[quote=iamkeri1;37172]Sneakers, maybe?? If not, then I'm clueless. But whatever they are they come as a set.

Rufus

So those magazines I talked about getting rid of are finally gone. Some lucky freecycler came and picked them up today. Now I have to get rid of my advocate and out travel magazines as well.

I was going to do the textbooks thing next, but there is alot of rain outside, and their in the storage, so maybe what I will do now is condense down my clothes a bit more. I know I have stuff that im keeping, that I dont really wear, or that is too big for me now.

Oh, and im also getting rid of some stuff that we don't really need, I put our Grateful Dead Opoly collectors monopoly unopened board game up in Queerbay, and im going to put some of my other game stuff up there too that I do not want.

one hefty bag of clothes...

*Gulp*

Inside that hefty bag is a hoody with skulls and stars on it that my long term ex gave me...

It's the first piece of clothing that I've parted with... It's a start..

[quote=iamkeri1;37172] Lol, so I can't spell... Actually, my ferret is name is Snickers and he was snooping around, so I can't recall if I put his name or I was just being lame and didn't double check my spelling. Does that answer your question?
I don't think, that is I definitely wouldn't' leave a candy bar let alone two of them in my closet... Besides, I don't use scholar words, I'm not the encyclopedia type, book smart is not my forte, Im just a street smart child with dyslexia...

I'm loving all the decluttering stories - thank you!

I've been a naughty, naughty girl today. I was planning to pack up some stuff this morning and take it to a local auction - bits and pieces that I couldn't be bothered to list individually on eBay - but it's cold, and raining, so although W/we'll be still be going to the auction this evening (to buy in order to re-sell), I never got around to taking the bits I planned on putting in. Good news, is, however, that I've listed a few odds and ends on eBay this morning - including a set of 6 really nice espresso coffe duos (W/we don't have an espresso machine, and besides, B's switched from coffee to tea so, well, not much point in keeping them, right?) - so it's not all bad.

Which reminds me. To those of you who don't do eBay/Queerbay, you should. You'd be amazed at what people will buy and how the amounts mount up. Plus, if you're selling fragile items, crumpled up magazine pages make wonderful packing material and empty shoe boxes, etc., great containers. (I usually turn them inside out so they look a bit more 'professional'. Seems kind of cheeky to send someone a rare crystal glass costing $50 in a box with 'Spaghetti-Os' written all over the front. Green with class - yep, that's me. LOL.)

Anyway, please keep on posting and inspiring....

Words

A box of clothes and books

and

The guilt of moving...

You know, I love E-bay, but its very hard to get into it it seems. I have a ton of stuff that I want to sell, but theres always that doubt of, well what if I take the time to list it, and no one buys it, then I just wasted however much money it cost me to list it and my time. Or maybe thats me just making excuses.

Do you actually find that your able to sell a majority of your stuff on ebay?

Logicaly,

I think the key to eBay is to research. Before you list something, look for similar items that are currently listed and see if they're selling. Better still, look at completed listings and see how many of the same item sold and how much they sold for. The long and short of it is, you need to be realistic. If something is priced too high, it's simply not going to sell, same applies to shipping, so if the price you want for something is significantly more than what similar items usually sell for, then no, there's not much point in listing it.

As to whether or not most of my items sell, it depends. I do eBay as a 'job', which means in most cases, I buy to re-sell, so I tend to adapt to suit the season. In December, for example, I focused on crystal glasses (ready for the Christmas season) and practically every single set I put on sold. Now? I'd be lucky to sell one or two a week, so I focus on something else. Truth is, the listing fees are much lower than they used to be - as a private seller, you'd probably be able to take advantage of the free listing days as well - so, unless you're listing a particularly expensive item, we're talking pennies as opposed to pounds. Selling fees, on the other hand, are higher than they used to be but, as long as you take into account when you list that you're going to be paying about 10% if an item sells (plus PayPal fees) to eBay, you should be okay. Plus, I don't know about you, when it comes to personal items, things that I no longer want or need but that are too good to just give away/trash, any money they fetch is a bonus. Right?

Anyway, why not start small and give Queerbay a try? Obviously you won't reach the same audience but at least it'll be a first step.

Good luck!

Words

Um, no. It wasn't your ferret, at least I HOPE not!

You had said you bought a new (pair of?) snickers and then found snickers in your closet. I'm betting on sneakers or nickers, but you don't seem the type to call your pants nickers. lol


Try local avenues first, like a consignment shop or CL. No cost to you!

