Losing Money When Decluttering?

[NomDeER]

I'm about to declutter because I think I'll be moving. About fifteen years ago I did something similar and went overboard. I ended up having to buy stuff to replace what I had given away. Since it cost me money and I actually really liked the stuff I gave away, I don't want to repeat that. But the last time I moved I didn't have much time and just moved almost everything. I still have some boxes that I haven't opened since I moved. I'm going to try for a happy medium this time.

For the last year I've had a rule; I don't allow myself to buy a new book unless I give one away. At some point, soon, though, I'll have to give away boxes of books. Books and things that have some kind of personal meaning are the two things I have the hardest time letting go.

 

[sengsational]

NomDeER, I predict you'll have an opening to rid yourself of paper books. It might take a few years, or more than a few, depending on your age. First, your close-up vision needs to deteriorate. Then you need to start reading on a Kindle with large font. Then you need to grab one of your old paper favorites and start reading it. Boom!

You'll be sad to learn that those treasured hard-covers only get you $0.75 on half.com. They cost the buyer $4.75 because shipping is like 85% of the cost.

 

[meierlde]

NomDeER, I predict you'll have an opening to rid yourself of paper books. It might take a few years, or more than a few, depending on your age. First, your close-up vision needs to deteriorate. Then you need to start reading on a Kindle with large font. Then you need to grab one of your old paper favorites and start reading it. Boom!

You'll be sad to learn that those treasured hard-covers only get you $0.75 on half.com. They cost the buyer $4.75 because shipping is like 85% of the cost.

If you live near a used book store, you can always take your books there, and get paid for them, likley more than online because you provide the shipping by your vehicle.

 

[Scuba]

If you live near a used book store, you can always take your books there, and get paid for them, likley more than online because you provide the shipping by your vehicle.

I donate my books to the public library. Feels good to do it and it's a tax deduction.

 

[John Galt III]

If you live near a used book store, you can always take your books there, and get paid for them, likley more than online because you provide the shipping by your vehicle.

I wish I had that luck. I brought a few samples of my hardback and soft cover books, all in good to excellent condition, to a few local used book stores and they had zero interest. I can't remember if I asked if they would take them for free, but they said they would pay me nothing for any of them. I force myself to donate a bag full once in a while to the library but I don't bother with the tax deduction, since I have to donate over $6,XXX per year and then only get a 10% tax break after that. Is there a certain category of books that book stores want?

 

[Sunset]

We used an online service that buys books to see what they would pay for books, and basically have found nothing is valued much, most are worth 50 cents for a book that originally cost $100.

One could always try to list it on Ebay (is it free to list stuff that does not sell ?) and have the buyer pay shipping.
We have not tried this as it seems to be a bunch of work to sell something that probably will sell cheap or not at all.

 

[Fedup]

I just donate, I don't even claim the little amount. Because this is deduction, not a huge amount to get back. I'm not sure it's worth my time to get the correct pricing for tax purpose.

 

[brett]

When we downsized we either gave away everything to friends or relatives or gave it to worthwhile organizations.

The only items we sold were items we could not, or did not want to give away that would cost us money to get hauled away. Got $80 for very old upright freezer that we did not want AND got is hauled away for us. Same with a few other items.

We have done this before. It is surprising how many inquiries you get on an item with a nominal price that one that is advertised for free. Go figure.

 

[REWahoo]

"Losing Money When Decluttering?"

No, the money was lost when you cluttered.

 

[Koolau]

Heh, heh, I had some chemistry books I finally dumped a couple of years ago. There were only four elements at the time these were published (Air, Earth, Fire and Water). But seriously, I think they had only modeled the orbitals of the first 8 elements. Not my bailiwick, but I understand they can now model the orbital structure of molecules so...

Anyway, I try to avoid assuming any "stuff" I own has value. That way I'm never disappointed. We did do a big sale of stuff before our big move. Some stuff was surprisingly valuable. Most went for very little. The good news: We were rid of it. YMMV

 

[sengsational]

...the money was lost when you cluttered.

+1

 

[CaliKid]

I just love decluttering. Makes us so happy to get rid of crap. Might never move but want to be more ready should the day ever come.

 

[Travelfreek]

I'm glad I'm not alone having trouble donating the stuff that we paid a lot of $ for way back when. Technology and trends devalue everything. Remember beanie babies? Thank goodness I didn't invest heavily in that silly frenzy. But yes, it's hard to figure out what to spend the time to try to sell on Ebay or just donate. I did sell a typewriter recently on Ebay for $15 plus $30 shipping. It was hardly used but purchased in 1986. I was thankful to get something for it. Now that I'm over 60, I want to get rid of stuff, not collect stuff. Our kids (both in their late 20's) live 9 hours away in a high cost area (small quarters) and don't own homes yet so we can't even give stuff to them. They are also tending to become minimalist type millennials.

 

[sengsational]

...it's hard to figure out what to spend the time to try to sell on Ebay or just donate.

