[glgene]

It is really hard getting rid of "stuff" for our so-ooon move to TV. Took 150 books to the Half Priced Bookstore (got $250). Another 100+ books to weed thru (don't laugh, Gracie).

What do one do with 4 scrapbooks of photos? Digitize them? My newspaper stories I wrote working my way thru college -- and scrapbooked each article!

Tax returns, chipped dishes, furniture, old golf clubs, a spare tire, etc. etc. What to do??

Gene & Kathy

Ps: We did throw away our VHS tapes of the Cisco Kid. Kathy made me do it!

[Virtual Geezer]

Gene

Gracie is over in the corner now chuckling away. As for the books, good luck on that one. Will you ever read them again? As far as the scrap books and pictures go I would hold onto them and digitize them after you get settled in to the new home. A good rainy day project for a few months down the road.
I think you will be on a first name basis with one of your local charities for the furniture, clubs and other similar items. As far as the tax returns go you might want to keep a few years past the legal holding requirement (7 years back, I think but could be wrong) just to be on the safe side.

When I got back home and walked into the basement and looked at all my junk I thought "why do I have all this stuff and why am I keeping it". I have been hauling things out for trash pickup every week and boy it is not easy.

Good luck.

VG

[Lbmb24101]

We are going thru the same thing...
Virtual geezer has great advice.
Glgene, you were lucky you got $$ for your books!
With a heavy heart we donated bks from college and grad school, but, if we had not read them in 30 yrs, we were not gonna read them in retirement....specially in a sunny fun place like TV.

Philosophising a bit:
After having gone thru serious health issues, we realize stuff is just stuff.
Right now what would bring us happiness is:
Being together ( hubby and I)
Being spiritually, physically, emotionally and mentally healthy
Making wonderful friends
Having friends and family visit us here in tv
Etc
Having things do not bring happiness
I do find hard, though, getting rid of items givens to us by dear ones who are now deceased...it is hard to get rid of sentimental things
But we are truly cleaning house here in Atlanta, and getting rid of junk feels LIBERATING
Plus we keep reminding ourselves that,
"you can not take it with you"
having basic comforts, needs and services met
Not having a cluttered housr

[sjdjmd]

It is difficult to downsize for many reasons; however, why did we ever keep all of that stuff anyway?? You're so right...stuff is just stuff. We decided to let our daughter have many family things, including things our grandchildren might like some day. We sold most of the other good things. We donated tons of other things to worthy causes. We decided not to pay storage on "stuff" and if we needed something here, we'd buy it here vs. paying to move it to FL. So far...we haven't needed anything...and it feels great! All the best!

[patfla06]

We're going through the same decluttering and it's hard.
Wish I had done more of it all through the years.

[asianthree]

we have a plan..our kids are all coming in for a week and are going thru the basement without us...three piles wil be created..trash...craigs list...flordia...that way everyone has a chance to see if they want to keep anything.

[glgene]

Originally Posted by Virtual Geezer

Gene

Gracie is over in the corner now chuckling away. As for the books, good luck on that one. Will you ever read them again? As far as the scrap books and pictures go I would hold onto them and digitize them after you get settled in to the new home. A good rainy day project for a few months down the road.
I think you will be on a first name basis with one of your local charities for the furniture, clubs and other similar items. As far as the tax returns go you might want to keep a few years past the legal holding requirement (7 years back, I think but could be wrong) just to be on the safe side.

When I got back home and walked into the basement and looked at all my junk I thought "why do I have all this stuff and why am I keeping it". I have been hauling things out for trash pickup every week and boy it is not easy.

Good luck.

VG

I think basements are magnets for "extra stuff." That's why a move to TV is such a cleansing operation -- because we all know (in advance) there are no basements in TV (FL, overall?). And limited space in closets.

Have moved before. You'd think by now we'd know not to collect stuff. But no-oooo. So it's out with stuff again. Kathy is much more organized than me. Except we hauled a lot of her books to Half Priced Books, too. She made $60.

She can't stand the thought of throwing away anything; but she is perfectly willing to give things away. But...she's OK if I throw away my "extra" spare tire! It is a whitewall; I guess she thinks it's dated <g>.

Gene

[glgene]

Found a second-hand golf equipment store in my locale. They won't buy my old golf clubs, but they will give me a store credit for them. So, if I can get $150 for them, that might be enough for a new utility club or new putter. Like that is going to automatically make me a better golfer (The Power of Positive Thinking).

I can already hit an 80 on a championship course ... provided I quit before 18 holes.

Gene

[Bonnevie]

am doing the same....it will be a chore but I realize I have some of this stuff because right now I have a place to put it....throw pillows I've had for 30 years just in case I might use them? It's tough giving away good stuff, but dragging it around doesn't make sense even if I will have room to store it which I will not

[2BNTV]

I found it very difficult to declutter as I hated giving away stuff that could be used by others, Fortunately, I have a friend who is a pack rat. Decluttering is such a freeing experience. I found it to be a state of mind as one will acculate more junk as time goes on.

My rule of thumb is, "If I haven't touched it in a year, it's got to go".

[raynan]

Originally Posted by glgene

Found a second-hand golf equipment store in my locale. They won't buy my old golf clubs, but they will give me a store credit for them. So, if I can get $150 for them, that might be enough for a new utility club or new putter. Like that is going to automatically make me a better golfer (The Power of Positive Thinking).

I can already hit an 80 on a championship course ... provided I quit before 18 holes.

Gene

You might want to bring the old clubs for visiting guests to use.

[mac6115cd]

My wife and I plan to move to TV within the next two years, but we're starting the de-clutter process now. With both sets of parents gine, we've inherited alot of stuff.Our plan is to make two piles: garage sale (90%) and keep (10%). If it doesn't sell, then we'll take it to the Goodwill store.

[Yorio]

We are also planning to move full time within a couple of years but so hard to throw away, indeed. I had planned to throw away my LPs, hundreds of them but when I read in Daily Sun about some people here still owning them, I am reconsidering. Books, I go one at a time but maybe able to find a pile of perhaps a dozen to donate each time. Will I read the rest, probably not but....
Art works are hard too knowing there are not too many walls for all the art works to hang. New England furnitures are easy to get rid of. Full silverware sets and plates from wedding periods are easier to get rid of. We won't be entertaining anymore and kids are not interested either. I get depressed when more decisions have to be made in not too distant future. Glad to hear though that others are in the same predicament. Sorry!

[glgene]

Originally Posted by raynan

You might want to bring the old clubs for visiting guests to use.

My "old clubs" are mostly odds and ends. That's why I want to get rid of them. I do intend to have an extra club set for TV male guests. Kathy has an older full set of irons, which we'll bring to TV for female guest. I bought her a new set of Callaway Razr irons last year, and she loves them!

We'll be playing the TV golf links so-oooon. Moving date is quickly approaching! Of course, we'll need to buy a golf cart first <g>.

Gene

[cbh1975]

We don't have a moving date yet, but we are getting rid of the clutter so we can sell this house. My rules?

If I don't absolutely love it, it goes.
If I haven't used in in a year, it goes.
If it doesn't fit, it goes.
If I can't tell you who is in the photo, or identify the location, it goes.
I'm keeping the books by my favorite authors, but everything else must go. Uhm...I really wanted to read those books...okay...I'm still thinking this one through!

Those are the basics. We've gone through about 20 bins of stuff so far. Our current "keep" count is three, and two of those are books!