I make a pledge to get rid of
 

a pile of canvases that I have painted on, hate the paintings, or never completed them, but can't bare to paint over them. But I don't care if someone else does - just don't tell me about it. (I take my art waaaaay toooooo seriously - not sure what to do about that).

Honestly, over 1/2 of my possessions are art or music supplies. But that still does not mean that I need them all. And it certainly does not mean that if I get rid of something today, if I need it tomorrow, I won't be able to replace it.

The universe is ever overflowing.

:pacman:

Sneakers? LOL I'm so sorry! I actually thought it was some new name for undies! I have heard the word "knickers" used for undies, so I thought maybe that's what it was. Well obviously you like those sneakers, or you wouldn;t have bought two of the same (two pairs, I mean.

[quote=Blaze;37532]

I threw away about 12 candy canes that were sitting in a glass container on the kitchen counter. I thought I would save them for cookies or something, but who am I kidding? Into the trash bin they went.

:stillheart:

One less thing...
 

... Whew. Closet is cleaned out. *checking off the list*

three trash bags FULL of clothes that need to go since I got rid of 71lbs!

Rather than the hassle of queerbay, the bags are headed to a local church clothing store. All pieces are resold at $1 so its affordable for everyone.

I am looking out the window to Jess's workshop. Hy has almost a truckload of Momma's Christmas crap... many trees she bought at thrift shops - all missing vital pieces. Why she wont part with them is the 8th Wonder of the World...

Boxes upon boxes of tinsel and icicles (ick)

I think while Hy is outside I might consider purging some of the yarns. Briefly purging my extensive (think entire room) shoe collection. Then I found my brain and decided I had temporary insanity!

The yarn will more than make Hym happy and one can only imagine the points I score by self initiating! *cha-ching*

:dance2: off to the yarn bins!

YAY! The girl rocked it with her "organizing"! I got a good dent knocked out in one of the buildings, but have a long way to go in getting it to a usable work space. Sighs.. slowly but surely, we'll get there.

Good luck to everyone "downsizing"! It does make a world of difference in the peace of mind factor!

Today I am cleaning out my *Good Clothes* closet..

I've been saving them because:

1. They are expensive and in the classic style..
2. An ex bought them for me
3. In case I ever worked in an office where professional dress was required.

I'm letting them go.. (Well, except the hand made, one of a kind sloutch jacket.. That's just art work..)


I haven't worn almost any of it in five years... They don't fit my body or my soul any more..


*baby steps for letting go of the past*

A different generation...
 

W/we just got back from visiting my parents and spending the best part of a day trying to clear up what is supposed to be my mother's utility room but what has become yet another of my father's dumping grounds. I feel so sorry for my Mom. My brother built her that room so she would have a space of her own, a place where she could store things, use her sewing machine, plant seeds etc. yet, until today, she could hardly get in it, let alone use it.

Anyway, to cut a long story short...W/we put things aside - useless things, things my father will never ever need or use - so he could approve O/our getting rid of them. Result? A huge dent in the mess. Until, that is, he got around to actually looking over what W/we planned on chucking and decided it needed to all go back so he could 'think about it' later. So okay, his family were poor, so okay, he lived through the war and rationing and all that that entailed, but come on, FOUR sets of golf clubs (he can't play any more). Two sets of bowls (he's never played). A badminton racket? Used, what, once, about 40 years ago? *Sigh* I can't begin to tell you how depressed I feel right now at the thought of my mother, at almost 80, and after spending her entire life working so hard, not being able to enjoy the fruits of her labour because of my father's reluctance to let go of crap.

It's just ****ing unfair, you know?

Words

Oh, I did get rid of something today. My fear of telling my father what I think. I held back today because I didn't want to set him off but next weekend the gloves are off. Seriously.

Words

Yippy Yahoooo
 

Today I got rid of:

Misc lumber left overs.

and a

Box full of "stuff" such as two (count them two) rice cooker/steamers, water bottles, dish rack, ugly (to me) picture frames, and plastic in/out box type paper stack racks.

and

I moved two grocery bags full of magazines to the back room where things sit until I figure out what to do with them, and if I can't decide what to do with them, I just take them to the garbage room down the back stairs.

Yippy Yahoooooo.

:trampoline:

Saaaaaave Yoooourseeeeelf!!!
 

Believe me, I understand all three thoughts. Why do you think I have two rice steamers to begin with?

And the magazines? Maybe knowing that they are mostly political junkie type stuff (The Nation, Mother Jones) will make you feel better. Unless your work includes lots of depressing pictures of an imperialistic nation in decline...