Ebay is good for high dollar density objects (many dollars per pound), and "name brand" things, so your customers know exactly what they're getting. And it's not worth selling anything for less than 10 bucks or so, I'd say.

Then for the heavy/large items that don't ship well, have a more or less defined price range, and can be judged from a picture, Craig's List works.

For the rest, if you can trouble yourself with a garage sale, that's about your only other option except for donating. I did my last garage sale ever a few years ago (just wasn't worth the trouble). I set-up all the stuff for sale the day before and made a video. Then I typed everything (very roughly) into "It's Deductible" software, which gave me a "thrift store" price. If anybody was only offering 30% of thrift store, I'd say "I can get more by donating it and writing it off on my taxes" (I was W2 at the time, so the write-off worked).

Every item that didn't sell at the garage sale got donated and I took the write off for it. A lot of work, but we got rid of a ton of stuff.

 

[kcowan]

When we downsized we either gave away everything to friends or relatives or gave it to worthwhile organizations.

The only items we sold were items we could not, or did not want to give away that would cost us money to get hauled away. Got $80 for very old upright freezer that we did not want AND got is hauled away for us. Same with a few other items.

We have done this before. It is surprising how many inquiries you get on an item with a nominal price that one that is advertised for free. Go figure.

We always put a nominal price on CL items and expect offers for half that. Free is always interpreted as junk.

 

[braumeister]

The owner of a large used book store told me that people trying to drop off loads of old books are just a huge annoyance to him. He tells them to keep going another half mile and drop them off at Goodwill.

My unwanted books go the the library, where they almost always get sold at their annual sale. Provides valuable funding to the library and gives me a deduction if I can use it.

 

[kcowan]

When my brother died, I filled a grocery buggy with books and went to the nearest used bookstore. The ones they took gave me a credit which I immediately spent in the store. The rest went to Good Will.

 

[Sasset]

I was wondering if anyone has ever used OFFERUP to sell unwanted items? How did it work for you if did? I have furniture to get rid of before I downsize.

 

[Koolau]

I don't know about anything other than Craig's list and I was reluctant to use that - though DW was successful with it on her own while I was away. I never liked the idea of anyone even having a clue where I lived when money was trading hands on used stuff. Just my thing, perhaps.

My suggestion would be to find an auction house. We did our furniture through one. They picked it all up, stored it, sold it and gave us a check. I think they took a third. We were VERY pleased with the furniture end of the process. One story: DW and I "went to housekeeping" with a nice Serta king-size mattress that cost $200 in (I think) 1970 or so. In 2005, we sold it through the auction for $100! I realize that the inflation factor means we sold it for more like 10% of the original price, but WOW! $100 for a 35 year old mattress. Full disclosure: It did look new except that it was exactly flat (no more "new" mattress curvature.) YMMV

 

[Sasset]

I contacted one estate / auction company and they wanted 50%, so I was looking for alternatives. I guess I will try some other estate companies and see if that is really the normal rate around here.

 

[audreyh1]

The owner of a large used book store told me that people trying to drop off loads of old books are just a huge annoyance to him. He tells them to keep going another half mile and drop them off at Goodwill.

My unwanted books go the the library, where they almost always get sold at their annual sale. Provides valuable funding to the library and gives me a deduction if I can use it.

I notice both GoodWill and many libraries selling used books on Amazon these days.

 

[unclemick]

The owner of a large used book store told me that people trying to drop off loads of old books are just a huge annoyance to him. He tells them to keep going another half mile and drop them off at Goodwill.

My unwanted books go the the library, where they almost always get sold at their annual sale. Provides valuable funding to the library and gives me a deduction if I can use it.

Dropped off another load of books today. The guy told my Wife the ones with no home/resale possibilities get turned into the World's greatest invention - toilet paper. This giftee shall remain name less. We (me,Wife,deceased Brother) are down to possibly under 2000 or so books to declutter.

heh heh heh - meanwhile the farm auction date has been set for two separate weekends in September. Was it 'The Ancient Mariner' who shot the Albatross we had to read way back in High School?
Fun Fun Fun in ER.

 

[misshathaway]

This article came to me in email today. I had or have every category on there except rugs and the article is right about lack of demand for those categories.

Things You Shouldn't Save for Your Kids - Things to Get Rid of Now Before They Become a Burden for Your Kids

I've been at this for 18 months now. The drive to purge goes far beyond logic. Most of us, I'm guessing, don't really need the money, but it is almost as much trouble to give it away. I posted a test item to Freecycle. Will see how that goes.

Awhile back I gave a set of china to a newly married couple. That was joyful.

 

[timo2]

On our​ current move (in progress) we are donating most of our furniture we don't want to move to Habitat for Humanity Restore.

 

[Bigdawg]

Starting a declutter phase. A few years ago we fenced in the whole back yard for the great dane. No need for the nice 10X20 kennel. Sold it on craiglist this past weekend to a guy who raises Cane Corso's. Got full asking and additional $50 because I delivered it. Next up, spare table saw and old gas grill.