Author Topic: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!  (Read 1850083 times)

halftimer

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4750 on: May 15, 2017, 02:27:11 PM »
Small progress- took 10 items to a clothing swap and came home with 6. This will actually free up a few other things to go out the door too, as I picked up replacement items for things that are just 'almost right' in my closet up to now. I also got a box out of my parents home to take to the reuse centre and have 3 boxes of my own to take there. I have a shared laundry/storage room with our upstairs neighbours and their piles of storage keep growing and mine keep shrinking.  All of the boxes I have in there for the past few months have actually been empty bins that I just keep putting more donate items in them every week getting as I get ready for another load out the door. Once they are full I will take them away and start the process over. I love this feeling!

SarkastikNinja

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4751 on: May 15, 2017, 06:16:31 PM »
I'm at my most difficult level now.
Well, every layer is the most difficult, if we use the approach of culling the low-hanging fruit first.

But today I did some internal processing to see if I could open to letting more go, then felt truly able indeed.
Released some papers I've carried around for a number of years.
Some of it surprised me, as it seemed like it could have easily gone ages ago.

I've noticed this as well. The more you declutter, something happens in your brain that weakens the attachment to your remaining possessions. I've had the same experience where things I never could have dreamed of parting with, a few months later I don't care about them at all and donating is no problem.

nick663

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4752 on: May 15, 2017, 06:30:03 PM »
Sold a part that I bought for a project that didn't work out.  Luckily I'm pretty good at buying stuff cheap (bought for $240 w/ shipping, sold for $350 plus shipping) so even when my projects fail I end up ahead. :)

Bracken_Joy

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4753 on: May 15, 2017, 06:45:40 PM »
Sent FIL home with a fuel filter. We had bought it for our old car, and didn't use it since we traded it in with the VW recall. FIL has kept his, so off it went! Small item, but still a victory.

JLee

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4754 on: May 15, 2017, 11:37:28 PM »
I sold a car last week. Now I don't have to street park anything. :D

Stachey

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4755 on: May 17, 2017, 02:23:21 PM »
I sold a car last week. Now I don't have to street park anything. :D

Exactly!  I got rid of my old car a couple years ago.  Now I don't have to scrape ice or shovel snow off of it or monitor the air pressure or check the oil (lots of constant maintenance and low level worries with old cars).

I'm a red panda

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4756 on: May 17, 2017, 04:31:17 PM »
Gave a bunch of toiletries and nice smelling stuff away on buy nothing group.

Mezzie

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4757 on: May 17, 2017, 04:43:47 PM »
My students were thrilled with today's giveaways: lots of books for guitar, music theory, etc.

Remote_Landlord

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4758 on: May 18, 2017, 06:09:58 AM »

Today I dropped my first ever Ebay parcel into my local post office (a blender I received as a present when I already had one....).

Just now I listed my first item on Freecycle.

Small stuff, but feels so satisfying....

firelight

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4759 on: May 21, 2017, 07:02:22 AM »
Used up laundry detergent - now down to the last one. We usually have only one but ended up buying three different ones to try out for cloth diapers. The sad part was husband brought the big containers instead of small sizes and it has taken 2+ years to work through the two extra ones. Now down to the last one and I hope we don't have to change detergents anymore.

Also gave a face cream to mom - one more out of my cupboard.

Linea_Norway

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4760 on: May 21, 2017, 07:35:47 AM »
Used up laundry detergent - now down to the last one. We usually have only one but ended up buying three different ones to try out for cloth diapers. The sad part was husband brought the big containers instead of small sizes and it has taken 2+ years to work through the two extra ones. Now down to the last one and I hope we don't have to change detergents anymore.

Also gave a face cream to mom - one more out of my cupboard.

I am almost done using up a bottle of fluid washing detergent that followed when we bought the washing machine. Left is half a pack of detergent for white laundry, that I only use for white. When this is finished I can go back to using our usual cheap detergent and have only 1 box in the cupboard.

