Decluttering: CD and DVD discs, cases, artwork

[Sojourner]

I'm guessing that, over the past three decades, I've amassed a collection of several hundred CDs (along with the cases, album artwork, and liner notes) and probably 50+ DVDs and cases, along with a couple dozen Blu-ray movies. I've digitized the vast majority of music from the CDs, and I've also digitized or made backup copies (using physical discs) of all the DVDs and Blu-rays that I care to retain.

Several of the original CDs and DVDs have some sentimental value, e.g., the first CD I ever bought, a few that I received as special gifts, etc. But the vast majority have—at best—marginal value now that they've been digitized or backed up. Any reason not to just discard them? Is there any sort of market for these items on eBay? Maybe donate them to Goodwill or some other charitable organization? Try to unload them for cheap at a neighborhood yard sale? I'm interested in hearing what others have done or would recommend.

 

[frayne]

I'm in the very same boat and DW has been OMA to get rid of some stuff but needless to say, I procrastinate.

 

[athena53]

I THOUGHT I'd digitized mine. I stored them on iTunes. Most of them have disappeared, including some I bought from iTunes. This is a common issue; some people reported storing original music they'd created on iTunes and not being able to get it back. Fortunately, I haven't thrown out my CDs. I do have all of my music on an old iPod nano, which I guard with my life and do not sync with iTunes, but I don't think I'll ever get rid of the CDs.

 

[imoldernu]

I don't want to admit how many DVD's and CD's I have. At least 30 lbs worth, stacked in boxes ready for the dump. Many, many hundreds.

Almost all of the CD's were downloaded from Napster, in the early 90's. '90/'91.
It was when I retired and was recovering from C for about three or four months.

When Amazon offered free uploading, I did, for about 400 of my favorite songs. I can still go to them in Alexa, by "Play MY MUSIC The Carpenters" etc, to get my own uploads (since discontinued) but my music is still available there.

 

[davebarnes]

I ripped my music CDs to FLAC and store those files in 3 places.
Converted the FLAC to MP3 for use in iTunes.
Freecycled the CDs via NextDoor.

 

[FlaGator]

I'm guessing that, over the past three decades, I've amassed a collection of several hundred CDs (along with the cases, album artwork, and liner notes) and probably 50+ DVDs and cases, along with a couple dozen Blu-ray movies. I've digitized the vast majority of music from the CDs, and I've also digitized or made backup copies (using physical discs) of all the DVDs and Blu-rays that I care to retain.

Several of the original CDs and DVDs have some sentimental value, e.g., the first CD I ever bought, a few that I received as special gifts, etc. But the vast majority have—at best—marginal value now that they've been digitized or backed up. Any reason not to just discard them? Is there any sort of market for these items on eBay? Maybe donate them to Goodwill or some other charitable organization? Try to unload them for cheap at a neighborhood yard sale? I'm interested in hearing what others have done or would recommend.

I faced a similar problem when I moved 4 years ago, and did another purge recently ahead of the fiance's imminent arrival. All of the CDs had been digitized.

After looking the prices of used DVDs and CDs on eBay, I didn't think it was worth the effort to list, sell and ship, so they were retained or donated.

CD's are boxed in the attic (I've had the same problem with iTunes as Athena, plus a hard drive crash). Movies we no longer wanted went either to the public library or Goodwill.

 

[Z3Dreamer]

Copied music CD's to our Network Attached Storage. Same with some DVD's - many will not allow you to copy. Goodwill received all that were copied.

DW has some way to connect a VCR player to a PC and some software to copy. She has begun this process. If you remember, VCR was a device in the Middle Ages before the discovery of the New World.

 

[easysurfer]

I wouldn't just discard the CDs. I'm sure that Goodwill or library would be happy to take them off of your hands. Or an option too is to sell them online. Never have sold them online but doing a quick and dirty search and seems there is a market out there.

Selling your used DVDs and CDs is a great way to make easy cash while minimizing the clutter in your home.
There are many places where you can sell items like DVDs, so we did the research to find you the best options.

https://wellkeptwallet.com/sell-used-dvds/

 

[ERD50]

I just wish I had all the notes and graphics from the CDs - I don't get that when I digitize them. And I wish CDs had as much info as albums.

One work around is to just google the CD and plenty of info will pop up. But when I'm listening, I don't want to be bothered with typing and searching. It breaks the mood.

And I'm another to digitize to FLAC (lossless) format, and have several backups, at least one off-site.

