debthaven
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Post by debthaven on Jul 25, 2016 1:09:16 GMT -5
Anything fabric-based goes into a donation bin. If they don't want the clothes they recycle the fabric. I have always given my kids' clothes to colleagues with younger kids.
Toys and household objects get dropped off at the Salvation Army-type place.
Sometimes other people have taken bigger items of furniture, like an old couch (DS1) or an armchair (the cleaner). DS1 also took some old kitchen stuff (he recently bought an apt).
I've participated in several garage sales, usually when the kids were younger and wanted to sell their Stuff. It was always a huge waste of time. The only person I know who has ever done (relatively) well at them is a friend with a shopping addiction who sells brand new 200 euro dresses with the tags still on for 30 or 50 euros.
I am ruthless about clutter but DH has kept a lot of Stuff from his parents (office stuff, kitchen stuff, old telephones). I'm happy to use it but if it's not used, it lives in the basement storage room.
IMO, if you want to declutter, you should just donate the Stuff to someone who can use it.
Good luck!
ETA: My mom is cleaning out her house and giving me all the stuff she doesn't want so my house is filling up fast.
It's not because she wants to give it to you that you have to put it inside the house. Just drop it off somewhere for her, since I think she's no longer capable of doing that on her own.
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ohmomto2boys
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Post by ohmomto2boys on Jul 25, 2016 7:06:48 GMT -5
Garage sale - then donate. Our community is having a 1 day garage sale. There are going to be 20+ houses participating so that will draw a lot of people. I'm doing a major purge. Whatever doesn't sell will go to the Goodwill. It is NOT coming back in the house. Kids are excited because they are going to have a lemonade/Koolaid stand. Of course I bought all the supplies - approx $10. They will have a blast.
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zibazinski
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Post by zibazinski on Jul 25, 2016 7:13:35 GMT -5
My old church did that once a year. People donated ten bucks to bring their stuff. A lot sold because it was one stop shopping. I donated stuff for the sale and church members sold it and kept the profit for the church. A lot of people did that as well.
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zibazinski
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Post by zibazinski on Jul 25, 2016 7:14:17 GMT -5
Plus the church had plenty of parking so your neighbors didn't get mad.
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Anne_in_VA
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Post by Anne_in_VA on Jul 25, 2016 7:21:04 GMT -5
Our church has an annual bazaar with a white elephant sale. We donate stuff and they sell it and keep the proceeds. I typically donate to DAV or Salvation Army if I've got a lot since they come and pick it up.
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Sam_2.0
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Post by Sam_2.0 on Jul 28, 2016 10:35:21 GMT -5
Garage sales are the WORST! Sitting out in the hot sun, dealing with all the whack-a-doos that come & pick through your stuff and haggle on everything then ask to use your toilet and your phone...ughgh. No no no!
I keep paper grocery bags in the closet upstairs. When I start to notice a bunch of clothes the kids have outgrown, I open up a bag and toss stuff in. While I am at it I grab a few of the toys back in the corner that they've forgotten about, put the bag in my car, and hit up the drive-through at Goodwill. I pull up, open the liftgate, they take the bag & give me a receipt, and life is good.
Every so often I get in a mood to really clean and end up with more stuff than will fit in the back of my car. So I go online & see who can pick up within the next couple of days - whatever charity that is is the one that gets the stuff.
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Sam_2.0
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Post by Sam_2.0 on Jul 28, 2016 10:36:54 GMT -5
My grandma was a hoarder. She always thought things would be "worth some money" so she kept it all around. Things are only worth money if you have a buyer. Otherwise, it's probably not worth 1/10th of what you think it is. Just let it go. You will feel so much better once you free up the space physically and mentally.
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kittensaver
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We cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love. - Mother Teresa
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Post by kittensaver on Jul 28, 2016 12:03:37 GMT -5
I do what a lot of others do here:
Sell the good stuff online; sell what is undamaged but not valuable at a yard sale - and donate to charity or give away on Freecycle whatever is leftover. It's amazing what some of those Freecyclers will take - and they re-work and upcycle things in the most amazing ways!
Paper, paint, electronic parts, metal/aluminum items parts, plastics (many but not all types) and many other "component" materials can be recycled. Habitat for Humanity will take household items and house parts. Human and pet shelters will take clothing and linens.
Like others here, trashing stuff in landfill is the very last option, and undertaken only very reluctantly. I hate the thought of unloved stuff cluttering up the planet for generations after we're all gone
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toomuchreality
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Post by toomuchreality on Jul 28, 2016 12:19:29 GMT -5
Funny. I went through my closet again, last night and pulled OUT A VERY large pile of items I'm going to donate. Even with all of these taken out, my closet is too full. I know I will get rid of more soon, but I was over it, last night. Plus I need to arrange for these items to be picked up, so I'll do more later. The items I give are generally in new to near new shape. I think about having a yard sale, but I'd probably end up giving people my money, to take my stuff! -It's not what I do best. Not as a buyer and not as a seller. That's why I donate.