Prairie Gal

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4761 on: May 21, 2017, 09:46:20 AM »
There is a "Free" weekend in my town in June. I have put a box in my kitchen and each day I am putting one thing in. Some days it is more, but I have committed to at least one each day.

So far there is:
  • a book
  • a paper towel holder
  • frames
  • some small décor items
  • a thermos & go cup set
  • a lampshade
  • a bicycle carrier thing that was DS's

I have also promised to gather up some bedding, household items and a small coffee table for some new Syrian refugee families in my town. So, I must do that today. That kind of giving gives me the good feels. :)

Mezzie

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4762 on: May 21, 2017, 10:48:28 AM »
10 more books designated for sale/donation.

SingleMomDebt

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4763 on: May 21, 2017, 01:19:12 PM »
Slowly but successfully downsizing as I just moved to smaller quarters.

*Condensed photo albums. Tossed unused ones.

*Reduced Holiday boxes -1 (would like to donate it all out and go homemade each year. But child has an attachment to stuff.)

*Tossed holiday wrapping paper (will do creative brown paper or linen wrapping or continue to reuse gift bags)

*Donated 2 other boxes of various things.

*Thrown out a bunch of stuff/trash.

Still going. If it doesn't fit in the house its out!

RetiredAt63

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4764 on: May 22, 2017, 06:37:54 AM »
Cleared a huge pile of junk out of the garage.  More to do.

MandyM

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4765 on: May 22, 2017, 07:11:23 AM »
I have just started packing things up in my house. I'm not moving, but I'm having all of my floors refinished so everything except the kitchen and bathroom will get moved out for a few days (well, not EVERYTHING, but most). I started with a coat closet that isn't often used and got rid of a coat and some Christmas items.

Its just me living in the house and I really don't have much "stuff" but there is always a little bit to toss. For better or worse, this is the third time in two years that I have been prompted to go through large portions of my possessions. The first was a bed bug situation (courtesy of my then roommate), second was a broken water line and related flood to 1/3 of the house, now the floors (which is the last of the flood related repair). The bed bug situation caused the biggest purge as almost everything had to be either decontaminated or tossed. In the past, my roommate had trouble letting go of things, but her fear of bugs trumped almost any attachment. As much of a headache as it was, I secretly loved the bug purge.

sw1tch

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4766 on: May 22, 2017, 07:48:01 AM »
I've been doing some thinking and it might be a good idea for me to properly log everything that my wife and I have gotten rid of recently.  I'll just keep quoting this list and cross off & move the stuff that I've sold.  Hopefully it'll inspire others to get rid of all the excess junk in their lives.

Listed:
- Trumpet vases
- Couch & love seat
- Console table
- Manzanita branches
- Set of spare tires/wheels for 07-15 Civic
- Small weed whacker
- Jug of radiator fluid
- 17' Ladder

To be listed:
- Queen bed set
- Coffee table
- Multiple plate sets
- TSX/Accord calipers, rotors, brake pads
- Random OEM 07-11 Civic parts
- too much stuff...

SOLD:
- Car
- Supercharger kit
- Lawn mower
- Fertilizer spreader
- Low profile mechanic's creeper
- Civic shift assembly
- Deep fryer
- Old subwoofer
- Votive candle holders

I'm a red panda

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4767 on: May 22, 2017, 01:37:30 PM »
Is it worth listing on ebayif you aren't a power seller?
I have some LSU baby clothes that came in a hand me down box. Not really a popular school around here, but I figure NCAA stuff is probably worth more than shipping.

Any tips?
« Last Edit: May 24, 2017, 09:25:27 AM by iowajes »

SuperSaver

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4768 on: May 22, 2017, 06:23:30 PM »
I am paring down which helps as the wedding gifts started arriving 2 weeks ago. I got an instantpot, flannel sheets, an end table, a ninjas blender and oven mitts. So I got rid of a holey sheet, ruined oven mitts and donated my magic bullet and blender. My fiance wants to keep the crock pot and rice cooker for now til we figure out the instant pot. :) it's super exciting to get useful things I was going to need to buy soon.

