How Can it Be I Still Have So Many “Things” I Don’t Want. Anyone Else?

[Cornell]

Another shrinking thing. Those big stereo receivers? I replace one with a small digital receiver (S.M.S.L. SA300). sounds nice (to me) and is only 3" X 4" x 7".

I went to an open house for a "for sale home". The Realtor was telling us that all of the stereo equipment would be included with the purchase of the house. We actually laughed and were like "that's actually a deterrent".

 

[dioxide45]

I think there is a misunderstanding by many that other family members want your stuff. Before my wife's grandmother had died she had long told people that she didn't want them to just get rid of all her stuff. What was everyone going to do with it? The house was full of stuff. We held a garage sale and while it didn't make much money, we moved a lot of stuff. We just piled clothes on a big table. Put stuff out in boxes with no real organization. People were asking why stuff was so cheap as much of it was prices for a quarter ($0.25 or less) and we were letting people take bigger lots of stuff after negotiating a price. It wasn't so much about the money but finding a new home for the sturr. Sure we could have taken it all to a thrift store, but they would have slapped much higher prices on it. People seemed to like getting the stuff and a lot of people came through. There wasn't really much of anything in the house that had real value. Some of the family kept a few pieces of furniture and I got a couple cast iron skillets. There was a lot of emphasis for some people on taking back something that they had given her at some point as a birthday or Christmas gift. Then there was the drawer in the fridge full of condiment packets...

 

[dioxide45]

Another shrinking thing. Those big stereo receivers? I replace one with a small digital receiver (S.M.S.L. SA300). sounds nice (to me) and is only 3" X 4" x 7".

I had a couple of those that I finally trashed a few years back. I am sure I could have sold them for a few dollars but dealing with people and scams on FB Marketplace it too much of a hassle for stuff like this now.

 

[Ralph Sir Edward]

Which? The big stereos or the digital stereos?

The SA300 cost me $130. If I have to replace it, I won't go broke . . .

 

[Panina]

I think there is a misunderstanding by many that other family members want your stuff. Before my wife's grandmother had died she had long told people that she didn't want them to just get rid of all her stuff. What was everyone going to do with it? The house was full of stuff. We held a garage sale and while it didn't make much money, we moved a lot of stuff. We just piled clothes on a big table. Put stuff out in boxes with no real organization. People were asking why stuff was so cheap as much of it was prices for a quarter ($0.25 or less) and we were letting people take bigger lots of stuff after negotiating a price. It wasn't so much about the money but finding a new home for the sturr. Sure we could have taken it all to a thrift store, but they would have slapped much higher prices on it. People seemed to like getting the stuff and a lot of people came through. There wasn't really much of anything in the house that had real value. Some of the family kept a few pieces of furniture and I got a couple cast iron skillets. There was a lot of emphasis for some people on taking back something that they had given her at some point as a birthday or Christmas gift. Then there was the drawer in the fridge full of condiment packets...

I love what you did offering very affordable prices!

 

[TolmiePeak]

I went to an open house for a "for sale home". The Realtor was telling us that all of the stereo equipment would be included with the purchase of the house. We actually laughed and were like "that's actually a deterrent".

Yep. Roosevelt Ave in Seattle used to be radio row. Quite a few stores selling stereo equipment. Now it is down to 1 and I never see anyone under 60 in there.

 

[TolmiePeak]

In church the pastor would say the Herst doesn't have a trailer hitch.

 

[jp10558]

My personal pet peeves: holiday decor that people put up that is 30 years old. Like everything, things go out of style. Upgrade and get rid of the old crap.

One thing missed here is the people who love "heirloom decorations". Mostly my mom. And TBH I kinda play into it a little by getting new dated decorations(s) on trips or each year. But I also suggested a year or two ago that I'd much prefer to save all the money and effort for Christmas (I mean, the youngest person around is 37) and instead put that towards various trips. I don't like hauling a tree around (must be a real tree), I don't like decorating, or taking down decorations, or whatever. I generally don't like giving gifts based on a fixed date vs seeing something that just speaks to me for a specific person. I don't like getting gifts because they're now always stuff I'd have already gotten myself if I actually wanted it (I used to say sheets, but I haven't worn out the better quality sheets fast enough now to replace yearly so I've got like 5 spare sets now). The stuff I do want that I don't buy myself tend to be too expensive, i.e. averaging $2,000 camera gear / lenses or more for other stuff. So I also get things like "The Star Trek Cookbook" - like, I like Star Trek, I don't mind cooking, but I don't actually want to eat stuff themed from Star Trek Episodes lol. Or various gadgets that are basically junk. I have enough cook books and we as a family could stand to throw out a few. And for whatever reason they don't even seem to feel like they could pick out simple collectible coins or something that'd be in the $50-$100 range... IDK.

