Kiddie, I was thinking of buying photo boxes. I think they would take up less room than albums.
My son said he didn’t want things left in my house, especially the old Nintendo sets and the DVDs. So I packed a few bags yesterday. Next I’ll start on his books. It’s easier to get of someone else’s belongings than one’s own.
I’m glad we kept a few toys and kids’ books when we downsized. GD was just here for Thanksgiving and enjoyed playing and reading. In the spirit of Bag-a-week, we did donate alot of other toys/books.
I’m pulling photos out of albums and putting them in photo boxes. Some of our old albums are very large and clunky- they don’t easily fit anywhere and are old-fashioned looking. They will be donated. There are a lot of photos I’d like to eventually scan and toss- from old friends’ weddings, old pics with friends’ families, etc. Seems like it will make a good January project.
Photo project is done. 54 albums culled to 27 (I thought I was pretty ruthless in throwing stuff out but only 50% was tossed). Feels good to be done. Was interesting going through so many years of photos (actually going through twice, once to weed and a second time to combine into fewer albums). I can cross that off the list now.
Threw out some torn-beyond-use clothes, staged a bag of donations to drop off this coming week. Congratulations to those making photo progress!
@shellfell did you have trouble finding a place to take the toys? Our Goodwill won’t take any children’s items (books maybe but we keep ours so I never even asked). I’ve been asking around elsewhere and think our local DV shelter will be able to use ours.
What… ! They don’t take toys?
Why? Ours has a whole section.
I hadn’t looked at my older albums, figuring they were fine. Turns out a few of those had mold on the covers and some of the pages. So I just spent an hour moving those pictures to safety (some of the surplus albums I had just emptied).
My Goodwill took the toys and games. We only donated those that still worked, had all the parts, and were clean.
My son hasn’t lived in our house for over two years and said he wanted nothing. Saturday he decided he wôuld take his boots (very nice timberland boots), several pairs of pants, a couple of dress shirts, and maybe another thing or two. He has Lots of other nice clothes here, but at some point I’m just going to give them away, so someone gets to wear them. I just can’t figure out when that time is…
Well, I’ve been had! https://www.amazinggoodwill.com/donating/donor-guidelines They’ll take toys, but not baby equipment, car seats, cribs. A misunderstanding somewhere. I do know the person I talked said they wouldn’t but will follow up now. Thanks to those of you who said something!
@HouseChatte, I was under the impression that my local Goodwill also will not take toys. I wonder if it depends on the location. But Big Brothers Big Sisters takes toys, if you have a donation center for them near you.
I wonder if some that don’t take toys might be concerned about liability and used toys without labels-small parts, recalls, safety issues, etc.
Filled a bag from the mudroom. Better than that, I emptied the floor and gave it the deep cleaning it desperately needed.
I have donated toys in excellent condition to local pre-schools and kindergarten classrooms. Both were very appreciative. I have also given them old books (again in great condition). I have given wood puzzles (with all pieces) to the library who leaves them out for kids to play with.
Still soldiering on. Since I retired to do this, I can usually eliminate several bags a week. But since my husband is a pre-hoarder (and would be a full-on hoarder without my vigorous pushback), there’s much to be rid of.
D3 was here for Thanksgiving and helped enormously by going through her room: 3 bags of clothing and 2 boxes of items to donate, 2 boxes of books for her classroom library, and two huge bags of trash.
@momo2x2018 suggested trying to sell apparel on Poshmark in post 3501. D3 asked me to help her sell jewelry from an ex-boyfriend, and it looks as if Poshmark might be the best bet. Much of the jewelry is silver, which doesn’t have much melt value, but it’s nice stuff, so I hate to just let it all go for $40. Has anyone here done Poshmark?
@frazzled1 I sell on Poshmark; you can sell anything from apparel to shoes, bags, jewelry etc. Price yur items about 50% higher than you are willing to take, because people will negotiate you down. Bew aware, Poshmark takes a 20% cut of final sale if it above $15 and 30% $15 and below, the customer pays a flat $6.99 for shipping.
Dropped off two large tote bags of clothes and small household items at Goodwill yesterday afternoon.
There’s an old smelly rug we took up from the dining room floor that’s taking up real estate on my porch. We have family coming from out of state in less than two weeks. I need to either haul that thing to the dump or festoon it with tinsel, and soon.
Festoon it with tinsel?? Love it!!
Downsizing your Christmas:
https://www.seattletimes.com/explore/nwhomes/how-i-came-to-grips-with-a-downsized-christmas/
Mr. disposed of the pile of old cell phones we had brought from House1… the oldest one was 20 years old!!!