First week of May: I got back from Aruba May 1 and by the 3rd I had 4 massive boxes to take to Goodwill. We got rid of the rice cooker, the slow cooker (huge crock pot), the food processor, 2 non stick pans, a dragon shaped musical fountain, tchotckes, organization bins, a vase, a bulky Eiffel Tower shaped lamp, and all of our old cutting boards, old steak knives, measuring cups and spoons {we got quality versions for the wedding}. All gifts were opened and packaging was recycled/trashed immediately.

Last Week: We have a scanner and shredder now and last week I went through the equivalent of 3 file boxes and paired it down to 1 that needs to be scanned then shredded. The other 2 got recycled or shredded/recycled. I have approximately 3 more boxes to go through in my quest to become a paper minimalist.

Yesterday: I was able to clean out and trash 80% of my stackable sterilite drawers yesterday and rehome the remainder I kept. Now all of my soaping supplies are organized in the repurposed drawers. I cleaned out two milk crates, and recycled about 2 crates worth of magazines, work and school papers. I went through a couple rubbermaids I had left in the hobby room closet from moving last year- 1 is full of donation books, the other is now the Goodwill box.

My house is amazing! I love emptying containers and letting go. Reading Marie Kondo last March and then buying my first house has really  changed me. I love being able to only keep what I need and want.

happy

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4769 on: May 23, 2017, 02:19:19 AM »
Still decluttering. Another carload to the Salvos today. Found a local shop that will sell good quality used clothes on consignment - pretty unusual around here, so I'm gathering a cluster to take down.

Bird In Hand

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4770 on: May 23, 2017, 06:53:54 AM »
I love this thread.  Thanks to the OP and all the contributors.

We have way too much unused stuff in our house, and at times the clutter gets oppressive.  Particularly toys that the kids never play with, but also plenty of random junk that my wife and I rarely or never use.  I tend to keep stuff "just in case" it may be useful one day.

Inspired by this thread, yesterday my wife and I agreed to each put at least one item per day in a donation box, and one item in a throw-away box.  We plan to keep doing that until the problem areas (mainly basement, kid's playroom, and attic) are where we want them.

In the past we've periodically gone on a decluttering binge when it reached a breaking point, but we always seem to end up in the same situation again after a year or two.  What have others done to avoid the cycle of accumulate/declutter?
« Last Edit: May 23, 2017, 06:59:50 AM by Bird In Hand »

theadvicist

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4771 on: May 23, 2017, 08:07:29 AM »
I love this thread.  Thanks to the OP and all the contributors.
  What have others done to avoid the cycle of accumulate/declutter?

Just being so so careful about what comes into the house.

Every time I pick something up in a shop (that isn't consumable), I think, 'Do I want this enough to declutter it in 6 months / 1 year / 5 years?'. Online orders sit in the basket for a minimum of 24 hours. I don't accept freebies - race t-shirts, water bottles, mugs etc.

When I do decide to replace something, I really replace it. As in, I don't keep the other thing 'Just in case', I get rid of it.

Every gift is scrutinised (after the giver is appropriately thanked). If I wouldn't pay money for it, I donate it. No-one has ever noticed and, with a family of random gift givers, this has made THE BIGGEST difference.

Linea_Norway

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4772 on: May 23, 2017, 08:12:32 AM »
Somewhere next week I'll borrow the hanger from my work. Then we can ship off a load of old twigs in the garden that are not big enough to burn in the oven. And some of the bigger articles that are lying around. Maybe some of the boxes with videotapes/cassette tapes, if I can convince my DH of that.

