To wonder how you get rid of your clutter?

[PastelPompoms]

We are in the process of decluttering the house. There is lots I want to go from clothes to toys, towels etc.

I am finding it hard to let go of some things that are new e.g. clothes with labels still in etc. I have tried selling but not much had much luck and I’d rather the things just went than hung around waiting for someone to collect who never shows. I am planning to donate to charity and then take the rest to the tip that’s not worth the charity shop.

How do you get over the thought of losing money by giving so much away? My DP wouldn’t be pleased to know I was giving it away rather than selling due to the money that was originally spent and I think that’s making me hang onto more than I want to.

I can’t think of a better way to try and sell it than eBay or Facebook though.

I think part of the point is to feel uncomfortable OP, and that you have wasted your money - because you have. Realistically, you won’t get anywhere near what you paid for items on eBay, and Of those ones that do actually sell, the hassle of listing and posting things is probably not worth the cost per hour of your time.

I think you (everyone) needs to go through the uncomfortable process of decluttering, realise what money we have wasted, realise we can live with less and how much easier it is to clean and tidy up. I think going through this means the lesson is learnt and we then think twice and don’t buy as much in future.

I (and others) had to clean out my Grandmothers home, and it was a perfectly normal home (she was not minimalist, not a clutterer, just imagine the middle’ like most of us). And it was such a huge undertaking. My mother and sisters returned to our homes and, unplanned, over the next year or so, we all decluttered. Something about seeing all this good crockery kept in a cabinet, or things kept for ‘good’ and not used, and then just donated, made me want to use every ‘good’ thing in my house and make sure everything in the house I did use. I was a bit horrified at the money going out the door (and in some cases the memories, but I took photos), but overall it was the absolutely right decision and I am much happier now.

Sandgrown - your colleague sounds like a really nasty, vindictive man. I hope you don't have to work very closely with him - I'll bet it's not much fun having to spend hours every day with somebody so irrationally angry with the world.

I'd definitely do a little research and list anything that looks like it goes for good prices (actually sells for - not just optimistically listed endlessly for) and where there aren't already hundreds of them listed. Much of the rest, though, you're always going to be on to a loser to the specialist companies (Music Magpie and the like) who have big economies of scale, a smooth quantity-based machine and can get preferential postage rates. If they can clear 50p on each of 50,000 items, with the same listing details automatically uploaded hundreds of times and people paid to pack and post full-time, it's a great business for them; for you to have to do everything manually and clear a very small amount for each of 15 items, it just isn't.

As a PP said, it's nice if, when you clear old stuff out, you get the double whammy bonus of the space AND some money, but don't ignore the value to your life of the space alone, even if you don't get any cash into the bargain.

I feel for you, OP. Wasted money, sunk costs and too much stuff; it is the curse of us all. I try to be frugal now, and responsible about where I send things that I can't sell. A few ideas:

• Towels and bed linen: Pet shops and animal shelters gladly took our old hoard for lining the critters' beds and cages.

• Books: School and church fetes. Our local school turned over $2000+ at its annual book stall.

• Kids' clothes and toys: The big charities such as the Salvos get too many of these. Look for smaller shops such as Lions Group, Rotary, medical or animal charities in family-oriented neighbourhoods. I mentioned to our Lions shop staff that my neighbours were on a decluttering binge. They begged me to ask them for children's clothes, all sizes and seasons, because demand is high. Support those little charity shops! Go in and ask them what they want.

• Adult clothes: Good workwear (if you can't sell it online) could go to an organisation that helps women enter/re-enter the workforce. We have Fitted For Work in Australia; there must be similar in the UK.

Otherwise -- Freecycle, FB marketplace, street libraries, community art and craft centres (for upcycling your old tat into art, patchwork, weaving), university notice boards (for students who need cheap appliances, cookware etc), notice boards in your workplace.

You need to change how you think of it. It's already lost money. It's just costing you more in time to try to sell it. Work on buying less. Your dp sounds like he has expectations of you and finances. How does he spend money?

Op there are many charities that will pick up from your home.
I recently did a tidy out of toys & kids clothes and got a charity to come pick them up, which will be sold online or in boot sales. Its a win win situation!

I find it easier to send things off to the charity shop if I tell myself that someone, who doesn't have very much, will be delighted to snap up a bargain buying my brand new, unworn garment, that no longer fits me.
I feel a bit like the Queen, giving out Maundy money!😊

If you can afford to buy clothes that you never wear (which I too am guilty of) then you can afford to donate it to charity. I console myself with the fact that in that way at least the charity and the people who buy my clothes at a bargain price get to benefit from my stupidity.