I think there is a misunderstanding by many that other family members want your stuff. Before my wife's grandmother had died she had long told people that she didn't want them to just get rid of all her stuff. What was everyone going to do with it?

Yea, my Mom really wants to keep "sentimental" stuff from her mom. A lot of it is like old snowflakes that have turned color that my grandmother crocheted sometime in the 1990s. Or stuff like said slide collection from her brother that no one else cares a whit about, nor has a way to view anyway (my uncle used to bore us all with the slideshows every couple of years anyway back in the 80s and 90s.)... People want to "keep stuff in the family" or whatever, but I guess somewhere between Millennials (though I think we identify as Gen X) and today, the appeal of family heirlooms went away. Again my Mom has these ideas about "the right way to do things" or "If you were raised right" you'd do X,Y,or Z - like devote a room to heirlooms and keep / dump lots of money into a worn out house. I personally don't agree - I have no need of a picture of some great great great relative family - no one of whom I recognize or who I think even my mom met for instance...

 

[dioxide45]

I also come from a long line of family hoarders, my grandparents and my parents lived thru the Great Depression and my parents were not as bad of hoarders as my grandparents. It was alway save this for a rainy day concept.

We downsized back in 2022 to a condo and we donated, sold or had to trash about 80% of our house as we were moving from a very large family home to a small condo. I'm an only child and I have been the executor / administer of 5 of my deceased relatives who had no children or by then had no spouse still alive. Each of my relatives houses or apartments were filled will so much stuff, it was insane. Each of my family members were dirt poor so I become an expert in providing a low cost funeral. ( costco caskets, no wake, service at the church vs funeral home) We did not want to do that to our kids, so I am glad that we moved in 2022 and got rid of or donated the bulk of the stuff I had been hanging onto...

Our daughter moved back in with us last year as she lost her job and could not pay the rent in her apartment, she is the worst hoarder of anyone I have ever met, you can not walk into her bedroom, its filled from top to bottom, the floor has so much junk in it you can not see the floor... I'm hoping she can move out in a year, she finally got a new job a few months back...

Now instead of buying things, I just want to enjoy family, friends and experience the wonderful world of travel.

I just want my clutter free home back

I am curious how Costco caskets work? I mean, will a funeral home let you bring your own casket? I would suspect you still need someone to do the embalming and prepare the deceased. Do you ship the casket to the mortuary or pull up in a pickup truck after Costco had it delivered to your home? What about a vault? Many cemeteries require a vault.

 

[Rolltydr]

I got rid of my artificial tree this year after lugging it to various moves. Just decided "I'm done with this". Tired of the tree skirt - the whole deal. I have a screen porch so the last 2 years I've put up a real tree in my porch with only lights and I love it. Simple, clean. And it's not IN my house.

Loud sigh! DW has 3, wait, 4 now. One for LR, one for sunroom, one for guest BR and one for patio overlooking the lake. And that’s just the full size trees. She also has numerous mini/size trees for shelves, end/coffee tables, anywhere there’s enough room to place one.

 

[WaikikiFirst]

I hate stuff. I hate clutter. Buying more storage containers isn't the solution. It's actually ADDING more crap to your home just to organize the crap you already have.
I'm not sentimental at all, so that helps me live the way I do.
My personal pet peeves: holiday decor that people put up that is 30 years old. Like everything, things go out of style. Upgrade and get rid of the old crap.
Any time I buy something new, it is to replace something I already have. So if I buy a new decorative item, something has to go away.
I belong to a Buy Nothing group and it is a great easy way to keep stuff from piling up.