Monocle Money Mouth

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4773 on: May 23, 2017, 03:53:57 PM »
I finally finished parting out and putting up for sale a few Lego sets from my childhood I was keeping for posterity. They were just sitting in a box in the basement collecting dust. I wish I had done that several years ago. It turns out some of the parts I had were pretty uncommon and I have already sold about $200 worth of parts.

The next ask is taking some furniture I haven't been able to sell out to the curb in 2 weeks.

Mezzie

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4774 on: May 23, 2017, 11:13:04 PM »
I read Unfuck Your Habitat (from the library) and felt pretty good about my progress decluttering. It had some nice sections about growing up with a hoarder and having negative associations with cleaning based on childhood experiences, and it was nice to read a decluttering book that understood people with chronic pain can't do marathon cleaning sessions. There wasn't anything mindblowingly new; it was just nice to read it and feel recognized. I don't see myself in a lot of the decluttering/cleaning books and blogs out there.

Today I decluttered nearly all flat surfaces, throwing some things away and putting away others. The only clutter on the end table right now is bills I'll be paying on Friday.

oneday

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4775 on: May 24, 2017, 12:39:50 AM »
Joining the fray!  I gave a jar of lady's shave cream to my aunt about a week ago...does that count for my first item? :)

Today I listed a piece of jewelry on a Facebook group.  Hoping to clear out some of the more special things this way.


I love this thread.  Thanks to the OP and all the contributors.

+1


In the past we've periodically gone on a decluttering binge when it reached a breaking point, but we always seem to end up in the same situation again after a year or two.  What have others done to avoid the cycle of accumulate/declutter?

Well, I have not found a way to completely avoid the cycle.  Some things I have because I love, then after a time I no longer want them anymore, so away they go.  My best strategy is to keep a "donate" box at all times, so that we can corral those things and clear them out periodically and easily.

Linea_Norway

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4776 on: May 24, 2017, 05:28:00 AM »
In the past we've periodically gone on a decluttering binge when it reached a breaking point, but we always seem to end up in the same situation again after a year or two.  What have others done to avoid the cycle of accumulate/declutter?

I think getting a mustachian mindset will help. Just get used to not buying to much nonsense, because you want to save money and prioritize your pension. But otherwise, regular decluttering is probably the key.

I'm a red panda

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4777 on: May 27, 2017, 03:28:23 PM »
Gave away a bed frame and a set of sheets that I don't like.
A place I used to volunteer as an English tutor is now working to resettle immigrants- they are working with a family of 15!  I wish I had MORE beds to give.  But I'm glad to have this out of the storage room

OzStash

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4778 on: May 28, 2017, 04:15:45 AM »
Another timely thread for me to join, as I pack up an accumulation of ten years stuff from my present house to move to a new place.

Threw out a bunch of stuff, and have a big box to take to the op shop next week.

I'm thinking I'm at least a borderline hoarder 😳

Cassie

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4779 on: May 28, 2017, 02:16:56 PM »
I decided to get rid of an oak curio cabinet. I donated all the hummels and antique glassware to a dog rescue that sells the stuff to help the rescue and now have the cabinet up for sale. I have been doing this for years and also ask myself before I buy if I will ge giving it away in a few years. I like a few decorations so my home does not feel sterile but not a ton. It also makes it a lot easier to clean.

oneday

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4780 on: May 28, 2017, 02:39:13 PM »
Just confirmed plans to meet someone to give a piece of costume jewelry on Tuesday. 

Also listed an old computer for free; hope to get some bites soon.

Alas, nothing has actually left the house, but hopefully soon.

Mezzie

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4781 on: May 28, 2017, 04:56:26 PM »
I bought a totally frivolous ring today. Normally at the festival I was at, I would have also bought some kind of clothing, some kind of useless trinkets, and probably a weapon of some sort.

I went in wanting a ring, and that's all I got. It's not decluttering, but it was actively *not* adding clutter, so I'm happy.

