Childhood "things" taking up space

[ua_guy]

Not sure if this has been discussed before, but we have a bunch of toys and stuff from our childhood that has just kind of been around forever. It's not stuff we're going to use in our mid-30's and I think even the sentimental value of some of the stuff is gone. But I got to thinking about how much space it takes up, and why we still have those things. Things are just things.

What would you do / what have you done? Keep it? Sell it? Donate it?

Things like an HO-Scale train set, mini slot car track and cars, matchbox and hotwheels cars, Micro Machines, baseball cards, a first gen Nintendo Gameboy and games. Some of it probably has minimal value for collecting but I wouldn't even know where to start.

Mom and dad always said hang on to this stuff, some day it will have value, and you'll wish you had it. Some of the stuff like the train set and cars I think are really cool, but it's been 15 years since I've even touched any of it.

I'll admit, it will be tough to get rid of, but maybe that's a necessary exercise. It reminds me of my (good!) childhood and wonderful parents and how lucky we were. To just get 'rid' of it somehow seems ungrateful.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

I would look up maybe three or four of the things that I suspect might be of most value and see if they are selling on ebay. If they are selling --not just being listed-- I would ask myself whether the prices fetched made it worth the trouble of listing, packing, mailing.

Most probably they would not be worth it to me, so I would donate the whole kit and kaboodle.

If you just can't bring yourself to do that because of what your parents might think, deliver them to your parents to keep or sell.

What an energy drain!

(Parents, please don't try to save your children's possessions for them. They won't be so sentimental about them as you think, and for the most part they don't want to pass them on to their own children. )

[disneysteve]

This is exactly the kind of thing we talk about on my decluttering thread.

I agree with Joan. The answer to your question is ebay. Do a search for Sold items. Many of the things you listed are probably of reasonable value.

Selling on ebay is pretty simple. I personally find that it isn't really worth my time for items selling for less than $15-20, but there's no reason why you can't sell lower priced items too if the time is worth it to you.

I wouldn't bother with the baseball cards on ebay. Those really need to be graded. The best way to see if those are of value is to find a local card dealer and have them go through them. If they're interested, sell them to them.

The winner on your list is going to be the 1st gen GameBoy. I can almost guarantee selling that will be worth your time.

[disneysteve]

To just get 'rid' of it somehow seems ungrateful.

Don't think of it as getting rid of it.
Think of it as finding the stuff a new home where it will be appreciated and played with again.

[rennigade]

Do you have kids or plan on having kids someday? They could play with a lot of the toys, matchbox, micro machines. Gameboy you can get rid of...you can emulate that on any console/phone at this point. Yeah its not the same to emulate...its better!

I have a bunch of hess trucks...when we have a kid im going to unbox all of those and let them go to town on them...if they destroy them they destroy them. At this point they are worthless and taking up space.

Also...if you do want to sell stuff you can also try craigslist first depending on your market. I avoid ebay like the plague and will not sell on there anymore. Only clist at this point...cash is king...once the transaction is done its done! Meet in a public place if you're nervous. No chargebacks, no paypal disputes, no ebay/paypal fees, not worrying about buyer sending you a package with a block of wood in it and demanding refund...lot of messed up stuff that happens with ebay. Its no longer a sellers friend.

[disneysteve]

I have a bunch of hess trucks...when we have a kid im going to unbox all of those and let them go to town on them...if they destroy them they destroy them. At this point they are worthless and taking up space.

You might want to look up their value before declaring them worthless. Some of them might be far from worthless.

Also...if you do want to sell stuff you can also try craigslist first depending on your market. I avoid ebay like the plague and will not sell on there anymore. Only clist at this point...cash is king...once the transaction is done its done! ...lot of messed up stuff that happens with ebay. Its no longer a sellers friend.

I agree that ebay is not what it once was sadly. Still, for certain types of items, especially collectibles, it is still the king. Sure, you might find a local collector for your item but you have a far better chance of getting top dollar for it when you advertise it to the whole country or whole world.

I generally use CL for items that are hard to ship or really need to be seen in person before buying. I sold a microwave cart and hutch a few weeks ago in just a few hours. There's no way I would have put that on ebay. However, when I have a vintage collectible item to sell, it goes on ebay for sure.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Not sure if this has been discussed before, but we have a bunch of toys and stuff from our childhood that has just kind of been around forever. It's not stuff we're going to use in our mid-30's and I think even the sentimental value of some of the stuff is gone. But I got to thinking about how much space it takes up, and why we still have those things. Things are just things.

What would you do / what have you done? Keep it? Sell it? Donate it?

Things like an HO-Scale train set, mini slot car track and cars, matchbox and hotwheels cars, Micro Machines, baseball cards, a first gen Nintendo Gameboy and games. Some of it probably has minimal value for collecting but I wouldn't even know where to start.

Mom and dad always said hang on to this stuff, some day it will have value, and you'll wish you had it. Some of the stuff like the train set and cars I think are really cool, but it's been 15 years since I've even touched any of it.