-ERD50

 

[Sojourner]

After starting this thread, I went poking around to see if there are any services that will buy used CDs and DVDs in bulk. I found one prominent one called Decluttr. You install their app on your smart phone and scan the barcodes printed on your disc cases, and it tells you how much they will pay for what you want to get rid of. I'm guessing they don't pay very much per item—maybe 20 to 50 cents for run-of-the-mill CDs—but it might be an easy way to get paid to "declutter" a little.

https://www.decluttr.com/how-it-works/

 

[HI Bill]

I had my digitized collection on my desktop's HDD. The HDD crashed. I put in a new one. Next time I attached my iPod, it wiped out the iPod's music. I foolishly did not have a backup. Later, I moved some backup files from one folder to another. iTunes did not recognize the new files as legitimate 'original's'. It won't allow them to be copied to my iPhone. I will not discard any CDs until I no longer wish to listen to the music. Most of mine (~90%) show no physical signs of degredation after 34+ years; the rest do, but most still play. They're my final archive. All HDDs fail eventually. I'm thinking of discarding all of the jewel cases and placing the discs in sleeves in a hard storage case with the inserts.

 

[ERD50]

I ... Later, I moved some backup files from one folder to another. iTunes did not recognize the new files as legitimate 'original's'. It won't allow them to be copied to my iPhone. ....

Wow. This is why I like to keep things like this in just a plain old file/folder format. I don't need any program to read them or copy them. Or were these 'protected' files? I won't do that either, I want to really own them.

Same with backups of my files (music or non-music). I don't want to need a program to get them back, just saved in the same file/folder format as the original (I use rsync or grsync for that).

-ERD50

 

[f35phixer]

Pandora, Spotify, etc etc etc..... seriously. All my favorite R&R,county song are there. Using the free app with ads, zone them out. Yes I did rip ALL MY CDS to iPhone I’m gold....

 

[jim584672]

I digitized cassettes, VHS, CD, and DVDs. They are on hard disks. Saves a lot of space, and if I want to move they are easy to move now.

 

[HI Bill]

Wow. This is why I like to keep things like this in just a plain old file/folder format. I don't need any program to read them or copy them. Or were these 'protected' files? I won't do that either, I want to really own them.

Same with backups of my files (music or non-music). I don't want to need a program to get them back, just saved in the same file/folder format as the original (I use rsync or grsync for that).

-ERD50

These weren't protected files. They were files I had ripped from CDs, but backed up. I lost track about which files were the 'original' ripped files, and which were the backups. But I guess the lesson here is that it may not do you any good to have a backup if you're using an iPhone or iPod.

 

[RunningBum]

How are folks digitizing DVDs, and then how are you playing it on a TV? I wouldn't mind playing a movie on a Kindle while traveling, but at home I want to use a big screen. I still have a DVD player, though it's frustrating to go through the loading process, and either the player is going a little bad or some of my discs are because sometimes it won't play parts.

Space is not an issue for me. I have a narrow built in bookcase in my living room that has 2 rows of DVDs, and a shelf of CDs with many stacked behind the front row. They could all fit in a couple of boxes on a closet shelf if I wanted. And I could remove them from the cases if I really wanted, but I don't want to spend even a little money on sleeves. VHS tapes were bulky, phonograph albums were bulky and heavy, but CDs and DVDs seem pretty small. I guess some folks have downsized or plan to, and every little bit helps.

 

[Tadpole]

I copied all my husbands CDs to the backup disk. I then stored the CDs in their jewel cases in these containers:

Homz Plastic Storage Tote Box, with Lid


I see the price for 10 has increased $13 since I purchased these.

 

[Jerry1]

I’ve saved all my music CD’s onto a HD and the HD is backed up. Not so much for the movies on dvd. Still, I figure there’s no point in getting rid of the original. First, there’s no money in it. Second, if you sell your original, I believe you are supposed to delete any copies. If I really wanted to save space, I’d take them out of their original packaging and store them on a spindle or in sleeves.

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

How are folks digitizing DVDs, and then how are you playing it on a TV? I wouldn't mind playing a movie on a Kindle while traveling, but at home I want to use a big screen. I still have a DVD player, though it's frustrating to go through the loading process, and either the player is going a little bad or some of my discs are because sometimes it won't play parts.

Plex. It's very much like playing a show or movie on Nexflix. I used MakeMKV to rip all the discs, then play them on a Roku.

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

And for my CDs, I ripped them and then put the discs and sometimes the cover insert into a CD binder or wallet, which sits on the top shelf of a closet in case I ever need to re-rip them.

 

[Calico]

I would donate CDs and DVDs to my local library. They keep the ones they want and sell the rest at their used books/CDs/DVDs sales four times a year.

I wouldn't bother trying to sell them and I certainly wouldn't throw them away.

 

[Music Lover]

I also have hundreds of CDs. Most have been ripped to a computer or hard drive but some haven't. I did spend a bit of time last winter organizing all the different folders of music on my computer and purging duplicates but there's still a long way to go.

 

[TromboneAl]

It's funny how things become obsolete silently. For example, without this thread, I wouldn't have realized that I haven't opened this drawer in years:

 

[davebarnes]

It's funny how things become obsolete silently. For example, without this thread, I wouldn't have realized that I haven't opened this drawer in years]

We had a custom built home office.
Those 6 red drawers were especially designed in 1997 for CDs. Obsolete in 15 years.

 

[Music Lover]

I built a nice wood rack that could hold 300 CDs....people loved it and offered me money to build one for them. Now once all my CDs are gone I probably can't give it away.