Rosy

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4782 on: May 28, 2017, 05:00:14 PM »
Quote
In the past we've periodically gone on a decluttering binge when it reached a breaking point, but we always seem to end up in the same situation again after a year or two.  What have others done to avoid the cycle of accumulate/declutter?

It is tough to avoid the cycle, unless you establish a few house rules: One item in - one item out. Keep a box or bag handy to go to donation. Huge one for me -  limit the number of bookcases, no hoarding of magazines - exception, max of 12 garden mags:) for me and 12 Nat Geo for him:)
Going through closets and drawers has become routine and even the kitchen drawers get a regular dump, wipe, re-line and organize. Same with the pantry, one big deep shelf at a time - check dates, rotate or toss or donate.
Gifts are either re-gifted, donated or used - no more stashes or storage of things I really don't care for.

My biggest problem - never ending paper clutter. I have made great strides in the past year and we both got rid of and shredded a ton of papers. Still the paper tiger has me by the tail - can't seem to make it through the last six boxes.

...and yup, I'm back on a de-cluttering binge, thinking of throwing up a 30 to 60 day challenge for 2017 - to keep me motivated and tackle some long overdue projects.

Last project was the inventory and re-organization of extra food storage, water and hurricane emergency supplies. So happy I'm done with that - thrashed some, donated some, now I need to replenish a few things, next time they are on sale to take advantage of bulk savings.
 
So far in 2017 - cleaned my side of the closet, bedroom shelves and cabinets and most of his - his five! T-shirt drawers are next on the list.
Finished inventory and de-cluttering, re-organizing of food storage - yay:) Trash-donation - done!
Cleaned out both fridge/freezers. Trash - done!
Cleared out one big bookcase and one huge shelf in the shed cum studio - donated, yay!
Cleaned up and re-organized carport and front porch.

oneday

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4783 on: May 28, 2017, 07:00:39 PM »
...and yup, I'm back on a de-cluttering binge, thinking of throwing up a 30 to 60 day challenge for 2017 - to keep me motivated and tackle some long overdue projects.

If you do, will you please post a link here?  I found last year's 90-day challenge thread super-helpful for my own paper tiger.  Still fighting the good fight...

alewpanda

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4784 on: May 29, 2017, 12:12:57 AM »
Joining the party.  Hoping to list our house and seriously downsize/move cross country in the spring, so downsizing everything we can!

In the last couple weeks I've sold the following on facebook sites:

2 3 foot christmas trees
board game
glass pitcher
extra bike lock
decor items
jacket

On ebay:

3 books
several homemade decor pieces

Rummage sale:

baskets, baskets, baskets!
extra pots and planting supplies
board games
books
clothing
unused exercise equipment
chalkboard



Now sellling:

20 books listed on ebay
canning supplies on local buy and sell site
bike rack
more handmade supplies and crafting supplies
frame
chair
dvds



And there is more to come!

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4785 on: May 29, 2017, 02:52:47 AM »
We have an elephant in the corner in the form of a couple of shelves of stock that was left over when my husband closed his (never profitable) online retail business a few years ago. A few pieces have trickled out to friends, but otherwise it's just been sitting there as if it had suddenly become completely worthless when the shop closed. From time to time I've muttered "eBay" at him, but last week for the first time I said, "If you bring me a selection of your old shop stock now, I'll list it on eBay."

Since we're aiming to cut our losses and to get these perfectly good things out of storage so that they can be used for what they were intended, I've priced it to go, and it's going. I've checked out whether there are any tax or legal implications since the stock was originally purchased wholesale. I won't be able to sell it all straight away because my tolerance for wrapping parcels is limited, but three or four flurries of listing over the next year should be sufficient. I'll put aside what we make from the sales after paying associated costs, allow a "jam today" percentage for spending on something specific that we're going to need when we're both working little enough to go off bike touring, and invest the rest so that it doesn't just melt into the household.

