to throw out 5 lbs of photographs!

I was also able to reduce my clothing further, but I don't think I'm quite at my click point.  I noticed a few things bugging the back of my mind and completely stopped thinking of them once I just put them in the donation box.

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #3610 on: July 27, 2016, 09:39:20 PM »
I volunteered to host voice lessons tomorrow - that caused 2 bags of shredding, one old tower computer and keyboard, a box full of empty file folders and a broken adding machine to move out of the office. Funny, but I had actually stopped seeing the clutter/mess. Oops. That was where my konmari stopped a few months ago too, but I won't get back into anything until after October.

mustachepungoeshere

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #3611 on: July 28, 2016, 05:40:13 AM »
Spent another few hours moving stuff into new place today.

I realised just how much of the stuff in our apartment belongs to my husband.

He has far less stuff than some of his friends, but I also know that most of it never gets looked at or used. I could have tossed half of it and he wouldn't have noticed because he's forgotten about it.

So I carted it over to new place and spread it out on the floor, and I've asked him to go through it all before any of it gets put away.

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #3612 on: July 28, 2016, 08:47:19 AM »
Got $400 for taking a crap top video gaming (lol) to Half Price Books.

We got rid of a Sega Genesis, Super Nintendo, Nintendo 64, Game Gear, 2 Gameboy colors, an X-box and a Game Cube and all the games associated with them (except the Game Cube which we can still play in the Wii).

Probably would have made a ton more on ebay, but this took only a few hours of sitting in a bookstore and reading while waiting!

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #3613 on: July 28, 2016, 09:14:19 AM »
My aunt was happy to receive the antique sewing machine that was handed down to me from my great aunt about 25 years ago.  OTOH, another aunt gave me two pairs of capri pants (which I may just donate, but it made her happy to find them a home), and the portrait of myself @ age ten that used to hang in my grandmother's house made it back to me.  OK with that though, as we don't have a ton of things on our walls.  Managed to come home from vacation with only two pint glasses from DH's friend's brewery, and no other non-consumable items.  I'm pretty good at breaking glasses, so it kind of makes sense to add to the collection over time anyway.

This morning I gave some unneeded dog supplies to a coworker. 

It's going to be hot this weekend, so am reading this thread for inspiration to do some decluttering again since I probably won't be inclined to spend time outside in the afternoons.

Chranstronaut

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #3614 on: July 28, 2016, 10:00:52 AM »
Got $400...

NICE!  That's quite a haul.

Fig

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #3615 on: July 28, 2016, 01:33:29 PM »
A pretty but unused rocking chair has gone to the charity shop, along with various clothes, including a dress I mended with new buttons so it didn't end up in landfill... Hmm.

Other good news: tidying up ready for my monthly house guest is getting easier.

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #3616 on: July 30, 2016, 08:26:33 PM »
I got rid of some craft supplies and made $60. That was one bag I was thrilled to see head out the door!

mustachepungoeshere

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #3617 on: July 30, 2016, 09:23:32 PM »
Moved yesterday.

Still decluttering as a I settle into new place.

I had offered things to friends and relatives - books, kitchen items, etc - but haven't seen those people to hand over their loot, so I have labelled bags lined up ready to go, as well as donations to three different charities.

Struggling for motivation to list anything on eBay.

theadvicist

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #3618 on: August 02, 2016, 04:58:39 AM »
Has anyone on this thread moved from decluttering to minimalism? I've been so pleased with my progress (and my life) since cutting back significantly on stuff that I've been reading a lot and it is very tempting... I know I don't have to go 'full on' one or the other, I can just keep cutting down until it feels 'right'. But would love hear other's experiences if anyone here has come to consider themselves a 'minimalist'.

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #3619 on: August 02, 2016, 05:05:24 AM »
I remember seeing on TV the interiors of a very famous minimalist architects home.  Very empty, very white.  Until you realised that in every room one wall was floor to ceiling white handleless cupboards stuffed full of stuff.  Which told me that "minimalist" can be either for show or for real.  I'm somewhat the other way: I have things on show (built in bookcases, built in glass-fronted cupboards for china) but very little stuffed away in cupboards.

Although I do need to declutter - a sofa to sell, papers to sort and burn, clothes to donate.  When I have a moment.

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #3620 on: August 02, 2016, 11:22:07 AM »
The worst thing/best thing ever happened! Our basement flooded. Not too much water (maybe 1/2 - 1 inch), but it soaked every cardboard box on the floor, had to be wet-vacced up. It took us over 8 hours to get everything ruined out of the house, vacuum the water up, identify what was junk and put it in a pile for the dump. We borrowed a dehumidifier and have that running 24 a day.

