scrapnnana
Drama Llama
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Jun 29, 2014 18:58:47 GMT
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Post by scrapnnana on Apr 20, 2015 11:26:31 GMT
We are going to try to get our house ready to sell this summer in order to move halfway across the country, and that means declutter in a very, very big way. We are all packrats, but that has got to change.
Right now my rules for what to keep vs. purge are:
1. Do I really love this enough to move it?
2. Is it something I use often? If not, how likely am I to use it again?
3. Is it easily replaced if I get rid of it, and need or want it later? If so, would it be cheaper to replace than to pay to move it?
Any other suggestions? I need to be fairly ruthless since we are expecting to have to pay our own moving expenses.
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Deleted
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Jun 1, 2024 22:25:21 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 20, 2015 11:32:09 GMT
Get rid of rules 2 & 3. They will cost you too much time/stress trying to figure out the cost of replacement vs shipping or how often you will use it.
Do I REALLY LOVE this? Do I use it often?
Everything else goes.
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scrappington
Pearl Clutcher
in Canada
Posts: 3,139
Jun 26, 2014 14:43:10 GMT
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Post by scrappington on Apr 20, 2015 11:32:40 GMT
Once you start it will be easier.
Start small. Have a definite pile a maybe pile and after you get some good momentum going go back to the maybe pile.
If you are moving. Don't get rid of old sheets and towels. IN my opinion much better for packing than newspaper.
Be honest with yourself you have to pay to move the stuff right. So do you need 3 of something. Do you need that item that you used once because the peas raved about it..
Mostly you need to focus on the moving across country aspect.
Good luck. You will feel better once you get started.
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Rainbow
Pearl Clutcher
Where salt is in the air and sand is at my feet...
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Jun 26, 2014 5:57:41 GMT
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Post by Rainbow on Apr 20, 2015 11:43:37 GMT
Find someone who can use the stuff you are getting rid of, like a shelter. I like giving away stuff to people who need/want it. It gets addicting getting rid of stuff. I love seeing boxes go out the door!
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Post by pelirroja on Apr 20, 2015 11:44:56 GMT
When we moved, the moving company charged by weight. When I decluttered before moving, I tried to think of clutter and stuff in terms of how much per pound does it cost to move it? Keeping cost per pound in perspective made decision-making much easier.
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Post by Merge on Apr 20, 2015 11:52:20 GMT
We are having to be ruthless because we're moving to a much smaller home than what we have now. If we haven't used or worn it in the past year, out it goes. That includes grandma's china and all the clothes I'm planning to wear when I lose 20 lbs. And all my scrapbooking/crafting stuff, and the mountain of stuffed animals in my younger daughter's room, and enough books to fill a store, and a lot of the furniture and other stuff I took from my parents' house when they died. It actually feels really good to have a reason to have to get rid of stuff - no guilt if I had no choice, right?
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Post by alittleintrepid on Apr 20, 2015 12:25:39 GMT
I think the only rules you need are...do I love it? Is it useful and do I use it?
I agree with Rainbow that it is addictive to get rid of stuff. You could find places to donate but you could also see if you could resell some of it....see if you have a Facebook group for your area and set a goal to use the profits toward your moving expenses!
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Deleted
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Jun 1, 2024 22:25:21 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 20, 2015 12:48:16 GMT
Be ruthless with books. Unless they are industry standards that would cost a fortune to replace.
Clothes can be used to pack with.
If your mattresses are and you can afford to replace, do it. Same with sofas.
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Deleted
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Jun 1, 2024 22:25:21 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 20, 2015 12:54:19 GMT
The only rules I have for decluttering are: do I love it? Do I need it? Is it irreplacable (in terms of no longer available or sentimental)? Why are you holding onto it?
Now if I can just get DH to agree to tossing that box of CDs and those college textbooks that are quickly becoming outdated...
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Post by gorgeouskid on Apr 20, 2015 13:04:49 GMT
I like this one: If I were at the store right now, would I buy it?
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Post by scrapsuzy on Apr 20, 2015 13:09:47 GMT
We did this last summer before selling our house. Something that really helped was not keeping the stuff around after making a decision. Meaning, multiple trips were made to the donation place or the dump (mostly donations). If it hung around, it was in the way and likely to be given a second thought, which was not needed.
What really surprised me, despite how much crap we got rid of, was how much more I was able to let go of as I unpacked. And I still could get rid of some more clothes, I've just not been motivated enough to do so.
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Deleted
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Jun 1, 2024 22:25:21 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 20, 2015 13:19:49 GMT
We moved 500 miles last summer. My question was always: if this wouldn't fit on the truck, would I be willing to carry it on my person all 500 miles to the new place?
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sharlag
Drama Llama
I like my artsy with a little bit of fartsy.
Posts: 6,574
Location: Kansas
Jun 26, 2014 12:57:48 GMT
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Post by sharlag on Apr 20, 2015 13:28:19 GMT
I can be more ruthless if I am not literally TRASHING items, but rather taking them to Goodwill or something.
