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Old 04-14-2013, 08:24 PM   #21
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I love the specialty-bin idea ! Thats a useful tip that I'll be using Thanks for posting that, FIREd.

Next weekend will be fun as we tackle the master bedroom. I have a 20 year old equalizer and a 20 year old turntable (remember those !? ) in there. I also have two really heavy duty sleeping bags - as if I'd ever sleep in a tent again ! Oh wait - with a 15% chance of my portfolio running dry at 87 maybe I should hang onto those ....
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Old 04-14-2013, 09:38 PM   #22
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I just wanted to add that within the aforementioned 600 sq ft apartment, I carry on with three hobbies: jewelry making, sewing, and embroidering. The "bin strategy" works for me!
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Old 04-14-2013, 11:19 PM   #23
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I love the bin idea!

Since I moved to a condo I have set up cube storage with fabric bins inside my closets, as well as wire shelving with baskets in my walk in wardrobe. My condo has much better storage than my house did! The cubes are designated by function, e.g. sewing, media, cameras, stationery, etc. I have organized all my files in filing cabinets. In my storage locker (in the basement) I have Tupperware tubs containing items used less frequently, e.g. Christmas decorations, old family photos, etc. I think it might be a good idea to review those soon and purge anything that I really don't need.
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Old 04-15-2013, 12:16 AM   #24
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Since my divorce 12 years ago (when the boys were 12 and 15), I have downsized from 2400 SF to 1500 to 850 and now about 600 (the boys are one their own now!).

I purge clothes and books and other things constantly and still had tons of stuff to give/throw away in each move.

I like to take a "positive" approach to downsizing stuff: instead of asking myself "what should be thrown away?" I ask: "what do I really want to keep?".
Looks like your decision to throw out your other half was the best downsizing decision you ever made
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Old 04-15-2013, 08:56 AM   #25
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Looks like your decision to throw out your other half was the best downsizing decision you ever made
you got that right!
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Old 04-15-2013, 11:03 AM   #26
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This past weekend we had a "Yard Sale" to purge all the knickKnacks, books, unwanted furniture, and every sort of clutter (I mean, how many unused picture frames do you actually need!). It worked well in that we got a few hundred dollars and only had to drag about 10% back into the house for disposal/donations. Prior to that we had scanned all the best photos and videos and got rid of the albums and tapes. Next big step is to pack up and deliver one set of bedroom furniture to a relative who wants it. All getting ready to move into our smaller brand new home.

We signed the contract to sell our house this morning. I'm still smiling......
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Old 04-15-2013, 11:07 AM   #27
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This past weekend we had a "Yard Sale" to purge all the knickKnacks, books, unwanted furniture, and every sort of clutter (I mean, how many unused picture frames do you actually need!). It worked well in that we got a few hundred dollars and only had to drag about 10% back into the house for disposal/donations. Prior to that we had scanned all the best photos and videos and got rid of the albums and tapes. Next big step is to pack up and deliver one set of bedroom furniture to a relative who wants it. All getting ready to move into our smaller brand new home.

We signed the contract to sell our house this morning. I'm still smiling......
congratulations ! that must feel good !!

I'll probably do a yard sale also, only because I'd probably need to rent a small u-haul to bring it all to Goodwill.
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Old 04-15-2013, 11:21 AM   #28
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congratulations ! that must feel good !!

I'll probably do a yard sale also, only because I'd probably need to rent a small u-haul to bring it all to Goodwill.
Here, the Salvation Army will send a big truck around to pick up furniture but Goodwill doesn't do that for us. So, all our furniture donations went to the Salvation Army, and we took the smaller stuff to Goodwill. I admit, when we were preparing to move back in 2010, we were making daily trips there for a while. Here, a permit plus surprisingly hefty fee are required for a garage sale, so we never got around to doing that.