Books I send to the Oxfam book shop as they separate the high value and sell online etc.

Agree with others - the clothes money has already been wasted. However you could store staples for future use?

The money is long gone. Don't buy anything else.

We take our to a childrens hospice charity shop.

I think

• it frees up space for me.

• someone gets use out of it.

• Hopefully the shop will make some profit from everyone to buy some items for the childrens hospice.

@Wingedharpy and @Angelina82 have it spot in-I told myself the same when having a huge clear out during our house renovation. I was thoroughly embarrassed at my spending on stuff, especially stuff with tags on that I could no longer fit into 😂
I also am now aware that I keep stuff for emotional reasons.
In the end I forced myself to think about the good that would come from it-Potentially people with less than me having some lovely clothes, or bargain hunters getting something and actually wearing/using it.

With the amount of stuff I had yes I’d have probably made a bit of money, but once you work out an hourly wage, time for p&p, fuel etc it wouldn’t have been worth it.

We hired a skip and cleared out our garage over lockdown too.

You’ll feel so much better and a few bags in it’s a very cathartic process!

Think of it like the money is already gone all you can do now is reclaim the space by all means try Facebook gumtree shpock etc but time limit it so put it up for a week if no sale it goes to charity but I warn you its soul destroying the amount of time wasters you get I put up a kids coat for free because everyone was saying how some family's couldn't afford coats for kids and kids were going cold etc etc i have a lot of coats i put one up for free someone said I will be over today for it "plz keep it hun" she didn't show up eight people said they wanted an unused hair curler it was brand new only one showed up its become not worth it

The money is already gone.

time.com/5347133/sunk-cost-fallacy-decisions/

“Webuiltthisbuffet” he is a very tight man. He avoids collections etc. We have all been asked to work one day over Christmas and though he has agreed he told a colleague he is not doing it and will call in sick !

Personally I wouldn't bother selling on eBay. It's not as good as it used to be, and I find It to be more hassle than it's worth. YMMV.

I'd either go for Facebook marketplace or just take stuff to the charity shop. It's not a waste of money if you've helped someone else.

@ButtWormHole

I’ve ordered a free bag from I Second That. You fill it with clothes, they list them for 100 days and give you a commission for everything that sells.

List on eBay for low start prices. BNWT clothing for £4.99 or £9.99 for bigger brands. Bundles. Job lots.

Changing my mindset to thinking ‘the money is already spent’ helps me to let go of things.

Where can I find this I second that?? Got bags of good clothes waiting for charity!

Where can I find this I second that?? Got bags of good clothes waiting for charity!

Would be interested in this too.

Icollect will come to your home and collect your clothes etc www.icollectclothes.co.uk/donation-info

My neighbour is currently doing the same. But there lives are upside down due to obsessive hoarding and things. She is having work done but her house is quite frankly disgusting. She has 3 kids closer to the age of ten and they have no heating, never open the curtains and have had floods and everything. All have health issues!

I'm not saying the above is you. I wrote that because I also like you feel sentimental and hate getting rid of stuff. But I just do it now.

I always donate toys to nurseries or playgroups in the area. Clothes I put in charity bins now if I can't pass them on. I have ebayed decent things in the past like next clothes.

It's hard but it's just as bad when you have stuff everywhere gathering dust and making your house look cluttered.

Again not judging I'm similar but I know I have to get rid of things now.

I’m the same. Thinking about using this one. Here’s the link! www.isecondthat.co.uk/

Re losing money - you spend money to buy space, through rent or mortgage. Clutter takes up space you have paid for and could use better. It's costing you money just like hiring a storage unit would.

That said, my house is full of clutter too!

There are charities that will take books and have specialised bookshops. Look up Global Educational Trust, Oxfam books and other charity bookshops.

@CaptainVanesHair

Remind yourself you’ve already spent the money and you’re not losing anything by letting it go. If you haven’t worn it, you haven’t worn it. Holding on to it won’t make up for the money already being gone.

^This. Keep repeating this

Have a look into Swedish death cleaning. It's made a difference to me/our clutter.

Just let this stuff go. You can torment yourself with the idea that you could make money by selling stuff on eBay but it involves time and effort which lots of us just don't have time for, clearing your clutter is a job in itself. Sending it off to charity is great, then it won't be wasted and you'll be helping others. The main thing is, just let it go... And also ensure you have a solid policy of not buying more crap! It's so easy to acquire things these days at the click of a button. Much harder to get rid of it!

I feel your pain op- particularly with dc’s toys. I could weep at the money spent and half of them have never been played with