Boy, I wish that fit on a T-shirt

 

[Cornell]

I think there is a misunderstanding by many that other family members want your stuff. Before my wife's grandmother had died she had long told people that she didn't want them to just get rid of all her stuff. What was everyone going to do with it? The house was full of stuff. We held a garage sale and while it didn't make much money, we moved a lot of stuff. We just piled clothes on a big table. Put stuff out in boxes with no real organization. People were asking why stuff was so cheap as much of it was prices for a quarter ($0.25 or less) and we were letting people take bigger lots of stuff after negotiating a price. It wasn't so much about the money but finding a new home for the sturr. Sure we could have taken it all to a thrift store, but they would have slapped much higher prices on it. People seemed to like getting the stuff and a lot of people came through. There wasn't really much of anything in the house that had real value. Some of the family kept a few pieces of furniture and I got a couple cast iron skillets. There was a lot of emphasis for some people on taking back something that they had given her at some point as a birthday or Christmas gift. Then there was the drawer in the fridge full of condiment packets...

The last time I had a garage sale I didn't price anything. I just posted a sign that said something like "make me an offer - let's discuss". My goal was to get the stuff GONE. The more people took with them, the less I had to deal with post-sale.

 

[dioxide45]

The last time I had a garage sale I didn't price anything. I just posted a sign that said something like "make me an offer - let's discuss". My goal was to get the stuff GONE. The more people took with them, the less I had to deal with post-sale.

That would have worked too, but then we would have to haggle with everyone and some people simply won't ask and just walk away. Much like when I see stuff in a gift shop or craft market without a price. People simply won't ask, they just move on.

 

[dioxide45]

I love what you did offering very affordable prices!

The funny thing is, my wife's aunt complained that we priced stuff too cheap. She was all about getting as much money as possible. Thus why the house was initially listed for double what it was worth and ultimately sold for. When she had her garage sale to also try and sell stuff after the one my wife and I helped with, she sold very little and made half as much even though stuff was priced way higher. Someone asked her how much for an old cordless phone. Her answer was $30. I would have said $5.

 

[Panina]

Loud sigh! DW has 3, wait, 4 now. One for LR, one for sunroom, one for guest BR and one for patio overlooking the lake. And that’s just the full size trees. She also has numerous mini/size trees for shelves, end/coffee tables, anywhere there’s enough room to place one.

I have a friend who has a tree in every room. Actually beautiful done and gives him such joy. I always thought too much work and takes too much space. He does have an unfinished basement to hold all the trees, ornaments and just as much decorative items. If it was my house I would finish the basement and go away for the holidays.

 

[Panina]

Taking another car load to a great charity store. I have three different ones I like to donate to. Tomorrow I will be taking a few bags to another of my better stuff.

Whether we move in a year or 10 years from now is irrelevant. I just don't want to deal with getting rid of what won't fit in a short timeline. So my mindset is would this fit or be coming if we moved into a 2 bedroom unit about 40% smaller than what we have now with no garage.

 

[Panina]

I just had a discussion with my other half about decluttering. He has tools he will never use, supplies for projects he will never do, things that he says maybe one day he will need, you get the point?

I have done two moves with him already, when he sold his house and when we had to pack up and move out of our current house when it got flooded. He did donate lots of thing both times but what we don't need is probably 70% his at this point.

I can see he feels stressed so I said why don't you try to sell what has value and we will accumulate the money for when you want to buy something special for yourself. He said he will try. Not sure it will happen.

 

[easyrider]

Yep. Kids don't want your stuff, you don't want (or need) your stuff ... whaddya are gonna do?

Timeshare Von will be horrified but I recently dropped off an old bowling ball with bag and shoes at Goodwill - might fit someone

I'm not sure what to do with all this crap that I still like. My hunch is until I have no room for it, it stays, lol.

Bill

 

[AwayWeGo]

I said why don't you try to sell what has value and we will accumulate the money for when you want to buy something special for yourself. He said he will try. Not sure it will happen.

I have learned the hard way that selling stuff is easier said than done.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[easyrider]

Another shrinking thing. Those big stereo receivers? I replace one with a small digital receiver (S.M.S.L. SA300). sounds nice (to me) and is only 3" X 4" x 7".

I had a really nice stereo system that did stand the test of time. It was huge and did take up a lot of room. Last year I bought a cheap Pile amp to stream and play my guitars. It's hooked up to a couple of small Bose environmental outdoor speakers. It really cranks and I like it.