I thought about listing some clothes that I never wear, but I looked at how much even very good frocks and jackets and women's sports kit in my size sell for in eBay auctions (nothing, mostly) and decided it would be less effort, and less cheap of me, to offer them free to friends and to donate any that remain to a charity shop. Having made that decision, it's given me the impetus to get on with filling a bag. Wardrobe space beckons! Must. Not. Fill. It.

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4786 on: May 29, 2017, 07:27:01 AM »
Why not use the ebay service where they list it all for you? They take a big cut- but at least it will all be gone.

I've taken my first stab of listing on ebay, but I'm pretty concerned it will cost me more to ship than what I'm making :( Ebay's shipping calculator doesn't seem to take into account the cost of shipping supplies.  I will need to buy envelopes. If I use boxes it will cost way more than what was calculated.


1967mama

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4787 on: May 29, 2017, 12:52:03 PM »
Thrift store coat from 15 years ago is finally out. I still "like" it but never ever wear it. Stuff like this weighs me down.

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4788 on: May 29, 2017, 04:32:45 PM »
Why not use the ebay service where they list it all for you? They take a big cut- but at least it will all be gone.

We considered it, but the stuff is relatively straightforward to photograph and list and we've already got all the packing materials so it's worth the small inconvenience of doing the work ourselves to save a dealer taking a cut. Besides (shhh, don't tell anyone) I quite enjoy selling on eBay for short bursts of time. When I get bored, I'll stop putting up new listings and take a break for a few months.

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4789 on: May 29, 2017, 04:42:53 PM »
@alewpanda - I am impressed that you know how/where you got rid of each of those things!

I've taken my first stab of listing on ebay, but I'm pretty concerned it will cost me more to ship than what I'm making :( Ebay's shipping calculator doesn't seem to take into account the cost of shipping supplies.  I will need to buy envelopes. If I use boxes it will cost way more than what was calculated.

Correct, eBay only calculates the postage costs, not supplies.  Can you scavenge/recycle shipping supplies from friends, neighbors, the workplace or Cragslist? 

When I was selling hardback textbooks, I would wrap in bubble wrap, then those brown paper bags one gets at at the grocery store.  Other paper shopping bags can also work.  Paperback books would get sandwiched between layers of cardboard, then bubble wrap, then the paper.

Same protection as a padded envelope, but the wrapping paper was free.  Bubble wrap usually came from an prior incoming package.  The only cost then was tape.

Bird In Hand

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4790 on: May 29, 2017, 09:49:20 PM »
Over the past week or so we filled a very large box with little-used toys to donate.  Of course once the kids discovered this, suddenly they claimed we're cruelly getting rid of their favorite things.  Too bad, suckers -- you should have played with it when you had the chance!  :D

I also gave away two old window A/C units to a neighbor today, and I'm waiting for someone else to pick up a third.  This was hard for me because it's the kind of high-value ($$) thing I can easily convince myself I'll make use of one day...despite the fact I haven't used them in years.  But I'm already enjoying the empty space in the basement and attic where these were idly sitting, collecting dust and cobwebs.

Finally, I dug up a pile of ~30 old college textbooks and started trying to assess the value.  As expected, most were worthless.  But around 10 had values ranging from $10-$40.  So I need to figure out whether it's worth it to try selling some or all on half.com, etc.  My local library won't take them until the next book sale in ~6 months.

Monocle Money Mouth

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4791 on: May 30, 2017, 02:39:34 AM »
Finally, I dug up a pile of ~30 old college textbooks and started trying to assess the value.  As expected, most were worthless.  But around 10 had values ranging from $10-$40.  So I need to figure out whether it's worth it to try selling some or all on half.com, etc.  My local library won't take them until the next book sale in ~6 months.

I recycled a bunch of old text books from college earlier in the year. I don't know what I was thinking when I was in college. With the exception of a few books, I should have sold those suckers back to the bookstore the second the semester was over. Everything I had was about 14 years old and worthless.

