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Honored Contributor
Posts: 13,776
Registered: ‎07-09-2011
On 2/4/2015 Divine said:

If you're really having a difficult time giving up these items I think it would behoove you to list just one thing on eBay and see how it goes. If you find that it isn't all that lucrative then maybe it will be easier for you to just donate the rest. On the other hand, if the eBay transaction goes great then maybe you'll feel more motivated to keep on selling.

This sounds like a really good idea. Listing on eBay is not without some time issues, but it can be worth it.

My rule of thumb is that if I didn't wear it last year, and I didn't wear it this year - it needs to go. Or, more clearly, if, say I go 2 summers , or 2 winters, etc without wearing it should go. The only exceptions are serious designer pieces, or items I LOVED, those I give one more round.

Good Luck!

"Animals are not my whole world, but they have made my world whole" ~ Roger Caras
Super Contributor
Posts: 840
Registered: ‎02-11-2011
No, once I decide, I want it out of my home and out of my head. Peace, peace and calm is worth more. You're just hoarding the stuff. Moving it from one spot to another in your home.
Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,104
Registered: ‎09-12-2010

It's worth more to me to get these things out of my house, whether I donate them or give them to family or friends. Absolutely, zero regrets on any of the items. I decided I'd rather re-purchase the item than store it. It is such a great feeling to shovel this mess out the door. I love my house again!

Honored Contributor
Posts: 16,342
Registered: ‎09-01-2010
I started decluttering 3 years ago, and with every new round, my goal is to get the stuff out of the house as quickly as possible. It either goes out in a trash bag at the end of the week, goes to the Union Mission, or is offered to friends, who usually come after it immediately. Once it's gone, I do not allow myself to think anything else about it.
Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,113
Registered: ‎03-10-2010
I really never think again about stuff that I donate, I'm just happy to have a tidy house. The only things I regret giving away are several pairs of my husbands jeans,lol. They were all 34's and he was wearing 38's so I donated them. Of course he decides to go on a work out schedule this winter and has lost 25 lbs, so guess what? Yep, he wants his 34's!He hates decluttering so I usually just take a few of his things now and then and he never notices. Oops Smiley Happy
Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,768
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

I literally donated brand new with clothing with tags, boots that where never worn, household items never used ... and felt great for unloading all of that. I also learned a HUGE LESSON - since unloading all of that stuff I developed a rule that if I do not use something within ONE WEEK - it is returned. I also cut back my spending dramatically.

You will feel better donating and you will also remember all the money you wasted (I know I did).

As a side note ... I did start volunteering at a Church consignment shop where I donated all of these goodies. The Manager asked me one day if I ever donated and I replied sure - plenty of stuff at this very shop and I told her I used to leave bags of clothing, ect. on the front porch - and she laughed and told me everything that I left was sold - and I too bad I did not start consigning earlier. She said she just had a 'feeling' ... there was a pair of thigh high black boots donated and I used to wear boots all the time.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,060
Registered: ‎03-12-2010

I face the same problem you have. I know I could make a little bit of money on eBay if I would just get motivated and sell my stuff there. Even if I only got 99 cents per item plus the shipping, I would probably end up with $100 or so. So why can't I make that happen? Somehow the thought of getting the items out, photographing them, listing them and then shipping them seems overwhelming, but I really think I should try it with just one or two items and see how difficult it really is to do. If an item didn't sell within the first month, then I could donate it without feeling like I was wasting an asset.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 9,012
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

I don't have the skills to do photos, etc. for e-bay. I donate or give to a friend who wears my size and can use the items. Still hard to part with items, but every year I've been getting rid of a lot. Also, a lot of household items we thought our kids would want but they don't want or need them. Off to a friend or donated. They took up a lot of space.

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,948
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

I have been doing this for weeks and don't regret it. I give to an organization that donates to the human society for animals. It's such a good feeling. The only thing I regret is spending the money in the first place on them.

Contributor
Posts: 39
Registered: ‎05-06-2014
A new second hand store was setting up to open in my town. They had been advertising to "bring us your unwanted items, we pay cash on the spot, all sizes and seasons." I spent the day going thru my closets, neatly folding items (they did not want them brought in on hangers) and even bought several laundry baskets to carry them in. Many of the items were new with tags, known designers, various styles, casual, dressy, active wear, etc. They took the baskets, said it would take them about an hour to go thru them. They gave me a receipt ticket and said they would call me when done. Four hours later, they called. I returned to the store. The 4 baskets were on the counter with a few items separated out. One of the items in their "keep" stack of about 10 items was a beautiful tunic with lace jacket that I had purchased at a high end boutique. The price tag, showing the original price, $230 and the sale price that I paid of $85, still attached. They offered $24 for the lot. I turned down their offer. A week later I had a garage sell. Made a few hundred dollars, a large part was from clothes I sold ranging in price from $1. - $5. All of the items that didn't sell were taken to a local charity. My clean closets, recouping a small portion of what I had spent on all the clothes, plus the satisfaction of knowing others would be benefitting from the things donated kept me from feeling bad about getting rid of my excess. And, true it took some effort having the garage sell but nothing like the piece-mill hassle of going the eBay route; taking all the pictures, listing, waiting, then mailing, dealing with PayPal, yadayadayada. Get rid of it the way that is quickest and easiest for you. I bet you'll feel liberated instead of remorseful.