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Oh Curmudgeon. I'm afraid this problem is bigger than any of us can help you with. You obviously had a momentary lapse of judgement and broke rule 101 "getting rid of things" in the Things You Must Do When Getting Older" guide.
We try on this forum to help others but we apparently failed with you. Perhaps there is a therapy group out there for those who upsize instead of downsize.
In the meantime ....... enjoy all those nice things you bought
LOL! Some people get it but there's always 10% who NEVER get the word. Guilty as charged!
But we do enjoy the retirement home we've made for ourselves so I guess if ya gotta be dumb or backward ya might as well have some fun with it.
Curmudgeon "This thread is making me chuckle. We're backward. After moving 2,000 miles and buying our retirement home we added measurably to our belongings by totally furnishing and appointing it. Where did we go wrong? "
Oh Curmudgeon. I'm afraid this problem is bigger than any of us can help you with. You obviously had a momentary lapse of judgement and broke rule 101 "getting rid of things" in the Things You Must Do When Getting Older" guide.
We try on this forum to help others but we apparently failed with you. Perhaps there is a therapy group out there for those who upsize instead of downsize.
In the meantime ....... enjoy all those nice things you bought
This will never work for me. My wife is a collector. She collects everything. An in order to make this work for us, we are upsizing from a 1600 sq ft house and a 200 sq ft garage for extra storage, to a 2300 sq foot house and an 800 sq ft garage for storage. I will have some measure of sympathy for the people who must clean out our stuff when we pass on!!
This will never work for me. My wife is a collector. She collects everything. An in order to make this work for us, we are upsizing from a 1600 sq ft house and a 200 sq ft garage for extra storage, to a 2300 sq foot house and an 800 sq ft garage for storage. I will have some measure of sympathy for the people who must clean out our stuff when we pass on!!
When my mother and MIL passed on, I had to take a lifetime of stuff and dispose of it. A few mementos I kept and now I do not want them and don't know what to do with them. I know for certain that my grown kids do not want these things. I was just upstairs going through the storage tubs and found these things—they aren't going to be put to use, but they are fine things. Should I just give them away???
Another box of rosary beads, labeled 'blessed by the Pope 1955' - (I already gave one box to a church)
A collection of brand-new Irish linen embroidered handkerchiefs
A collection of old cotton lace tablecloths, also some real linen (heavy)
Three or four old glass kerosine lamps - very pretty, perhaps antique
Very pretty decorated flower vases - I have two I use, I don't need ten more
and other such
I don't want to sell these things on craigslist or at a tag sale for pennies, or traipse around to antique stores. My two options are: just give away to a hospice shop or keep, in the event that after I pop off someone in the family will want them (but they are taking up room and if I move again don't want to move them....again). Suggestions welcome.
I sell things on ebay. Your old tablecloths might do well, the vases depending upon what they are. You could go to ebay and type in some keywords into a search and see what you get. If you can figure it out (they've made it sort of complicated lately) search completeds to see what actually sold and what it went for.
I've done it for years and started off with sterling silver flatware after someone died and I didn't need it. I've gotten rid of old coins that were sitting in drawers, mostly for the silver meltdown value when silver was at its highest. Sell old jewelry, anything you don't want. If it has zero or small resale value on ebay, I just donate it to a good cause and I find the Salvation Army is one of the most trustworthy causes.
You'd be amazed at what some old toys are selling for if you still have any of those around--especially plastic junk from the 70s era and later. Macrame plant hangers are "in" again too.
My husband and I own a 2 family home and we're planning on moving into the smaller apartment because of health reasons.. mine. The main (our) apartment is mostly upstairs and is quite large. The smaller apartment is only 2 bedrooms and no family room like we have in the upstairs. Part of me really wants to move down there so our bills will be less and we'd get more rent for upstairs. Hubby wants to retire early and he'd be on half salary. Plus, I wouldn't have to deal with stairs anymore and we'd be able to just walk outside and barbeque, and I could take care of my garden easily .
but the other part of me realizes what I'd have to give up. My dining room set that holds so many memories.. there wouldn't be room for it.. the family room furniture that I just bought would have to go too. I realize they are just 'things' but I'm sick over the idea of not having them anymore.
Did anyone else go through this? The move would be good for us financially and health wise but I'd have to pare down and get rid of some things. That's the part of the move that's upsetting me so much and I'm the one who really wants to move because of the easy access to outside.
