Letting go as you scale down for retirement (Florida, transfer, mom)
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Recently a friend needed help cleaning out his parents home after they passed. In the attic there were thousands of dollars worth of the Christmas Village (Dept 54?) collectibles that had belonged to his mom. Each piece was meticulously in the original box.
He found that unless someone was specifically looking for them, although valuable, they weren't worth anything. He ended up giving them to a friend who was also a collector.
Just about all of the things they had accumulated, that probably was very important and/or sentimental to his parents, ended up on the curb where people rummaged through and the leftovers went in the trash.
So what is important to us, is not necessarily important to whomever inherits it, rather it is huge undertaking to dispurse. After cleaning out parents and aunts homes, while saying, "why did they save this?" I know I don't want to leave that for my heirs.
Read "Clutter's Last Stand" by Don Aslett and once you do you will immediately start de-cluttering your life. I still read it from time to time and right away I start purging things. I find I do not shop for unneeded items any longer because I know there will come a day when I again have accumulated too much. Getting rid (giving, selling, throwing away) stuff you no longer use is so liberating. I can't explain it but it just feels good. Now I think twice before putting something in my little storage room or in a closet...for future use.....yeah right! I keep my belongings to a miniumum, less to keep track of and less to move around to clean. It feels wonderful. It took me 6 months since I retired to declutter and I have not had to do it again.
Hello...'M' here...just want to give a status report about the progress I'm making. Garage sale next weekend...have noticed that it's getting easier to let go of things...very nice things...rather than have them take up way too much room in a new place that just is not big enough for these nice things that are now - basically - "clutter", even if they are very nice. I want to get on with my life without worrying every day about this stuff from the past that takes up too much room. As long as I worry about what to do about "stuff", there is no time for me to go out and be with people ..do things that I enjoy.
This is progess for me...yay!!
Have been reading some of the more recent posts and have been touched and impressed about other posters clutter epiphanies and progress. You help me to not feel so solilary with what I'm doing to make my life utilimately so much richer. But, while I'm doing it, sometimes it seems as if it will never end. But, it will!! As long as we keep at it and keep moving forward.
But, while I'm doing it, sometimes it seems as if it will never end. But, it will!! As long as we keep at it and keep moving forward.
Just keep chipping away! A box or a shelf of knick knacks, a few books, clothes that haven't been worn in a year. Don't try to do everything at once, limit yourself to small sections at a time and before you know it you will be totally liberated. slow but sure, wins the race!
We downsized some years before retiring then donated, gave away and disposed of a great deal more before purchasing a home and moving cross-country. Each May our community holds a well-advertised, community garage sale which propvides buyers with a map of which ones of us are selling items. We found it interesting that even after "cleaning house" twice there were still items we felt we could do without so we participated, got rid of all the rest and made several $100 in the process.
As almost a reverse to the downsizing, once we took possession of our house we had to completely furnish the master bedroom, a sizeable "office," the living room and buy new dining room chairs. We also had to decorate and acquire art for the walls and some accent pieces. Since we'd been renting and were inner-city dwellers for years we also had to purchase gardening, hand and power tools, work benches, potting benches, lawn tractor etc.
So here we are owning far more than we retired with but still feeling downsized and very free.
Hello...'M' again ...had the garage sale this past weekend...took Friday to organize and Saturday for the sale...so tired....to bed at 6:30 PM Saturday. Had some side effects from a medication so not sure what was the med and what was the garage sale...
To make a long story short...there is still MUCH to do in order to rid myself of possessions I'll no longer need or use...and I'll keep plugging away. Have the entire month of June to do that as my days off will be Friday thru Monday. Some items go to the Thrift Store. Anything else will go to the dump This is very annoying now - spending time on a 'project' with summer in full swing - but what an accomplishment to finally get it all done at some point in the near future.
These posts help keep me motivated, disciplined, and determined to complete this at times very frustrating chore...I'm so glad that you wise City Data folks are here for support and suggestions.
'M' - was the garge sale worth it? Was the money you brought in minus costs & time worth it?
I'm having one (probably fall) but have no idea how to price things. What about paperback books? Used DVDs? Did you sell clothing? Last time I had a garage sale was about 15 years ago and I told my family/friends to just shoot me if I EVER mentioned having another one
'M' - was the garge sale worth it? Was the money you brought in minus costs & time worth it?
I'm having one (probably fall) but have no idea how to price things. What about paperback books? Used DVDs? Did you sell clothing? Last time I had a garage sale was about 15 years ago and I told my family/friends to just shoot me if I EVER mentioned having another one
I think the key to an easy tag sale is to not sell clothing or knicknacks or old junk from the garage. Give all this stuff away. Same mostly for books, unless they are really hot sellers and then not more than a dozen. And forget odd pieces of dishware and old pots and pans and silverware. What sells around here at tag sales is furniture, a few designer label coats, and very select items that are in tiptop shape. Maybe an exercise bike or other bike in good condition. It is utterly depressing to have to cart boxloads of stuff at the end of a tagsale someplace...and many places like Goodwill won't take stuff like TV's and old DVD players, etc. I'd rather put out 50 great items priced at $5 each than hundreds of items at much less.
NEG - Over the last 7-8 years I have donated tons of stuff but now I'm getting serious and need to get something for some of these things (outdoor patio furniture as an example).
I dread this but have to do it. I'm going to start going to sales around here and see how things are priced. I have bins in most rooms that I'm putting things in and they are all full. Have to say what use to be a feeling of apprehension is now one of "Ha"!
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...had the garage sale 
this past weekend...took Friday to organize and Saturday for the sale...so tired....to bed at 6:30 PM Saturday. Had some side effects from a medication 
so not sure what was the med and what was the garage sale...
This is very annoying now - spending time on a 'project' with summer in full swing - but what an accomplishment to finally get it all done at some point in the near future.