Since we decided in 2011 not to move after all, I seem to be in a RE-cluttering, UP-sizing phase. Seems like stuff just accumulates if I am not battling against the tide. Amazon Prime has not helped me to stem that tide; my long-suffering UPS guy can attest to that fact.
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Old 04-15-2013, 03:30 PM   #29
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In our area, the Disabled American Veterans will also come pick up furniture, even from inside the house. We like that! They told DH, "You just point at what you want hauled out, and we'll take it."
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Old 04-15-2013, 04:50 PM   #30
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We downsized this winter from 4100 to 1200 sq feet! The old house also had a 2000 square foot attic that had a full stairway, and some seasonal living space. We sold a lot of furniture to the new owners, since they were upsizing. We still are in the process of downsizing some items, since we are out of room, despite purging a lot of items. All in all, we are the envy of our friends, parents, etc. As a side note, we upsized the yard from a city lot to one acre, which will keep us busy gardening, etc.
Love this idea! Now to work on the DW Makes me wonder how much $$$ I should be putting into the current place.
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Old 04-15-2013, 06:44 PM   #31
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Love this idea! Now to work on the DW Makes me wonder how much $$$ I should be putting into the current place.
Thanks, fortunately my DW was well-aligned with this plan, and even influenced me to a less expensive house. Some people asked me if we bump into each other a lot, but we like that, too.
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Old 04-15-2013, 07:12 PM   #32
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Since my divorce 12 years ago (when the boys were 12 and 15), I have downsized from 2400 SF to 1500 to 850 and now about 600 (the boys are one their own now!).

I purge clothes and books and other things constantly and still had tons of stuff to give/throw away in each move.

I like to take a "positive" approach to downsizing stuff: instead of asking myself "what should be thrown away?" I ask: "what do I really want to keep?". I feel better that way--I'm making a conscious decision to keep only what really means something--useful and beautiful things. Sometimes it has to be a game: I can only keep 5 of these 50 books--which 5 will it be?
Wow-- what a great approach. DH and I are procrastinating on purging our bookshelves, closets, his workshop, and the garage. Choosing the few things we will really want/need should help us seriously "downsize."

We yearn a bit for those years when "moving" meant to simply fill up our trunk and move to the new furnished apt.
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Old 04-15-2013, 07:18 PM   #33
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Amazon Prime has not helped me to stem that tide; my long-suffering UPS guy can attest to that fact.
I agree on the danger of Amazon Prime. When I get the urge, I just visualize being on a beach with an umbrella drink in a tropical location living out of suit cases and think about how much easier it would be to pull that off without buying more stuff to donate or put in storage.

My husband was doing the taxes this year and commenting on the large volume of Goodwill donation receipts from last year, and we still have a lot of rooms to go through. The scary part is we haven't missed a thing.
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Old 04-15-2013, 07:43 PM   #34
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Wow-- what a great approach. DH and I are procrastinating on purging our bookshelves, closets, his workshop, and the garage. Choosing the few things we will really want/need should help us seriously "downsize."

We yearn a bit for those years when "moving" meant to simply fill up our trunk and move to the new furnished apt.
his workshop, and the garage I'd prefer not to think about those spaces at the moment ! He calls *me* a hoarder but his stuff is bigger and weighs more than mine.
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Old 05-11-2013, 01:02 PM   #35
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Update ! Still haven't tackled the master bedroom walk in closet but I'm going to have to act fast ! We just purchased our retirement home in a 55+ community. Now I need to get out of the current (too big) home and hope I dont take too much of a beating on the sales price. The new home is LOVELY - I'm very excited and am looking forward to living there.
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Congratulations, Live and Learn!
Old 05-11-2013, 08:01 PM   #36
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Congratulations, Live and Learn!

There's nothing like putting yourself on a forced schedule; moving does wonders for getting rid of stuff!

Since April I have purged the three closets in the extra bedrooms, plus my books. (DH has only started to sort through his books.)
The good news is that those 3 closets now look more "normal" (ie., not bursting with stuff so that it's hard to shut the doors). Plus about half of my books are ready to go (garage sale, then Salvation Army).

Bad news: those closets are still full. There's no way they can be condensed into 1-2 extra closets in an apt.

Plus, boxes are starting to stack up everywhere, and we won't have that garage sale for at least a couple months. (We still have so much clean out to do.) We're starting to look like a warehouse, without any immediate move planned.

I guess this will pay off when all the stuff is out/gone.
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Old 05-11-2013, 09:20 PM   #37
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My dear Dad, nearly 90, moved to senior living over the winter. My siblings and I are in the process of cleaning out the house and putting it up for sale.

What a sad, happy, crazy, process!

We've found goofy little toys, I mean tiny little things, that are bringing floods of memories back. But we've also found so many things that just bring sadness. We have at least 10 vases that Mom (who passed 8 years ago) stored away. I realized these were from flowers I sent her. Now just stuff collecting dust.

I seriously don't feel like buying another item of anything for another year.

There are many unopened items that were given as gifts. What a waste.

I just tell my friends to send their presence, love and TIME. No "stuff." And for me, that's all I want from friends and family. I don't want stuff that I have to make pained decisions about.