And yes, saaaaaaave yoooooourseeeelf!!!!!:shark:

So I didn't get to get rid of as much stuff this weekend as I had hoped. However I did go through my junk box, and threw out a few things, even though a lot of stuff went back into the box, I still got rid of a little bit.

Going to have to work on getting rid of more stuff this week. I have a pile of mens clothes sitting in my bedroom that has been here for over a month now that I need to get rid of.

One thing that really helps me
 

One thing that really helps me is to have an in-between place to put things.

The in-between place is a place where everything goes on its way out the door. It can sit there for one month, or even up to six months. But in this in-between place, I am free to go back into the stuff there if I actually need it. If I have not needed it, and therefore not gotten it out this in-between place, then I do not need it in my life right now (always remembering that I can always get more stuff later.

So I never just throw something out, oh no, that would be very traumatic for me, too abrupt. I did that once in my life (and included all artwork and writings from my tortured youth) and I really regret that now.


:supermanbooth:

I wish I had the space for an inbetween room. Although knowing me it would never leave that room.

That being said I spoke with my girl last night and I have come to terms with the fact that she is not ever leaving me. So that means that all those duplicate books and movies that I have been holding on to for that just incase she ever left me I can get rid of. So tonight I'm pulling out all our dupe books and movies and will arrange to sell them.

Its funny I'm getting rid of all these items and I'm still not seeing more free space. Now if I could just convince myself to get rid of at least one of my spare fish tanks. That's a hard one though, although maybe I can trade it for fish or plants...hmm that's a thought.

Old clothes, shoes and mind cobwebs..:thumbsup:


Duchess

An address and some other useless reminders of my folly...

A very dark cloud.

Next week will be overdue spring cleaning. House, sheds, barn. I'm actually thinking of becoming a minimalist. The less you have the less to worry about and clean. I'd much rather spend any free I do have doing something other then cleaning.

Not to go off topic here but rice cooker is a must. If you want a great rice cooker spend a little more and get Aroma that has a brown rice setting. Perfect brown rice.

I collect things, art mostly or rocks and big crystals. I collect wooded bowls and other odd kitchen things. One year I decided I was getting rid of everything. I had a yard sale and gave a bunch away. Later it all hit me and I couldn't believe how attached I let myself get to all those "things". I still have that. Its not as bad but each year I want less.

It appears that throwing out FIFTY things is not as easy as one might think.
So......who would like to join me in the challenge of throwing out fifty things? And recording what they tossed here at BFP?
I am ready to go. Are you?

I'm absolutely tickled to find this thread. Lately I have been reminding myself that *less* is part of the word blessed. Sounds so silly... but it's a good reality check for myself. I have found that the older I get I am a lot less materialistic than I was in younger years... though maybe it's really just that my taste has become a little more expensive ;)

All that aside today I purged my closet...and it felt pretty amazing. I only filled one small bag but it's still a good start. Next I'd like to start on getting rid of some of those small trinkets and shoe boxes full of letters and old memories. Does anyone else have that kind of stuff? What do you think about holding onto ephemera? It feels like it's kind of silly stuff to hold onto.. especially since I rarely ever take the time to go back through it.

Very cool site, thanks so much for sharing! I'm totally game.

Love this thread...thank you!

I'm getting ready to move and have been steadily clearing my house of 9 years of accumulated clutter...and it feels magnificent.

I've given away a car full of books and kids' videos (seriously, a car full...there was only room for me to drive) to a library in a poor part of town. The look on the kids' faces when they saw the videos was fantastic, and the librarian looked like she was gonna cry.

I've also given away 3 window air conditioners, a BBQ grill, a garden hose and reel, some folding chairs, about 10 lawn-size bags of clothes, kid toys, kitchen stuff....you name it.

Some I donated to charity; some I gave to friends. Some things I just hauled out to the curb and let whoever wanted to haul it away take it. I live on a busy street (8000 cars a day baby)....so it's the perfect way to recycle. I have yet to put anything out there...no matter how strange...and have it last more than a few days. Most things are gone in a matter of 15 minutes or less.

The more I get rid off...the more I feel like getting rid off. There's less to clean, less to fix, less to find a place for. I find that I actually need and use very few things on a daily basis. And my new mantra is "If I haven't used it in a year, then someone else probably will"....and out it goes.

I've cleared an amazing amount of stuff out of here....and still have more to go.

If it's not useful or beautiful or making me smile....then it doesn't need to be in my house!

Becoming Minimalist
 

A great website if you're interested. > click <