Physical ability to maintain at reduced income often plays the biggest role in down sizing. Others do it looking forward to same. Still others moving from large family home to home they see as more suited to two persons. Strange thing I have observed in some friends is starting out reducing size thinking wise but end up actually buy as large or larger. Another friend who moved from more rural with 5 acres large home with swimming pool and massive building used a work shop and storage to 70 X 100 foot lot and new home to selling that after five years and moving outward again. They say they just couldn't take the neighbors that close and want no pool ;smaller shop/storage building with more space. They have e been living in a apartment with things in storage for last few months and say its worse than they remembered from younger year.
I sell things on ebay. Your old tablecloths might do well, the vases depending upon what they are. You could go to ebay and type in some keywords into a search and see what you get. If you can figure it out (they've made it sort of complicated lately) search completeds to see what actually sold and what it went for.
I've done it for years and started off with sterling silver flatware after someone died and I didn't need it. I've gotten rid of old coins that were sitting in drawers, mostly for the silver meltdown value when silver was at its highest. Sell old jewelry, anything you don't want. If it has zero or small resale value on ebay, I just donate it to a good cause and I find the Salvation Army is one of the most trustworthy causes.
You'd be amazed at what some old toys are selling for if you still have any of those around--especially plastic junk from the 70s era and later. Macrame plant hangers are "in" again too.
How do you know what to price something at on ebay if you don't know its worth?
How do you know the check you receive is "good" and how does the buyer know you will follow through and send the item(s) paid for?
How do you know what to price something at on ebay if you don't know its worth?
How do you know the check you receive is "good" and how does the buyer know you will follow through and send the item(s) paid for?
You go to ebay and type in your item--like Limoges vase blah blah blah or art deco planter blah blah and hit SEARCH. Then you'll come up with similar items. But if you want to see what actually SOLD you go to Advanced and then scroll down to SOLD>> and you should see a list of what sold and the selling price. You can also take things to have them appraised or even just to an auctioneer to look at and see if they think it's worth anything. When I sold my house I would take things to the auctioneer to see if they were worth selling at auction and at the same time I got an idea of what they were worth. If you're not experienced, an auctioneer can even help by telling you what something is. Local auctioneers for ordinary--and often some amazing-- things and then there are the high end auction houses if you have something specialized.
On ebay you aren't allowed to accept checks, it's all done electronically through PayPal. You set up a PP account and they pay into it. You get your selling price plus your shipping. Then you pack it up and send it to them with delivery confirmation so they can't say they never got it. Ebay is on top of things and if someone should fail to follow through, the other party files with ebay. The buyer would get their money back if you didn't send the item. Ebay owns PayPal--kind of a monopoly but it seems to work fairly well to everyone's advantage.
I'm down to digging through my jewelry and getting ready to dump some earrings that I've had for ages, never wore, never liked. I even have antique shoe clips, belt buckles, all sorts of odds and ends that nobody wants. It's endless even though I've been doing this for years. We accumulate soooo much in a lifetime.
With the fall coming in these parts a lot of folks start cleaning out their attics basements and garages to have a tag-yard sale (or whatever you call it in your region). It seems like many of us don't want to go through winter with so much stuff still surrounding us. Tag sale signs are popping up on street corners. I've seen the bumper stickers that say "I brake for tag sales." Well I used to, too. Now not turning for a tag sale is like trying not to have a third cup of coffee, I'm addicted. I love browsing the better quality ones and almost always come away with a book or two, a funky little table, or a rack of some kind (I'm also addicted to those).
I don't have much more to get rid of until all the building materials in the garage are dealt with, so I don't really have enough to have a sale. I'm trying to talk several others into doing a joint sale and they are either not motivated (their basements and attics are full) at all, or they say they'd rather donate their stuff than sit in the yard all day selling their things for a dollar or two. I have an overabundance of houseplants that I feel I should pass on, so I feel compelled to pick a weekend soon and do this. Anyone else about to do it?
I don't want to sell these things on craigslist or at a tag sale for pennies, or traipse around to antique stores. My two options are: just give away to a hospice shop or keep, in the event that after I pop off someone in the family will want them (but they are taking up room and if I move again don't want to move them....again). Suggestions welcome.
What about (if raising money isn't a concern) gifting those fine things to friends or family as the occasion comes up--and if the object fits the receiver's passion/interest? For example, tell how you wanted your friend to have it as you thought he/she would appreciate it and use it..gift a flower vase to the gardener, the linens to the person who loves to entertain, etc.
In my volunteer library work, I get to sort (and buy if I chose) donated books we sell for the library...often I will buy a book that fits a friend's hobby, passion and interest in lieu of a greeting card. I hand write a note and include inside the book. For $1.00 or two, my friend or family member gets a book to read, use, share instead of a commercial throw-awayable greeting card...and it says you thought of them...
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