Dad never could get rid of a tool. I'm now making decisions about tools from the 20's and 30's that were my Granddad's stuff. Dad could never part with his Dad's stuff. These are not really antiques either. Just stuff like brushes, chisels, punches, etc. Tools that haven't been used for 60 years. I can verify that antique brushes - despite being made with quality camel hair or something - still disintegrate due to the ravages of time. Oh boy. Oh, and physics in the 30's was the same as today. Guess what? Iron and steel still pit and rust. A straight edge razor not used for 60 years, despite being stainless, still pits and rots.

When we're done with this, I'm going home to make hard decisions on my stuff and do an early downsize. This process is tough, tough, tough.

Make it easy on your kids or whoever will look after you some day. With ER, you now have time to live simple and get rid of it. Whatever it is. You don't need it.
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Old 05-11-2013, 09:43 PM   #38
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...
When we're done with this, I'm going home to make hard decisions on my stuff and do an early downsize. This process is tough, tough, tough.

Make it easy on your kids or whoever will look after you some day. With ER, you now have time to live simple and get rid of it. Whatever it is. You don't need it.
Could be one of the best posts I've seen in this juke joint.
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Old 05-12-2013, 07:42 PM   #39
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Originally Posted by JoeWras View Post
My dear Dad, nearly 90, moved to senior living over the winter. My siblings and I are in the process of cleaning out the house and putting it up for sale.

What a sad, happy, crazy, process!

We've found goofy little toys, I mean tiny little things, that are bringing floods of memories back. But we've also found so many things that just bring sadness. We have at least 10 vases that Mom (who passed 8 years ago) stored away. I realized these were from flowers I sent her. Now just stuff collecting dust.

I seriously don't feel like buying another item of anything for another year.

There are many unopened items that were given as gifts. What a waste.

I just tell my friends to send their presence, love and TIME. No "stuff." And for me, that's all I want from friends and family. I don't want stuff that I have to make pained decisions about.

Dad never could get rid of a tool. I'm now making decisions about tools from the 20's and 30's that were my Granddad's stuff. Dad could never part with his Dad's stuff. These are not really antiques either. Just stuff like brushes, chisels, punches, etc. Tools that haven't been used for 60 years. I can verify that antique brushes - despite being made with quality camel hair or something - still disintegrate due to the ravages of time. Oh boy. Oh, and physics in the 30's was the same as today. Guess what? Iron and steel still pit and rust. A straight edge razor not used for 60 years, despite being stainless, still pits and rots.

When we're done with this, I'm going home to make hard decisions on my stuff and do an early downsize. This process is tough, tough, tough.

Make it easy on your kids or whoever will look after you some day. With ER, you now have time to live simple and get rid of it. Whatever it is. You don't need it.
Great post and exactly what I needed to read. I spent 3 hours in my closet today. I felt like I was in an episode of "hoarders". 15 pocketbooks, really I kept 3. I had about 30 gift bags. Kept NONE since we don't really exchange gifts with anyone - lunch, dinner, or some other "get together" mean so much more. I also ended up with 3 large boxes of trash (T shirts I haven't worn in 20 years !) and a very large box for Goodwill (gorgeous sweaters and shirts that I'll never fit into again !). It feels good to get rid of the "junk" but I'm going to enter 'touch decision phase' soon since some of my furniture won't fit into the new place. Its not fancy but it all matches and deciding what stays and what goes is going to be difficult.

But as you said "whatever it is, you don't NEED it" ... that hit home so thank you again.
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Old 05-12-2013, 07:49 PM   #40
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Great post and exactly what I needed to read. I spent 3 hours in my closet today. I felt like I was in an episode of "hoarders". 15 pocketbooks, really I kept 3. I had about 30 gift bags. Kept NONE since we don't really exchange gifts with anyone - lunch, dinner, or some other "get together" mean so much more. I also ended up with 3 large boxes of trash (T shirts I haven't worn in 20 years !) and a very large box for Goodwill (gorgeous sweaters and shirts that I'll never fit into again !). It feels good to get rid of the "junk" but I'm going to enter 'touch decision phase' soon since some of my furniture won't fit into the new place. Its not fancy but it all matches and deciding what stays and what goes is going to be difficult.

But as you said "whatever it is, you don't NEED it" ... that hit home so thank you again.
Congrats on your cleaning day. Sounds like great progress!

You are welcome, but it is just something that hit me from the heart. Family took the day off for Mother's day today, spending time with each other. That's a gift we all appreciate. And the young moms I think will appreciate the fact that 4 generations of family were together today.

Flowers wilt, but memories of visiting with great-grandpa last forever in their hearts.
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