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One big thing we unloaded was hubby's old truck. I've been taking some barely used clothes and household items to a new consignment shop that recently opened. Also trying to refrain from buying new stuff until we decide where we're going. I've even written to more than a dozen different catalogs and told them to stop sending ... so many catalogs! We were getting upwards of ten a day between the two of us.
I will be saving some old towels and such to pack the breakables. After that, they become rags to clean the new place if it needs it. Even though we are a ways from any actual move, I know it's in our future, so I'm starting a long, slow purge. It feels good!
We too are a ways off from a cross country move, but I am slowly getting things cleared out. Most all books I have read will be given away first to friends, then to charity. I"ll get rid of dishes I have an abundance of. Ill take pics and home decor to consignment also, along with any and all clothes that we haven't worn within the last yr. We'll be driving UHauls and I know they wont hold near what we have. We'll only take one of two beds and one of 2 sofas.probable get rid of lots of misc stuff like plants stands and baskets, lamps and maybe even a small file cabinet that we really dont need as long as we keep our other small one cleaned out and up to date! Lol So looking forward to starting over with less and new furnishings!
Furniture that isn't worth the money to ship. Artwork that you don't love because they are a pain to keep safe. Kitchen stuff that you really don't use or isn't in great shape or you have duplicates.
But most importantly stuff that you are keeping because other people expect you to.I ended up being the keeper of family things because I was nearest when my dad moved away. It was a burden to me and when I finally sold our house and moved I purged almost all of it.
I've been shedding my belongings now for over two years. I recently moved to a temporary home - and will shed even more before I begin my cross country move.
What have I donated besides the obvious?
- Stereo components from two sound systems. They are 12+ years old and heavy. Silly subwoofer had to be 40 pounds; 2 receivers are 30 pounds each. I have decided to dump all components and buy what I need - new - in my new home.
- Collections of semi-sentimental 'things' that just take up space and don't provide joy - coins, model horses, old magazines, old photo frames (I put the photos in albums and donated the frames), old dolls, vintage Christmas decorations.
- Furniture. I'm keeping only a couple things - 2 bedroom sets, new couch, one kid's bedframe, two end tables. Everything else from my 5500 sq ft home has been donated or sold.
- Wall hangings. My new home will be decorated in different colors. Only the bedroom decorations and framed photos will move.
- Tools. I must have had 7 socket sets. No one needs 7 socket sets! I got rid of anything redundant as well as things I didn't recognize. Tools are heavy and costly to move.
I still need to downsize dishes. I have my mom's 20-place setting of china, and the dishes from my wedding. My kids and I use Corelle. For some reason, I can't let go of the dishes!
For me it hasn't been one particular class of "stuff", but rather I looked at individual items. I asked myself about frequency of use, whether I really liked the object, and would it be more expensive to replace it as compared to ship it. I will get rid of some of the artwork (as someone suggested), while keeping other. A slight thinning of books, but I give most books away after reading them, so what I had I mostly wanted to keep. Several pieces of furniture.
Oh, it pains me to read "Books of course" as the first line.
My family is facing a move in 5-8 months and we're in the beginning stages of getting rid of things. No way I'm ditching my books! (Well, most of them.) I have 3 floor to ceiling book cases and about 5 Rubbermaid tubs full of books...
We're going room by room and selling, donating or tossing anything we haven't used in a few months or things that can be accessed otherwise (DVDs out if the movies are on Netflix etc.)
I am gradually going through things and trying to ditch anything that doesn't have a real purpose or is a bonafide keepsake. I would get rid of probably 60% of the stuff we have. The other half would have a fit. Everything is a keepsake.
Furniture that is old and worn out, cheap or I really hate. I won't pay to move those pieces. They can find a new home.
If I have to move again and we are paying for it, I'm donating the Christmas trees, lights, wrapping paper and anything I can easily replace after Christmas. I'll keep most of the ornaments.
Furniture. I think I could easily get rid of one child's bedroom set and possibly the guest room set. I might be willing to part with the living room furniture although it is good quality. The barstools could go and at least two of the office chairs.
Clothes. I could easily part with 1/3rd of it. Most likely we would move to a different climate with different needs.
Lots of stuff in the garage that could go because after I move I never seem to find it again.
Probably half the stuff in the attic. It always takes a couple of years to unpack it anyway.
Maybe the lawn furniture. Probably almost as cheap to buy new as to haul it. The grill is a few years old.
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I've been taking some barely used clothes and household items to a new consignment shop that recently opened. Also trying to refrain from buying new stuff until we decide where we're going. I've even written to more than a dozen different catalogs and told them to stop sending ... so many catalogs! We were getting upwards of ten a day between the two of us. 