Bill

 

[pittle]

Loud sigh! DW has 3, wait, 4 now. One for LR, one for sunroom, one for guest BR and one for patio overlooking the lake. And that’s just the full size trees. She also has numerous mini/size trees for shelves, end/coffee tables, anywhere there’s enough room to place one.

While I am a minimalist for most things, Hallmark Christmas ornaments are my downfall. I inventoried them last year and have very close to 1900, I have 14 non-Hallmark ornaments that people have given me. I started working for Hallmark in 1973 when they made their first ornaments and began collecting them. My oldest continuing series is 45 years old and I have all 45. Over the years, they got cuter and there are series that I keep up. I already have an order in for 35 for this year! I do still get the employee discount.

I have three 9-foot trees, two 7-foot trees, 6 tabletop trees and a light and motion electronic set that sits on a buffet table. I put old fashioned Santa's on top of my kitchen cabinets and some of the small trees are on tables or bathroom vanities and one is in the laundry room. I have a large house, so everything fits nicely, but by New Years I am ready to see wide open spaces again.

I pack all the ornaments for each tree in bubble wrap and large Ziploc bags and put each tree's ornaments in a labeled plastic tub. These are stacked in a walk-in closet off my office and the trees go back in their boxes in the same closet. My grandson and his fiancee actually want them! (Which is handy because he inherits the house!)

Other than Christmas, I get rid of clothing that I do not wear, also various kitchen items that have not been used in the past year. My guest bedroom closets only have extra blankets and hangers and the dresser and chests are empty. We cleaned out the garage about 3 months after my husband died in 2023. We gave lots of tools to Habitat for Humanity. My grandson also took some so that he did not have to borrow his Dad's. I am the "keeper" of the 5x8 covered trailer that friends and family borrow from time to time. That will be claimed by my grandson too!

 

[WinniWoman]

The last time I had a garage sale I didn't price anything. I just posted a sign that said something like "make me an offer - let's discuss". My goal was to get the stuff GONE. The more people took with them, the less I had to deal with post-sale.

I gave tons of stuff away for free. People want free and I didn’t care about not getting any money for some things.

My parents house most went into a dumpster or to a liquidator ( free- an entire tractor trailer!). We had an estate sale but it was during Hurricane Irene so not much sold.

 

[WinniWoman]

We haven’t had a Xmas tree in years. There's no point. Got rid of all our decorations after my parents passed.

Now we just have a very small lit one we plug in outside on the front porch.

Actually at home I don’t decorate for any holiday anymore. Just that very little Xmas tree on the front porch so my neighbors don’t think I’m a Scrooge.

I help decorate the tree in our clubhouse each year. They have all the stuff and I just show up to help.

 

[rapmarks]

I no longer put up a tree. I have a box of things I put out every year and put back. It is the size of a box of printing paper packages.
My birthday is Dec 23. A friend insists on exchanging birthday and Christmas gifts. Every year she gives me my gift on Christmas evening,always a Christmas candle, a Christmas hand lotion, a Christmas candy dish, maybe an ornament. Those things are up in boxes on a shelf. I do not want them, I do not use them, and she has to be aware of this.

 

[Rolltydr]

While I am a minimalist for most things, Hallmark Christmas ornaments are my downfall. I inventoried them last year and have very close to 1900,

Okay, I must admit that I have gotten into collecting a couple of times over the years. In the late 80’s and early 90’s, I started collecting some sports memorabilia; autographed baseballs, footballs and a couple of basketballs, a few baseball cards and posters, not a huge amount but we had a large basement room that wasn’t used so we turned it into a collectibles room. There is a famous, at least in Alabama circles, sports artist, Daniel Moore, who does a lot of artwork of Alabama football coaches, players, famous plays, etc. We started collecting his prints and had many of them over the years. We both grew tired of it and knew we didn’t want to move it when we relocated to Florida, so we gave away almost all of it to DW’s family members when we moved. The other thing was shot glasses. I got a job in 1996 that caused me to do a lot of traveling and some of my co-workers collected Hard Rock Cafe shot glasses in every city we traveled to that had a Hard Rock. That was fun, and pretty harmless, as they took up very little space.