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Sam_2.0
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Post by Sam_2.0 on Jul 28, 2016 12:42:11 GMT -5
Need motivation to clean out the clutter? Or, want to feel good about the current state of your house? Do what I do: grab a glass of wine and watch an episode of Hoarders. Either you will be motivated to finally get rid of the crap you don't need, or you will enjoy sitting on the couch for awhile longer because suddenly your space looks pretty damn good
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debthaven
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Post by debthaven on Jul 28, 2016 13:32:58 GMT -5
And feel free to join the Decluttering/Organization thread on WIR. We're very encouraging! Some of us are more about decluttering clutter, others more about organization, others more about home improvements.
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NastyWoman
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Post by NastyWoman on Jul 28, 2016 13:41:16 GMT -5
I am in the donate or trash group. I collect donations in the guest room and take it over to Goddwill when (a) the pile gets big, or (b) I have an overnight guest so I need the room. Not the most organized approach but it kind of works.
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toomuchreality
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Post by toomuchreality on Jul 28, 2016 19:20:15 GMT -5
Need motivation to clean out the clutter? Or, want to feel good about the current state of your house? Do what I do: grab a glass of wine and watch an episode of Hoarders. Either you will be motivated to finally get rid of the crap you don't need, or you will enjoy sitting on the couch for awhile longer because suddenly your space looks pretty damn good This is what happens to me. I can procrastinate with the best of them! (for very good reasons, of course!) Hey, I have my priorities! I'm giving away about 30+ pillow cases. Someone once asked me if I was opening a B & B. LOL -I just like variety! But right now, I'm liking the empty space, a lot more!
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TheOtherMe
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Post by TheOtherMe on Jul 30, 2016 19:08:10 GMT -5
I have two bedrooms that need to be gone through. Watching Hoarders makes me feel like I am the neatest person in the world.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 3, 2016 10:54:57 GMT -5
The items I can't decide what to do with is a ton of fabric that I make Barbie clothes out of and sell on eBay. I have a lot of stuff that is worth some money but I just don't know if I want to take the time to sell it. I am 55 years old and instead of coming home to a cluttered house to list things on eBay after work I think I might be ready just to come home and relax. This is interesting. Do you mind sharing the range you sell them for? Do you sell in lots or single outfits?
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movingforward
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Post by movingforward on Aug 3, 2016 12:35:14 GMT -5
I just moved into a new place this past weekend and got rid of a ton of stuff. Most of it went to the Salvation Army. I don't really worry about giving away stuff that is still good. I like it going to someone who needs it rather than me making a few bucks off of it that I don't really need.
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movingforward
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Post by movingforward on Aug 3, 2016 12:37:38 GMT -5
Need motivation to clean out the clutter? Or, want to feel good about the current state of your house? Do what I do: grab a glass of wine and watch an episode of Hoarders. Either you will be motivated to finally get rid of the crap you don't need, or you will enjoy sitting on the couch for awhile longer because suddenly your space looks pretty damn good No kidding. I rarely watch Hoarders but when I do I can't watch just one episode. I end up watching 3-4. It's a train wreck that I don't want to look at but can't help myself.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 3, 2016 18:19:27 GMT -5
I have started just throwing stuff away. I have had two exes leave all kinds of things in the shed. A lot of it I'm sure has some value. Tons of hardware and odds and ends, but if I ever needed anything it would be impossible for me to find it and I'd end up buying it anyway. I've been pledging to fill the garbage container every week and am slowly paring it down. I really think I just need a dumpster though...or a bonfire.
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Ombud
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Post by Ombud on Aug 3, 2016 18:44:35 GMT -5
Please don't laugh at me. I'm not doing this because I'm chinzy or a cheapskate. And I do give in other ways as well. Such as yesterday I bought a homeless couple breakfast at Starbucks. But GS1 gave me a whole bag full of clothes that he wanted to donate. We took it out to local trailer park and my daughter found families that could use it. Normally I would give it to the clothing drive, you know those trucks that come around every other week. But she said that they needed clothes to go back to school. He had binders that were barely used, a couple of backpacks that he's not going to use in college, basketball shorts, reasonably good t-shirts without any holes in them, and a couple pair of Converse that were too small for him. She rapidly found people who were more than happy to take the bag of items
I don't know how much I would get at a garage sale. I know people in this area have done it but they usually only rake in $100 to $150. I don't want people that I don't know coming to my house to buy items. It's easier for me to just donate it
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ilovedolphins
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Post by ilovedolphins on Aug 3, 2016 18:53:46 GMT -5
The items I can't decide what to do with is a ton of fabric that I make Barbie clothes out of and sell on eBay. I have a lot of stuff that is worth some money but I just don't know if I want to take the time to sell it. I am 55 years old and instead of coming home to a cluttered house to list things on eBay after work I think I might be ready just to come home and relax. This is interesting. Do you mind sharing the range you sell them for? Do you sell in lots or single outfits? Right now I only have one dress listed on eBay for $2.99 I believe. I sometimes sell in lots at cheaper prices just to make a few bucks and get rid of some fabric. I haven't had the chance to sew since May because my mom fell and broke her shoulder so I have been getting her back on her feet.
