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I think the discovery that we have too much stuff is pretty common in this society -- especially at retirement time, when we're looking at downsizing or relocating. What do you do with yours (how do you get rid of it), and why did you choose that method?
I think the discovery that we have too much stuff is pretty common in this society -- especially at retirement time, when we're looking at downsizing or relocating. What do you do with yours (how do you get rid of it), and why did you choose that method?
Right now I am just giving things away.
Too lazy to have a yard sale and too lazy to sell online.
I really don't have a lot of stuff.
I try to throw something out each day.
I use stories of people getting old and then feeling overwhelmed by what they have - and I don't want that for me. I want simplicity.
I spent almost 15 years of living on the road and I liked it. I don't need a lot of things.
Location: Foothills of Maryland Blue Ridge mountains
993 posts, read 767,353 times
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We moved 2 years ago. From a large home to much smaller in a more rural area in preparation for retirement and to get away from the city.
It all happened to so quickly....we went looking for a home, not seriously and found a great home in a desirable location. We listed our home and it sold within 2 days. Yep.
My husband was still working full time and I was disabled. So in the end, we donated a lot and had 1-800-junk pick up the rest....2 trucks worth of old furniture, garden stuff, you name it. And we moved way too much stuff with us. We had the movers pack us. We just couldn’t do much ourselves.
I was kinda sad parting with it all....I’m sentimental that way. But I haven’t missed any of it. And in fact is was down in our storage room today, looking for something. We didn’t throw enough out.
My advice is to be ruthless and part with as much as you can.
I moved from a 3-bedroom house (rental) eight years ago when my dd graduated from high school and bought my little condo in a lower-cost area. At that time I couldn't believe how much crap I had accumulated.
Now again I've got too much stuff, although not as much as I did back then.
When I retired from my real job two years ago (now working a part-time job) I had tons of business/office type clothing that I didn't need anymore. I gave all but a few things away. I also started looking in cabinets and things to see what other things I could get rid of. I don't need all those dishes or vases and stuff. I live alone.
I call a veteran's organization that comes and picks stuff up. I gave away tools and Christmas stuff, too.
A friend of mine complained that she had broken most of her wine glasses, so I dropped six off at her house. Why do I need six wine glasses, lol. I have too many mugs, too.
And I still have too much. Need to do another sweep through the clothes closets and dump more stuff that I haven't worn. Shoes, too.
Two years ago I moved from a house into a condo. I gave a lot of gardening tools and such away to neighbors and to my long-time contractor, donated a kitchen table and chairs to a coworker's son and a large aquarium to another coworker's cousin, and I dropped off a lot of housewares and linens at Goodwill. Most of what I disposed of, though went to 1-800-Got-Junk. Yes I had to pay to get rid of it all, but I had to get the house ready to sell fairly quickly and I just didn't have the time to dispose of the stuff in any other way.
And two years on, a look at my condo's closets tell me it's time for another round of de-junkification. I swear the stuff breeds!
Another thing to watch out for is people dumping THEIR stuff on YOU.
I have a friend who kept doing this. Every time I saw her, she had something else for me. Two shirts she bought that didn't fit her or she didn't like but got really cheap and didn't want to bother returning. Cat things she thought I could use after her cat died, a little soft house thing, a scratch post, toys. Kitchen stuff.
I came to realize she was cleaning out her crap by giving it to me, and I stopped saying yes and taking it.
Had another friend who did that, too. Showed up at my house with two ugly pictures and a smoothie maker. Why in God's name would you think I'd want a smoothie maker? The ugly pictures, OK, I live near the ocean, you might have thought I'd like beach-themed pictures, and maybe you didn't think they were ugly. Then she mentioned how she was getting rid of stuff in case she decides to sell her house, and I realized I was being dumped upon again.
Another thing to watch out for is people dumping THEIR stuff on YOU.
My parents did that to me for years. Every time they came to visit me, they brought along "things we think you'd like to have" (aka junk from their garage or attic). I think it just took them a while to see me as a real adult who could afford to buy the things she needed instead of a perpetually-broke student who'd benefit from their hand-me-downs.
I've always had a dislike of having stuff, so I've been tossing or giving away stuff every since I can remember. Everything I own is needed and regularly used, or off it goes.
My husband loves collecting stuff and has all his life. His mother was the same way. Now that he has retired, he's been trying to unload it all and has filled his truck with things he's been collecting for years and taken it to the dump. This is true "stuff" and not anything that is useful to anyone. He seems to regret having stockpiled so much, and I'm glad to see him cleaning up his act.
I think the discovery that we have too much stuff is pretty common in this society -- especially at retirement time, when we're looking at downsizing or relocating. What do you do with yours (how do you get rid of it), and why did you choose that method?
When we moved and my husband "made me" get rid of half my Christmas stuff I donated it all to Goodwill. Actually if something was in good condition we donated it, if not we tossed it. Since we didn't need the money or have the inclination to sell anything donating was the preferred choice, tossing in the dump was the choice if it had no useful purpose to Goodwill.
BTW, if you have towels and blankets you wish to get rid of think of your local pet shelter. They love this stuff. I had forgotten that my husband brought a lot of towels that I had and didn't need to them knowing Goodwill wouldn't want them.
Location: Foothills of Maryland Blue Ridge mountains
993 posts, read 767,353 times
Reputation: 3163
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mightyqueen801
Another thing to watch out for is people dumping THEIR stuff on YOU.
I have a friend who kept doing this. Every time I saw her, she had something else for me. Two shirts she bought that didn't fit her or she didn't like but got really cheap and didn't want to bother returning. Cat things she thought I could use after her cat died, a little soft house thing, a scratch post, toys. Kitchen stuff.
I came to realize she was cleaning out her crap by giving it to me, and I stopped saying yes and taking it.
Had another friend who did that, too. Showed up at my house with two ugly pictures and a smoothie maker. Why in God's name would you think I'd want a smoothie maker? The ugly pictures, OK, I live near the ocean, you might have thought I'd like beach-themed pictures, and maybe you didn't think they were ugly. Then she mentioned how she was getting rid of stuff in case she decides to sell her house, and I realized I was being dumped upon again.
They went into the giveaway pile immediately.
This happened to me big time. From my in laws and my extended family, not just parents! I hated to see family items disposed of and word got out I would take them. Stupid move on my part.
Now I have a few sets of sterling. 3 12 piece China sets, old photos, family letters dating back to the 1870s, vases, crystal. Coin collections, stamp collection. Most difficult to part with are all the handmade tablecloths, lace doilies, lingerie, dresses, doll clothing...dating from 1880s. I have stacks of it. I just can’t part with handmade items. I’m a sucker. Oh, also a massive collection of old 78 records. 2 boxes of antique fire marks.
Original artwork...some exquisite, most of it just average. I could go on and on.
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