I'll admit, it will be tough to get rid of, but maybe that's a necessary exercise. It reminds me of my (good!) childhood and wonderful parents and how lucky we were. To just get 'rid' of it somehow seems ungrateful.

Sell, donate, toss. In that order.

Things are just things.

[cypher1]

Not sure if this has been discussed before, but we have a bunch of toys and stuff from our childhood that has just kind of been around forever. It's not stuff we're going to use in our mid-30's and I think even the sentimental value of some of the stuff is gone. But I got to thinking about how much space it takes up, and why we still have those things. Things are just things.

What would you do / what have you done? Keep it? Sell it? Donate it?

I'll admit, it will be tough to get rid of, but maybe that's a necessary exercise. It reminds me of my (good!) childhood and wonderful parents and how lucky we were. To just get 'rid' of it somehow seems ungrateful.

Agreed with "Things are just things." I'm in the same boat. I still have all my GI Joes, a select few original Transformers, other comic figures, along with comic books. Add to the fact another container of collectible toy cars my parents purchased from various countries when they traveled over the years. Sentiment kicks in for everything, especially the cars even if I haven't looked at them since I was a kid.

Everything is basically sealed up in containers underneath my stairway (aka Hobbit hole) which doesn't take up that much space. I could definitely make money off certain items, otherwise the majority of toys are of little monetary value.

In the long run I'll probably end up donating majority of toys to my nieces and nephews, but feel they wouldn’t appreciate them. I feel like Andy from Toy Story 3.

[FrugalFish]

Mom and dad always said hang on to this stuff, some day it will have value, and you'll wish you had it.

That was exactly my mother. She kept everything- toys especially, but anything really- sets of commemorative soda cans, pretty bottles, stickers from bananas...???? She thought everything was going to be worth a fortune eventually.

What she didn't anticipate was the internet- now it is easier than ever to find that long lost childhood toy, and most often, people want them in great condition. All the toys of mine she saved were in acceptable condition at best. Not worth anything, and honestly, when they came back to me, seeing how worn they were (compared to how they were in my minds eye) took some of the luster off the memory

I donated anything that I just couldn't bear to part with. I didn't want the prolonged agony of finding buyers bit by bit. What was left were definitely the more precious things and they take up one large tote that is currently in a closet. Every year or two, I go through and see if time has changed my feelings about any of it. Sometimes, I'm surprised and let another item go.

Having found some really cool finds at thrift stores and such, I also don't look at it so much as getting rid of it, as much as letting it go so it can find a new life. Some may not, but a lot fall into that vintage toy category and I have no doubt that they go on to other places where they will be appreciated. I also take a small amount of time to find a charity thrift store that wants, benefits, and will benefit others with these items. It's an all around win that way- not in my house, they will be a treasure find for someone else, and a charity somewhere will make a little money.

[snafu]

I take toys in excellent condition to Children's Hospital and those that are not suitable to their needs to the Women's Shelter. The children who accompany distressed women usually have nothing but the clothes they wear.

[cschin4]

I don't like to spend a lot of time dealing with stuff i no longer want or nee. For me, if it is time for something to go, then i just want it to be gone. Life is so much easier and freer without stuff weighing you down. If i am done, it goes in a box and goes to Goodwill or the trash. That's it. I keep it simple. I don't sell stuff. I have tried and it has never worked out. It takes a lot of time and i never seen to have much success at it so i no longer bother.

[tonyb3]

Take the few items that you have emotional attachment to, and store them, take the rest and evaluate their worth thru ebay & such. Sell what has any decent value and donate the rest.

-You keep a few items for sentiment
-You make a few bucks
-You feel good about donating & helping others
-You get back some space in your home

Simple math and a win-win situation to me.

[JoeP]

A couple weeks ago, I tackled the garage attic. Among a bunch of subject folders from 1980 (never know when I need to brush up on fractions) I found a hand-written report card from my kindergarten teacher, telling my parents what a good boy Joey was in class.

That has a little sentimental value to me, but it is simply stuff I have no interest in keeping...but it is a tangible piece of my past, so it is hard to simply let go. But I'm working on it and making progress.

[disneysteve]

That has a little sentimental value to me, but it is simply stuff I have no interest in keeping...but it is a tangible piece of my past, so it is hard to simply let go.

Rid yourself of all of the stuff that has no value to you, sentimental or otherwise. Keep the items that do have value. Once the other stuff is gone, you'll have the space to store and display the stuff that matters. I bet that report card will bring you a lot more joy framed on the wall or somewhere easily accessible where you can bring it out to show to friends or family than it did buried in the attic.

[sblatner]

My husband read "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing" a year ago. We spent 2015 cleaning out all the cupboards and closets in our house. Ended up taking two van loads of stuff to St. Vincent de Paul. Stuff we got for our wedding but never used. Stuff we bought and used once and then never used again.

It was an amazing, cleansing experience!

http://www.amazon.com/The-Life-Changing-Magic-Tidying-Decluttering/dp/1607747308