We bought more wire shelves to add to the ones on the wall currently, so nothing will be on the floor if there is ever a repeat. NO more cardboard boxes. We have plenty of rubbermaids (both colored and clear) to store things in.

It was a hard, sweaty, exhausting day, but at the end of it, I felt so great, because me and the Other Human had worked together to make the basement better than it has been since we moved in. The basement was the graveyard of things in our house, if we didn't know what to do with things, into the basement they went.

I was ruthless with tossing things that hadn't even gotten wet. I found some disgusting old shoes (my Other Human hates to throw away shoes) and I said, "I think these have mold on them", and bagged them and he didn't even complain.

Last night I went into the gardening area of the basement and threw away a whole other garbage bag of things that were just hanging out, wasting space. If we don't use it, it's GOING AWAY.

I feel like that old song, I am woman, hear me roar, in letters too big to ignore, this crap has got to get out of my house forevermore!"

sis

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #3621 on: August 02, 2016, 11:47:26 AM »
We went through our miscellaneous electronics and found a whole lot of old boxes for things to throw away.  We also found that we have something like 8 or 9 pairs of functional headphones for our phones :P  At least now they are all in one place.

Today I'm going to go through some of my boxes of paper type items and shred a bunch of stuff.

I think that moving in ~6-8 weeks is really going to inspire me to get through a lot of stuff.  Because if I don't get through everything before we move, I'll probably just wind up moving a whole lot of junk with me and that would be terrible!!

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #3622 on: August 03, 2016, 02:00:28 AM »
I found some disgusting old shoes (my Other Human hates to throw away shoes) and I said, "I think these have mold on them", and bagged them and he didn't even complain.

Laughing

I know that feeling. You actually get mad at the stuff. "Be gone stuff!"

sis

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #3623 on: August 03, 2016, 04:30:13 AM »
Okay well I cleared out a couple of my little random paper storage bins on my book shelf.  I probably got rid of about 100+ sheets of looseleaf with random stuff written on it, 5 or 6 old steno books, and some old exams I'd used with my tutoring students.  All in all not too bad.

Today I'm going to tackle the top of my dresser, which has just a ton of random toiletries, a whole bunch of books, and some supplements.

ZiziPB

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #3624 on: August 03, 2016, 07:23:14 AM »
Have been watching Courtney Carver's 21 Decluttering Challenge videos: http://bemorewithless.com/decluttering/

Went through the bathroom cabinets and tossed some old things.  Sorted through my jewelry collection and set aside a bunch of gold and silver items that I don't wear any more and should sell.  I need to figure out where to bring them.

Gathered a few more things for consignment and donation and will bring them in this weekend - it took me a while to reach a critical mass.  And I had some fall/winter clothes I put away in the spring that were out of season then but will be accepted now.

ZiziPB

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #3625 on: August 03, 2016, 09:51:51 AM »
Any suggestions on what to do with half-used cleaning and laundry products?  All purpose cleaner that gives me a headache or a specialized laundry additive that didn't quite work?  Pour them down the drain?

PMG

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #3626 on: August 03, 2016, 09:55:33 AM »
Any suggestions on what to do with half-used cleaning and laundry products?  All purpose cleaner that gives me a headache or a specialized laundry additive that didn't quite work?  Pour them down the drain?

Homeless shelter?  Or just post them on Facebook (if you are a user). I've found it pretty easy to give away stuff like that thru social media.  It's not something many people would but half used at goodwill!  But when you know the person giving it away it's easy to accept.

ZiziPB

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #3627 on: August 03, 2016, 10:04:06 AM »
Good suggestion but I don't do social media.  I may bring them to the local laundromat and just leave them with a note saying "free stuff"...

mustachepungoeshere

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #3628 on: August 03, 2016, 04:12:34 PM »
Still sorting out things in old apartment while settling into new apartment.

I had hoped to "finish" decluttering before we hand the keys back, but I need to remember from experience that I will adapt to this new normal and then want to start again.

My big problem area is things from my mum. Letters, postcards, gifts, clothes, luggage... I know the money and thought that has gone into it. :(

1967mama

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #3629 on: August 03, 2016, 04:26:21 PM »
In the spirit of the subject line of this forum, I asked my library to order the Minimalism Documentary rather than purchasing one myself, even though I reeeeeally wanted to buy it!

marty998

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #3630 on: August 04, 2016, 02:07:25 AM »
Still sorting out things in old apartment while settling into new apartment.

I had hoped to "finish" decluttering before we hand the keys back, but I need to remember from experience that I will adapt to this new normal and then want to start again.

My big problem area is things from my mum. Letters, postcards, gifts, clothes, luggage... I know the money and thought that has gone into it. :(

Fill the luggage with all the letters, postcards, gifts and clothes.

Put the luggage on a plane back to mum with a note saying "hi, can you store this in my old room pretty pretty please???"