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wellway
Prolific Pea
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Jun 25, 2014 20:50:09 GMT
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Post by wellway on Apr 20, 2015 13:33:21 GMT
So you know the measurements of your new home? Be sure your big pieces will fit before carrying them a long way.
If I was doing this I would try to order my decluttering i.e start with all clothes, then all books, cds, paperwork, kitchen stuff etc etc. Having an order might make the task less daunting. I would do this rather than room by room.
Check out where you can donate now so you can clear bags of stuff out the door without delay.
Good luck.
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amom23
Drama Llama
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Jun 27, 2014 12:39:18 GMT
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Post by amom23 on Apr 20, 2015 13:57:17 GMT
I really hate the phrase, "But I might need that someday." Seriously you need to get real. If you don't use or wear items then why are you hanging onto them? Enlist the help of a friend who can be objective.
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Post by mikklynn on Apr 20, 2015 14:36:23 GMT
Add this to your list: "Did I even remember I had this?" If the answer is no, let it go.
I went through some drawers in our family room over the weekend and found a dozen placemats and some napkins I had no idea were in there. Into the donation pile they went!
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Post by Bitchy Rich on Apr 20, 2015 16:36:37 GMT
I can be more ruthless if I am not literally TRASHING items, but rather taking them to Goodwill or something. I have a friend who throws everything away. I admire how liberating that must feel, but I feel too guilty to actually do it. I feel obligated to sell or give away items, or at least take them to Salvation Army.
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Grom Pea
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Jun 27, 2014 0:21:07 GMT
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Post by Grom Pea on Apr 20, 2015 17:54:47 GMT
Personally I prefer to make a long move by getting rid of furniture and buying new or new to be when I'm moved. Of course if you inherited grandma's furniture that is probably not a good idea, but I would never pay to move IKEA or target furniture or my 10 year old couch... I've moved those across town but would sell them or give them away on Craigslist and replace them if I made a move further than that. I also used my cross country move as an excuse to purge clothing and rebut. I did have the luxury of leaving stuff at my parent's house but I ended up moving a lot of stuff every time I visited them donating it when realized that styles had changed or it no longer fit properly. I would be ruthless with stuff but keep sentimental or personal stuff. You can always get a new pair of scissors but can't replace a photo album.
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Post by tlsmi on Apr 20, 2015 18:49:03 GMT
For things that can't be donated, I love our areas facebook freecycle page because I dislike the idea of the landfill unless necessary. Also, if you're in a busy area just put stuff on the curb with a 'free' sign.
I think your list is a good one. I've moved across states and even out of the country, although company paid moving expenses, I feel your pain. Purge! Good luck!!!
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Post by compwalla on Apr 20, 2015 18:52:53 GMT
If you think you might can throw it out, throw it out. Always err on the side of tossing it. That's my criteria. Fling it.
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Post by crazy4scraps on Apr 20, 2015 19:00:34 GMT
I have a hard time with the "have I used it in the last year" or six months rule, because I have baking stuff that I honestly only use at Christmastime that I would NOT want to waste time and money buying again after I moved.
Clothes and things that wear out and that are easier to replace are easier to let go of. Personally, anything that is getting close to the end of its lifespan wouldn't make the cut. We donated three pickup truckloads of decent stuff to Goodwill and I don't know how many times we filled the trash can to the brim week after week when we were getting our house packed up.
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Post by Dori~Mama~Bear on Apr 20, 2015 19:22:40 GMT
When we moved to Southern Oregon we didn't know where we would end up living so we put everything in storage. all the furniture and decorations went in storage in the town we were moving from because we didn't want to move it the 250 miles before figuring out where we were going to land. We moved into our travel trailer to get moved. We brought our clothes and belongings that we thought we would need. If we needed it in the trailer we brought it to the trailer if we wanted it for other seasons then we put it in a small storage unit close to the trailer. After about 6 months we knew we were not moving back North. We would be staying in South Oregon. We wanted to move our stuff South but knew we needed to purge. It was much easier not having the stuff in use for that 6 months. The really nice furniture we kept. The stuff we didn't care much for we got rid of. We gave lots of stuff away. We went through our kitchen stuff and brought most of it to the trailer. Put all the camping kitchen stuff in storage (that way when we went tent camping we wouldn't have to take it out of the kitchen) We brought all husbands tools and stuff down south with us.
The only problem is when we brought the stuff south that meant we had 2 storage units down here. The following summer we merged the 2 and did another purge. After that it seemed like we were adding to the mess rather than helping the mess. after 8 more years of storing the furniture I decided that it was time to sell it all. We had stored most of daughters stuff out of her room. If she wanted something we would go to storage and get it. We were always putting stuff in and taking stuff out of storage. It was always a mess. I hated it. Had a big yard sale and sold every piece of furniture we had except for a few items we wanted to keep. Then I started going through boxes. If clothes didn't fit we got rid of If it was seasonal and we didn't wear it for 2 seasons we got rid of it. I also did this to knick knacks and all other kinds of stuff. got our storage unit down to a 10 X 20 that included all camping and gold mining stuff. All garage stuff including tools, bikes and all sports stuff (not that we had a lot of that kind of stuff) When we moved into our house we had purged everything. I had a lot of Holiday decorations that I purged. We had so many books that we kept through out the years. I got rid of most of them. The ones that we didn't care about didn't like or wouldn't read again. Daughter kept most of her books (they are in her room)
We don't have a lot of anything. I do have a lot of craft stuff but purge every so often.
