If you had a lot of stuff, how long did it take you to do a major de-clutter?

[FI by 2024]

I think we bought duplicates/triplicates of things we already had but couldn't find.

As someone who moves every 1-3 years, I have boxes I haven't unpacked in over a decade. This leads to a LOT of duplication. Today I discovered that I have at least 12 rolls of Scotch tape and four pairs of scissors. That's ridiculous.

Packing up for my most recent move was very hurried, but I've sworn to myself that I will downsize this time around. I already have a closet filled top to bottom with stuff for a garage sale, and I still need to go through about 1/3 of the boxes. I hope to have everything sorted by the end of September and out of the house by Halloween. Here's hoping!


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[ivinsfan]

As someone who moves every 1-3 years, I have boxes I haven't unpacked in over a decade. This leads to a LOT of duplication. Today I discovered that I have at least 12 rolls of Scotch tape and four pairs of scissors. That's ridiculous.

Packing up for my most recent move was very hurried, but I've sworn to myself that I will downsize this time around. I already have a closet filled top to bottom with stuff for a garage sale, and I still need to go through about 1/3 of the boxes. I hope to have everything sorted by the end of September and out of the house by Halloween. Here's hoping!


Sent from my iPhone using Early Retirement Forum

Garage sales are fine and some people make good money from them. My BIL has a business on a major hiway and the little town has citywide sales every year and we do a multi-family sale. I have a few things every year, I throw away junk, price reasonably, and most important.
at the end of the one and a half day sale, box up whatever didn't sell and drive it right to goodwill in the nearest good sized town.

Our town of less then 15K, has a huge new goodwill that runs sales all the time, a salvation army store and a gigantic New to You that is run by volunteers from the local church school. These places have really hurt the garage sale market around here....

 

[athena53]

Someone mentioned putting a "Free Stuff" list at the end of the driveway with unwanted items. I found that Craigslist is a great resource for getting rid of everything from a tub of leftover tile grout to empty scotch whisky canisters. List it under Free Stuff, provide the address and say that the first person to show up gets it. That way no one knocks on your door or calls. (As a kindness to others I do Delete the ad when the goods are gone.) I put out dining room chairs once- they were very well-made but some of the cushions had been patched with duct tape and the backs needed re-caning. I saw one guy take a picture of each chair, text them to someone, then pack them all up and drive away!


I'm sure that I'm passing up a lot of money I could get by selling these things at a flea market but I'm just happy to get them out the door and NOT in a landfill.

 

[Teacher Terry]

I started decluttering about 10 years ago & try not to buy decorate items anymore. Once I retired I got rid of a ton of clothes. I also have decided that I want a more lean look then I have had in the past. I use a combo of selling, taking to thrift stores or just a free sign in front of house. It just depends on my mood & how much $ an item was worth. I wanted to sell my 20 Hummels but was very disappointed that many are listed on ebay for $10.00 & no bids. I also decided I have too many pics of people around the house so am reducing that & giving away the frames.

 

[Birdie Num Nums]

Hey! Try decluttering as a former Beatle.

 

[brett]

We downsized and we painted the entire place prior to selling and then storing what we kept in a container. We had a four bedroom home, faimily room and an office. We had another 2 bedrooms and a living room in the basement.

It took us about six months. We did three passes at de cluttering. Then, as we emptied each room for painting we only brought back what we needed for staging, ie no return trips for items to be discarded.

We sold some on kijiji. We had three pickups over that period from the women in need centre. We donated lots of books to the school and library. We had the junk man come twice. We gave away a fair amount of furniture etc. But, we told those that wanted it to pick it up by a certain date, the day before women in need were coming. That way we did not get stuck with a bunch of stuff.

Hardest to get rid of was the piano. Three people said yes for free but reneged. After several try's we actually sold it over the Xmas holidays.

Downsizing was great for us. So liberating. But now we no longer buy or acquire as much as we did in the past!