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Kelly
LIF Adolescent
Member since 5/05 681 total posts
Name:
This is it
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Tips on getting rid of 'stuff' ...
Anyone have any??????
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Posted 11/20/07 12:54 PM  |
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Kara
Now Zagat Rated!
Member since 3/07 13217 total posts
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They call me "Tater Salad"
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Re: Tips on getting rid of 'stuff' ...
Don't keep anything you don't (1) need or (2) love - and I mean absolutely LOVE.
If you aren't going to need it in the foreseeable future and don't absolutely LOVE it, it goes.
Make 3 piles - keep, throw out, and donate. Your keep pile will hopefully be the smallest.
If your keep pile is too large when you get done sorting, start deciding which few items you REALLY need or love.
Be honest with yourself about what you will REALISTICALLY need / use. My MIL has BOXES (dozens) in the basement of stuff she just couldn't throw out b/c she "might need it one day." -- SHe's NEVER used any of it. She doesn't even know what's down there. Chances are, if she did need it, she went out and bought another one anyway and it's now down there.
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| Posted 11/20/07 12:57 PM |
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Kara
Now Zagat Rated!
Member since 3/07 13217 total posts
Name:
They call me "Tater Salad"
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Re: Tips on getting rid of 'stuff' ...
Oh, and PS - the "love" part should include anyone else in the house's feelings, too. If your DH or DC have things they absolutely love that you hate, might be time for a compromise!
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| Posted 11/20/07 12:58 PM |
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imas98
Love my Furbaby
Member since 10/07 1140 total posts
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Re: Tips on getting rid of 'stuff' ...
We have garage sales over the summer.....we make hundreds of bucks each time !! Otherwise I sell stuff on e-bay or give it away on Craigslist. I always donate clothes but they take other things too.
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| Posted 11/20/07 12:58 PM |
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Kathy116
Hey baby!
Member since 6/05 1855 total posts
Name:
me
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Re: Tips on getting rid of 'stuff' ...
We recently rented a huge roll off and dumped everything we didn't want (most of our basement). We filled that baby to the brim!
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| Posted 11/20/07 1:10 PM |
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MissingLI
Such a Big Boy!
Member since 1/06 1602 total posts
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C
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Re: Tips on getting rid of 'stuff' ...
One of the tricks that I use when I'm working with a client that is downsizing is I have them take a picture of the thing that that they "loved" so much. For example, a tea pot collection. Did they love it, yes. Did they have room for it, no. So we took a picture of each piece and make a little scrapbook. Sometimes its the looking at the item that you love more than the actual item itself, it that makes sense.
For me, if I haven't touched it in a year, it's gone and it's not a part of my general decoration, then I dontate or sell it.
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| Posted 11/20/07 1:52 PM |
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Kara
Now Zagat Rated!
Member since 3/07 13217 total posts
Name:
They call me "Tater Salad"
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Re: Tips on getting rid of 'stuff' ...
Posted by MissingLI
One of the tricks that I use when I'm working with a client that is downsizing is I have them take a picture of the thing that that they "loved" so much. For example, a tea pot collection. Did they love it, yes. Did they have room for it, no. So we took a picture of each piece and make a little scrapbook. Sometimes its the looking at the item that you love more than the actual item itself, it that makes sense.
For me, if I haven't touched it in a year, it's gone and it's not a part of my general decoration, then I dontate or sell it.
Excellent suggestion -- and I totally agree with the one year rule, too! 
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| Posted 11/20/07 1:54 PM |
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dpli
Daylight savings :)
Member since 5/05 13973 total posts
Name:
D
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Re: Tips on getting rid of 'stuff' ...
One of my biggest challenges is keeping up with the mail. Now, I open it at the trash can. If it is junk or something I don't need to keep I toss it right away, instead of making a new pile.
I really try to stick to the rule with clothes, shoes, purses, etc. that if I buy something, I get rid of the same # of items from my closet. I am not always successful, but it does make me think before buying and makes me periodically re-evaluate what I am saving in my closets and drawers.
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| Posted 11/20/07 2:08 PM |
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Elizabeth
Mom of Three
Member since 9/05 7900 total posts
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"MOMMY!!!"
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Re: Tips on getting rid of 'stuff' ...
Posted by Kara
Oh, and PS - the "love" part should include anyone else in the house's feelings, too. If your DH or DC have things they absolutely love that you hate, might be time for a compromise!
I love all your tips. This is a great one to add on too. The cleaning frenzy can have bad results if you don't check with the other people in the house. My SIL learned this a few years ago when she tossed a bunch of old VHS tapes. One was a tape my brother made of old school headbanger videos and he is still mad about it. Seriously! It wasn't worth money and probably looked like old junk to her but he loved it from his teen years and he can't recreate it.
Message edited 11/21/2007 2:22:55 PM.
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| Posted 11/21/07 2:21 PM |
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greenfreak
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Member since 9/06 11483 total posts
Name:
greenfreak
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Re: Tips on getting rid of 'stuff' ...
I use the 1 or 2 year rule. Have I made use of this object within 1 or 2 years? If not, it's gone.
It makes it easier too if I know that someone else can actually use it. We cleaned out our bookshelf over the summer and had over 100 books we didn't want anymore.
We sold some to a store, sold more in a yard sale, and gave the rest away.
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| Posted 11/21/07 2:48 PM |
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Kelly
LIF Adolescent
Member since 5/05 681 total posts
Name:
This is it
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Re: Tips on getting rid of 'stuff' ...
Greats ideas everyone!
Thanks so much.
I tend to keep EVERYTHING. But I'm also getting tired of having STUFF around, so....
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| Posted 11/21/07 8:04 PM |
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