Bracken_Joy

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #3631 on: August 04, 2016, 06:49:16 AM »
Any suggestions on what to do with half-used cleaning and laundry products?  All purpose cleaner that gives me a headache or a specialized laundry additive that didn't quite work?  Pour them down the drain?

I give stuff like this away on my local Buy Nothing Project group. I always get takers =)

mustachepungoeshere

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #3632 on: August 07, 2016, 12:44:42 AM »
Oh MMM. It's been a hard week for Stuff.

We moved, only within our apartment building, but I drastically under-estimated the amount of Stuff involved.

I would say I've been permanently decluttering for at least a year, but it turns out I've only been decluttering my stuff or "joint" (practically mine) things like kitchen Stuff.

While I have been decluttering, my husband has been bringing so much into our home. Mostly freebies, due to his work (clothes, stationery, speakers, external hard drives, portable battery chargers, plus branded merch like USBs, clothes). But while those things are 'free', they still come at a cost. A cost of space.

My husband was embarrassed by the amount of his Stuff we had to move, and the cost involved in acquiring it all. That's a worthwhile lesson to learn, and he's willing to offload some to charity or eBay.

And a relative has offered to buy six pieces of furniture, we just have to store them for a week or two.

But I still feel like I'm drowning under it all.

For more than a week, I've faced a thousand questions of keep or toss, charity or sell, over and over again.

We've moved into a beautiful new space, we've bought a couple of new things for new place including a beautiful new chair (almost everything in old place was second hand), and I want to enjoy it rather than playing Tetris with Stuff to ensure it all fits in cupboards.

I have a tendency to make the perfect the enemy of the good, and I've realised I just need to move everything over then deal with it, rather than just trying to get rid of it all from old apartment.

TL;DR: I've realised I have a lot of room for improvement, and not a lot of room for stuff. But as with all things MMM, it is a process, and I'm still doing better than I was five years ago.

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #3633 on: August 07, 2016, 07:31:54 AM »

Put the luggage on a plane back to mum with a note saying "hi, can you store this in my old room pretty pretty please???"

You really shouldn't declutter your house by cluttering up someone else's!

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #3634 on: August 07, 2016, 08:08:13 AM »
My DH went through his gundam and warhammer today. Consolidated it to half the size, and chucked all kinds of little plastic and cardboard rubbish! I'm so proud of him!


Put the luggage on a plane back to mum with a note saying "hi, can you store this in my old room pretty pretty please???"

You really shouldn't declutter your house by cluttering up someone else's!
But, on the off chance this is someone who tends to buy many not-really-required gifts for other people, it could be a great lesson for "actually maybe I should stop buying my kid so many things..." :P

sis

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #3635 on: August 07, 2016, 11:52:49 AM »
Anyone have suggestions on what to do with old laptops?  We have *facepunch* 3 or 4 of them.  DH broke a perfectly good laptop by tripping over the cord and smashing it to bits.  Then others I've just been moving place to place *facepunch* because I didn't know what to do with them when they became obsolete...

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #3636 on: August 07, 2016, 02:48:27 PM »
Anyone have suggestions on what to do with old laptops?  We have *facepunch* 3 or 4 of them.  DH broke a perfectly good laptop by tripping over the cord and smashing it to bits.  Then others I've just been moving place to place *facepunch* because I didn't know what to do with them when they became obsolete...
2 options I can think of right off the bat. 

There are charities that take old computers and laptops, make sure they work, and give them away to people who wouldn't get a computer otherwise.  This can work even if only some of the components work, they can be cannibalized.

If that isn't an option then electronic recycling.

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #3637 on: August 07, 2016, 03:03:13 PM »
Anyone have suggestions on what to do with old laptops?  We have *facepunch* 3 or 4 of them.  DH broke a perfectly good laptop by tripping over the cord and smashing it to bits.  Then others I've just been moving place to place *facepunch* because I didn't know what to do with them when they became obsolete...

I tend to purchase redundant, used, laptops -- in pairs.  My current fav is the ThinkPad T420 which I've purchased from ebay in the $250 price range.  I keep one at the office and one at home, while syncing all my work between the two.  If one breaks, I can later cannibalize it for spare parts.  Both are running Linux and have been upgraded to 8GB RAM and SSD drives.

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #3638 on: August 07, 2016, 06:09:27 PM »
I also need ideas for offloading a Macbook...

After falling into a junk funk yesterday, today I've decided to just suck it up and get on with it.

I just dropped three ziplock bags of foreign coins to the bank to be donated to UNICEF.

I kept currency for anywhere I'm likely to visit again, and offloaded the rest. Feels good.

abhe8

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #3639 on: August 07, 2016, 07:48:09 PM »
Two more trips to goodwill this weekend. Also sent four bags of baby clothes to my sister and two to a friend. I'm starting to feel like I'm making progress.

