2021 Decluttering Thread

[disneysteve]

Got a bid on an ebay item that ends on Tuesday.

Three auctions ended successfully tonight. I sold a total of 63 issues of magazines between the 3 auctions.

[jenn_jenn]

A couple of months ago, we tried to take a bunch of stuff to our local Goodwill and they weren’t accepting any donations unless the item was brand new in packaging or with tags. The Salvation Army was the same. *sigh*

My husband wanted to take everything to the dump but it was good stuff and I didn’t want to see everything add to a landfill. Finally got around to posting on FB marketplace and was surprised how quickly (almost) everything sold.

Made $300 for things we were going to donate anyway and we didn’t add to a landfill. Win!

[disneysteve]

A couple of months ago, we tried to take a bunch of stuff to our local Goodwill and they weren’t accepting any donations unless the item was brand new in packaging or with tags. The Salvation Army was the same.

Wow. I've never heard of that. Was that a COVID restriction? Any idea if they're still doing it?

Other than corporations, who would donate brand new stuff to a thrift shop?

[jenn_jenn]

Wow. I've never heard of that. Was that a COVID restriction? Any idea if they're still doing it?

Other than corporations, who would donate brand new stuff to a thrift shop?

As far as I know, yes. I thought it was odd! They said their policy was due to the pandemic and safety concerns. I can understand not wanting to accept things in poor condition (which everything we had was in good or like new condition) but didn’t get their very strict stance on this.

We actually were going to donate 6 sets of brand new in packaging curtains but since they wouldn’t take everything else in the box, we honestly forgot they were in there. ♀️

[disneysteve]

I photographed and prepared draft ebay listings for 7 lots of 12 magazines each (one year's worth of issues per listing). I'll post them when we return from vacation.

I was curious how many magazines I've sold so far. Since returning home from my cousin's house in July, I've sold 107 magazines. Not bad. And after vacation I plan to ramp up my efforts. I have about 10 cartons of magazines to sell so 107 is a good start but there's plenty more to go.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

Consigned 35 items and then took 4 bags of stuff to goodwill. OMG feels so good. Plus I cleaned out and tried on a ton of clothes in 1 kid's room

[disneysteve]

Returned from vacation Sunday night. Took my ebay and Marketplace accounts off vacation mode last night. Sold 4 magazines on ebay today.

Now to list a bunch more. ETA: I listed 7 lots of magazines that I had prepared as drafts before we went away.

Not a decluttering issue but I also listed something for my daughter. She has tickets to a fan convention next month and for a variety of reasons has decided not to attend. I'm really hoping somebody will buy that as it was a pretty costly ticket.

[disneysteve]

I spent the morning working in the garage. I got a few things into the trash and a few into the recycling bin.

I listed 2 things on our Buy Nothing Group. One already has a bunch of replies.
I listed 2 things on Marketplace and just sold one of them, an old radio, for $35.
I took in 2 things that I will list on ebay.
I got a few things added to the Goodwill pile. I'll take them over this weekend.

[ua_guy]

It's been a year since we moved. Always a great opportunity to get rid of stuff, although, we were in a hurry, so it all came with us and landed in weird spots.

Today I tackled the kitchen, which has a dedicated "junk" drawer, which had become stuffed, as well as a storage closet that became a dumping ground for miscellany. Both are clean--and roomy, now. Free logo bags, old holiday cookie tins, multiple old lunch boxes, spare parts for appliances we no longer own, dead batteries, change (to the change jar!), wine bags for wine bags. It's crazy how that stuff just accumulates.

Nothing was really worth donating, so it went in the trash. However, and even despite my best attempts to corral, use, or transfer gift cards, DH threw one in the junk drawer that had $25 on it, but the card had expired. So I called and had it re-issued, to me!! When it comes in the mail, I will promptly apply it to an amazon gift card so we use the balance on our next order.

[disneysteve]

Sold 4 more magazines on ebay
Sold 1 other item on ebay
Have a bid on another item on ebay
Listed another item on ebay

Gave away one of the Buy Nothing items I listed yesterday

[JoeP]

As much as I hate to admit it, with 2 kids in flux with respect to their housing, and a lake property that is being rebuilt, we ended up renting a storage unit. So we made probably 8 trips there to drop off: couch, couple chairs, coffee table, end table, about 15 bins with all kinds of stuff in them, entertainment center, washer and dryer, a couple window AC units.

Sold a boat + trailer.

Also gave away some PVC sewer pipe and an office chair.

Consolidation is helpful. Instead of having a bunch of odd sized cardboard boxes in varying degrees of fullness, we went with those black plastic bins with yellow lids. They stack well and are easy to carry, and take up a lot less space.

[disneysteve]

As much as I hate to admit it, with 2 kids in flux with respect to their housing, and a lake property that is being rebuilt, we ended up renting a storage unit.

I think a storage unit makes sense in that scenario, when you're between houses or having to clear out space for renovations.

What boggles my mind is how many pack junk away in storage units never to look at it again. I love watching Storage Wars and seeing the tons of crap people have been paying to store. Most people, before renting a storage unit, need to do a serious decluttering. They may find they don't need a storage unit at all, or at least need a much smaller one than they think. And once you do have one, you should make it a point to visit it every few months and browse through what's there to see if you still need it all. If you can live without things for months or even years, you probably don't need to own them and pay to store them.

[scfr]

Today was another tiring and productive day of decluttering at my mom's. As Forest Gump said, "That's all I have to say about that."

[bjl584]

Big declutter day the other day.
I took an entire truckload of junk to the dump.
We also re-boxed and organized a bunch of other "stuff" and made a large of pile of things that will be donated

[LivingAlmostLarge]

Got ride of a box of kid books that were too young for my kids. About 100+. Plus donated 3 bags of clothes