PMG

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4792 on: May 30, 2017, 05:35:31 AM »
Regarding textbooks.

Bookfinder will give you quotes from multiple buyers. I usually use Amazon or chegg. Maybe less money than selling on my own but much less hassle as well.

https://www.bookfinder.com/buyback/

Car Jack

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4793 on: May 30, 2017, 05:44:18 AM »
I'll credit my son who is home from college and doesn't start his summer job until Wednesday.  He started researching Lego selling, then searching through all the storage bins we have.  My wife never wants to throw out anything, saying that she'll bring things to the local consignment shop (who won't accept anything that isn't near near new, complete and in the original box).  Anyways, I started helping him and we're getting a bit of bulk out (very little) by separating out legos, mega blocks, duplo and brio stuff.  He's been putting up lego figures with accessories (the right head, the right hat, the right blaster, the right light sabre) and making some good money.  We have literally hundreds of pounds of legos from back in the 90's to near new.  His plan is to sell the high value, light weight stuff and then work down to selling just pounds of red blocks, blue blocks, white blocks etc.  While going through, I am finding the baby toys and broken things that really need to get thrown out (our youngest is 16) and sneak small quantities into our recycling bin or into the trash.  It's going to be a long process but hopefully we can start going in the direction of reducing all the crap in the house.

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4794 on: May 30, 2017, 07:20:01 AM »
I recycled a bunch of old text books from college earlier in the year. I don't know what I was thinking when I was in college. With the exception of a few books, I should have sold those suckers back to the bookstore the second the semester was over. Everything I had was about 14 years old and worthless.

I am in the same position. As a student I didn't ever have a thought about selling my books, or buying anything second hand. Although at high school, we had a book foundation where everybody rented well-used school books. This was organized by the school. But at higher education this was not an option.

Bird In Hand

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4795 on: May 30, 2017, 08:59:08 AM »
I recycled a bunch of old text books from college earlier in the year. I don't know what I was thinking when I was in college. With the exception of a few books, I should have sold those suckers back to the bookstore the second the semester was over. Everything I had was about 14 years old and worthless.

Exactly!  I fall into the trap of "I might need this someday".  Even if I'm right 10% of the time (which I'm probably not), it's still not worth it to have the remaining 90% junk filling up my house meanwhile.

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4796 on: May 30, 2017, 11:21:03 PM »
Just confirmed plans to meet someone to give a piece of costume jewelry on Tuesday. 

Also listed an old computer for free; hope to get some bites soon.

Alas, nothing has actually left the house, but hopefully soon.

Yay, the jewelry is gone!  Went to a very nice lady.

Also, the shred bin is so full that I can't shred the last 2 pages without emptying.  Not gonna do it tonight, it's too late.  But that's another bin out the door tomorrow!

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4797 on: May 31, 2017, 10:56:37 AM »
We had a really productive long weekend! First, we got rid of a trailer that my husband had since 2007 and used maybe three times? My boss's husband has wanted one for awhile, so they finally came and picked it up Friday after work. In addition, I went through and emptied three boxes of old stuff from the garage. My husband finally took two engineering text books to be shipped to Bookfinder ($60 each). I also did a lot of shredding and nearly filled the recycling can again. There's still a lot left, but it was good progress.

I'm a red panda

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4798 on: May 31, 2017, 11:00:53 AM »
Box of maternity clothes to goodwill yesterday.  Need to get the rest soon, but I wasn't able to sort them all before the baby woke up.

Also Tuesday at noon Goodwill is hopping. Every parking space was taken!  No one else was dropping off though, so that was quick.

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4799 on: June 01, 2017, 01:37:40 AM »
I reserved the hanger at work for somewhere next week. They we'll get rid of a pile of ugly branches that have been laying in our garden under a sheet, put there by the previous owner. We have been too kind to him to leave his shit alone, but we wanted to get as much free wood as we could and there we some substantial trunks under that sheet in the beginning.