Decluttering has helped me see

[WI Mama05]

How much excess we have. It's really quite overwhelming! How does one smallish family accumulate so much that we don't even use??

I've got quite the pile going in the basement of things I'm purging and that alone is overwhelming! I've been thinking about a garage sale, but honestly no one would come to one where we live and I don't know anyone in town who's having one. The thought of donating it all is a bit much too. Me, being the person I am, will need to go through every.single.box and write down every item being donated to get the tax write off.

Then I wonder, what about the stuff no one wants? Is it possible that ALL THAT STUFF could end up in the landfill??

Wow! That thought alone has me rethinking when I buy things now. I know my *keep it, you might need it* mentality comes from my mom. I dread the day when they die b/c I know what awaits us in their home :shifty :giggle. I really want to break that cycle before the girls are stuck in that rut, KWIM?

This whole process has been completely eye opening. Now I see so much more that can "go" than I did before. Now the problem is, what to do with it so I am being responsible. :sigh

[tempus vernum]

It is overwhelming :doh I too am trying really hard to be responsible when I buy. It has been very nice on the budget. Now,if I could get people to stop givng my kids things :doh

I still recommend donating it :hugheart

[Sweet Life]

I agree, just donate it. If you have them in your area, try selling some stuff on Craigslist and giving away on Freecycle - I'm always amazed at the junk treasures people will pick up when they are free. :yes

[ArmsOfLove]

I hear you and I've become truly embarrassed about the amount of both garbage we have (though we are a large family and the area is going to start having recycling pickup :rockon) and the amount of STUFF we get rid of. Thankfully we're in an area where if I put it on the street it will usually be gone within 48 hours :yes

Donating it is great too. I want to have a yardsale when we really dig through the garage--we could make a ton :jawdrop But I'm not sure I want to put any more time into this JUNK :shifty Mostly I find people I can offer it to and if they can use it then I feel good about passing it on.

I've done Freecycle and might list a big pile of stuff to be picked up, but my mom and I had several bad experiences of people being rude and trying to get other stuff when they showed up :/ :hunh

If I didn't know there was stuff we needed in the garage I'd consider contacting one of the people who pay you a set price to haul everything away in the hopes that they find something valuable :)

[klpmommy]

me, too.

donate it. it really doesn't take long to write it :shifty & then it is *gone*

[ArmsOfLove]

OH--and that feeling of relief when something is gone . . . it's worth the donation :grin

[IslandHome]

It's always a great feeling dropping a box off.... :rockon

And about kids getting things.... that's been one of my biggest problems with decluttering... gifts! I am so tempted for our next birthdays to just put a 'no presents' thing in place... we really don't need anything more, and I feel so bad when someone spends money on something I really don't want or even like, and then having to 'deal' with it sometime in the future...

[tazmom]

I know exactly how you feel. Donate it.

When we had a bunch of stuff to donate and not much time to write it down, I took pictures of each item with the digital camera. That way I could go back later when I have more time to research how much each item is worth and I wouldn't forget what it was.

[WI Mama05]

When we had a bunch of stuff to donate and not much time to write it down, I took pictures of each item with the digital camera. That way I could go back later when I have more time to research how much each item is worth and I wouldn't forget what it was.


Great idea!!! :rockon :rockon :rockon

[Jeanette598]

One easy option for donating: In my area, organizations like Purple Heart or AmVets will actually send a truck to your house to pick up donations. (Anything, not just furniture or other large items. I think they have a minimum of two bags/boxes.) You might try giving them a call. An added bonus, at least for me, is that now I'm on their list, so they call every three months or so to see if I have anything to donate. I say no about every other time, but it's still a great incentive to go through closets, etc. fairly regularly to see what I can give away. :tu

[WI Mama05]

One easy option for donating: In my area, organizations like Purple Heart or AmVets will actually send a truck to your house to pick up donations.


:rockon We used to do that yearly when we lived in a metro area. No one will come to where we are now :giggle.