Wrt gifts... I accept them, express my sincere appreciation and later quietly pass them on. No need to squash the givers joy in giving by sending them back. I know someone will be delighted to find the item at good will and I enjoy the tax deduction too. :)


Next up: kid closets and kitchen cabinets.
« Last Edit: August 07, 2016, 07:49:47 PM by abhe8 »

BeautifulDay

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #3640 on: August 07, 2016, 08:10:11 PM »
Pulled out 3 single use kitchen gadget and miscellaneous other kitchen items to be donated to goodwill. 

YogiKitti

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #3641 on: August 07, 2016, 08:20:18 PM »
Has anyone on this thread moved from decluttering to minimalism? I've been so pleased with my progress (and my life) since cutting back significantly on stuff that I've been reading a lot and it is very tempting... I know I don't have to go 'full on' one or the other, I can just keep cutting down until it feels 'right'. But would love hear other's experiences if anyone here has come to consider themselves a 'minimalist'.

I like to think of myself as a minimalist. Stuff stresses me out, so I went through a period where so much stuff was donated and I feel much better. The stuff creep is real though and I need to keep on it.


There is a difference between the minimalist mindset and minimalist decor. My home isn't sterile.

1967mama

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #3642 on: August 07, 2016, 11:30:19 PM »
An old broken down dresser and two bags of miscellaneous clothes and shoes are OUTTA HERE!

mustachepungoeshere

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #3643 on: August 08, 2016, 05:53:14 AM »

Not a gift, but my mom was horrified at the idea of me sending my (non-moustashian) wedding dress to a charity after I was done with it. "But what if you have a daughter and she wants to wear it one day!?" Well I still have a bunch of my accessories so she can wear those instead. A hypothetical she, at this point. As a Christmas present I did the chasing around of getting it cleaned and boxed and then gave it to my mom instead of sending it to charity. A few years ago she was moving and asked if I'd have room for it. I told her if she gave it to me I'd send it to charity. She still has it.

Love this.

1967mama

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #3644 on: August 08, 2016, 11:29:36 PM »
Pulled another garbage bag's worth of clothes out of my closet that are too big for me (yay!)

mustachepungoeshere

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #3645 on: August 09, 2016, 12:20:26 AM »
Gave away two things at work today.

One special item I gave to a colleague, the other I donated to the office in general.

Frustrated at not being home to declutter, I started a list on the train this morning of things I can get rid of.

I got up to 88 by the time I got to work...

I've been struggling a bit with the identity side of all this. I don't think of myself as someone with a lot of clutter. My friends tag me in minimalist posts on Facebook, and beg my help with decluttering their own homes.

After thinking about it for a bit today, I've decided it's not the number of possessions I own. I'm just acutely aware that there are possessions I don't want or need. Possessions which detract from my quality of life.

Any normal person would come into my home and think its tidy, lots of uncluttered surfaces. But I'm also intensely uncomfortable with excess, be it excess spending, excess consumerism or excess belongings. I hate the idea of being seen to be wasteful...

snogirl

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #3646 on: August 09, 2016, 06:31:07 AM »
4 very old & dirty kitchen cabinets & 20 items of sentimental junk just hanging out in my garage set free on curb alert. Boom.

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Tris Prior

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #3647 on: August 09, 2016, 07:06:38 AM »
Put 2 large heavy hardcover books into the Little Free Library that just sprung up a few blocks away from home. More going there soon!

kaleidoscopicalkris

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #3648 on: August 09, 2016, 10:13:46 AM »
Joining this gauntlet as my fiancee and I are going to be moving into a new apartment on September 29th. The goal is to move as little as possible- I want the new place to stay tidy. We're moving from a two-bedroom with two roommates to a two-bedroom with just the two of us, so hopefully I'll be able to use up all my crafting materials and fabric when I actually have space to do so.

To-Do List:
-Konmarie clothes (mine and hers)
-Shred old mail (she still gets paper statements - I need to help her switch that to online)
-Eat down the pantry/freezer
-Donate the bags of clothes we've already pulled (I finally found a charity that has a box near our current place where we can drop them off)
-Cull my books (I have a lot of books/magazines that I need to read and pass on to either my sisters or to the donation pile. Finally done with my current semester as of today, so I'll have some time to read down the pile)
-Reassess Crafting 'stuff' to see if it's useful or should be disposed of.

I'll admit, I've read this entire thread, and it inspires me every time I see a new post.

iris lily

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #3649 on: August 09, 2016, 11:57:50 AM »
Yesterday we decluttered a little old,
Victorian house. We sold it,no mlonger my responsibility.Yay!! But
I miss it.