I do go through every season and purge. In the fall I go through closets and get rid of everything I didn't wear or use that is for summer. Every winter I go through and purge the fall stuff not worn or used. and so forth. This helps us keep on top of stuff. I don't want to get in the trap of having so much stuff that I can't move it from one place to another and use it. I don't have anything in my cabinets that I don't use. unless it is a keep sake. or not in season.
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Post by ilikepink on Apr 20, 2015 20:09:23 GMT
When I moved down here, I used what I called the Katrina test. If I lost the item in a hurricane or tornado, how broken up would I be? I would have been devastated by something happening to Grandma's dining room set, so it came with me. If I would be just a bid sad about those knick knacks, I took pictures and scrapped the pictures. If I didn't care, out it went - and if were serviceable, it went to a charity or friends, otherwise it the garbage. Worked well for me.
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Deleted
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Jun 1, 2024 22:25:21 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 20, 2015 20:10:23 GMT
Is it something I want to physically move?
Ann
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Post by Dictionary on Apr 20, 2015 20:24:31 GMT
Haven't read the other advice but my mother is doing this. She makes three piles, keep, donate and trash. You immediately get rid of the trash, the donate pile you keep for a week to give you a chance to pull out anything you may want or may add to.
If you are teetering between trying to decide between keeping or donating just ask yourself how heartbroken would I be if I lost this? If you aren't truly upset by the idea I say it's up for donation.
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Rhondito
Pearl Clutcher
MississipPea
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Jun 25, 2014 19:33:19 GMT
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Post by Rhondito on Apr 20, 2015 20:24:42 GMT
Do I want to move this into a new house?
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hulagurl84
Shy Member
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Aug 25, 2014 16:04:49 GMT
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Post by hulagurl84 on Apr 20, 2015 21:02:39 GMT
I'm doing the same thing!! Moving myself in a week and my husband is going back and forth for a month! The problem for us is that he isn't on board with the purge and wants to bring everything!! It's making me nuts!
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
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Jun 29, 2014 18:58:47 GMT
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Post by scrapnnana on Apr 21, 2015 9:58:31 GMT
Thank you! I really appreciate all of your suggestions!
I do plan to get rid of most of the furniture and a ton of books.
We may be moving into an apartment before moving into a home, so that is some incentive.
As soon as I fill a box, it goes to the car to donate to a small, local thrift store that helps women leaving abusive situations. I may also do a yard sale, since the neighborhood runs one in May, but I will donate as much as I can to the thrift store.
I will probably be going through each room multiple times, trying to get more ruthless each time as the time gets closer.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2015 10:20:30 GMT
When we met moved from The US to Tokyo we didn't have to pay for the move, but I did have to clear the whole house so the renters could move in.
The two things that slowed down my purge were keeping stuff that I might sell in a yard sale and procrastinating over the small stuff. I really didn't have the time to organize a yard sale, but I had piles of trash, donations, yard sale, keep, etc. it became quite stressful.
Once I abandoned the idea of a yard sale it made it much easier to fill my trunk with donations and drop it of at the Goodwill every couple of days.
Good luck with the move. Purging can be stressful, but the end result will be worth it:)
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Nicole in TX
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Jun 26, 2014 2:00:21 GMT
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Post by Nicole in TX on Apr 21, 2015 10:20:49 GMT
My sister is a professional organizer.
Here are her 'rules.'
Michelle’s Decluttering Rules
"Just because it belonged to someone old, dead, or related, does not give it value. " (That's the number one things that trips people up)
"After the return time frame is over, the box it came in goes." (People will try to say 'but it has a warranty!' but the box is not needed to take advantage of the warranty. Also people will claim the will need it for when they move, but there is proof 95% of people never rebox it for a move)
"If you haven't unboxed it since the last time you moved, it is not important or necessary anymore to you."
"If someone offered you money for it, would you take it?" (This is a good one for those who are so sure that they can't live without something, but when they realized they would exchange it for money it helps them see it's not really that sentimental to them).
“Keep a box for Goodwill. When you see something you no longer need, put it in the box. When the box gets full, put it in your car and drop it off immediately.”
“If you haven’t used it in a year, out it goes.”
“If you are saving something for somebody, give it to them.”
“If it needs to be repaired, get it repaired ASAP or throw it away.”
“Don’t hold onto things because you might need them someday.” If you really need an item, you can go out and buy a replacement. Spending a bit of money is better than saving a room full of junk.”
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