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ilovedolphins
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Post by ilovedolphins on Aug 3, 2016 18:55:04 GMT -5
I am going to a bigger city in a couple of weeks and hope to take a car load to donate when I go. Sometimes I just want to walk it out to my garbage can just to get it done with now.
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debthaven
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Post by debthaven on Aug 3, 2016 18:59:18 GMT -5
Ombud, that's great. Why would anyone laugh at you for that?! I have been trying to get my DS2 to clear out his closets for literally years. He finally cleaned out most of one closet (he has 2). I said I would take his Stuff to the SA-type place, but he opted to take the bags to a place in Paris where refugees hang out on his way home. I don't know the details, ie whether he distributed the stuff or just dumped the bags, but either way, I'm sure the things were taken and appreciated.
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debthaven
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Post by debthaven on Aug 3, 2016 19:01:31 GMT -5
I am going to a bigger city in a couple of weeks and hope to take a car load to donate when I go. Sometimes I just want to walk it out to my garbage can just to get it done with now.
Is there no place you can donate in your town? I admit when I want something gone, I want it gone yesterday, but if it's not kids' clothes for a colleague, I'll either put it in a donation bin (textiles) or drive it to the SA-type place 15 min away (so 30 min round trip). They are open 7 days a week so I can always manage to get there on the weekend, if not during the week.
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toomuchreality
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Post by toomuchreality on Aug 3, 2016 19:08:12 GMT -5
Please don't laugh at me. I'm not doing this because I'm chinzy or a cheapskate. And I do give in other ways as well. Such as yesterday I bought a homeless couple breakfast at Starbucks. But GS1 gave me a whole bag full of clothes that he wanted to donate. We took it out to local trailer park and my daughter found families that could use it. Normally I would give it to the clothing drive, you know those trucks that come around every other week. But she said that they needed clothes to go back to school. He had binders that were barely used, a couple of backpacks that he's not going to use in college, basketball shorts, reasonably good t-shirts without any holes in them, and a couple pair of Converse that were too small for him. She rapidly found people who were more than happy to take the bag of items I don't know how much I would get at a garage sale. I know people in this area have done it but they usually only rake in $100 to $150. I don't want people that I don't know coming to my house to buy items. It's easier for me to just donate it I would have done the same thing. I usually try to find someone I know, or know of, who can use things (clothing, household items, etc), before I donate them to an organization. I don't live in a real affluent area, so it's usually not hard to find someone. I also don't like the having strangers come to my home, to check out/buy items. I've become kind of a chicken, in my old age. -Or maybe I finally got smart!
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debthaven
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Post by debthaven on Aug 3, 2016 19:12:30 GMT -5
A close friend in a different part of my suburb told me a story about how her neighbor's son had advertised used shoes on CL, at the beginning of CL. He was absolutely thrilled that he sold his expensive but old / worn out shoes for 20 or 25 euros, can't remember.
His family's house was robbed the following weekend.
So you are all right to be careful not to let people come to the house, or at least to minimize it. I'm guessing that probably wouldn't have happened if the parents had been selling a couch rather than the kid selling a pair of sneakers, but peace of mind has its price too.
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Ombud
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Post by Ombud on Aug 3, 2016 19:23:51 GMT -5
See! I'm not just paranoid (ok, maybe a little but my peace of mind is more important than $100 and this was may be $20 worth)
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debthaven
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Post by debthaven on Aug 3, 2016 19:27:35 GMT -5
Ombud, remember ... it's not because you're paranoid that people aren't out to get you. LOL! Better safe than sorry.
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ilovedolphins
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Post by ilovedolphins on Aug 3, 2016 19:54:41 GMT -5
We have a place called The Community Cupboard that you can donate stuff to. I take most of my stuff there but there are some items that my mom has given me that I want to donate but I don't want her to see them and know that I donated them. Some of it is 2 large totes of baby clothes that she saved of my kids - who are now 31 and 33 - that she wanted me to give to my daughter for when she has kids. My daughter can't have kids so I want to donate them. I would love to give my things to people who need them but I don't know many people in town.
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TheOtherMe
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Post by TheOtherMe on Aug 3, 2016 20:12:08 GMT -5
I have sold some things on Craig's List. I made the people meet me inside of a public place like Starbucks. They had no idea of where I lived and I only accept cash when I do that.
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toomuchreality
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Post by toomuchreality on Aug 3, 2016 20:25:58 GMT -5
We have a place called The Community Cupboard that you can donate stuff to. I take most of my stuff there but there are some items that my mom has given me that I want to donate but I don't want her to see them and know that I donated them. Some of it is 2 large totes of baby clothes that she saved of my kids - who are now 31 and 33 - that she wanted me to give to my daughter for when she has kids. My daughter can't have kids so I want to donate them. I would love to give my things to people who need them but I don't know many people in town. Your kids don't want them?? My mom saved some of my things. I love pulling them out and looking at them, once in awhile. I saved some of both of my daughters things. They love seeing / having their baby things too. (Not 2 large totes full though.) DD2 thinks I favored DD1, because I have more of her things. The truth is, I had a TON (more) of DD2's baby things, but her father sold them at a yard sale, after he told me I could store them in his basement. Jerk.
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