Comments on: Out With The Old, In With The New: Clean Out Your Closets and Liquidate http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2010/12/07/out-with-the-old-in-with-the-new-clean-out-your-closets-and-liquidate/ Financial talk for the rest of us Sat, 16 Feb 2013 01:14:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: AniVee http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2010/12/07/out-with-the-old-in-with-the-new-clean-out-your-closets-and-liquidate/#comment-932577 AniVee Sat, 11 Dec 2010 21:39:02 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=6351#comment-932577 You have no idea how most of that “junk to take to the land fill” would be welcomed here in Latin America. A lot of the stuff in the 2nd hand clothing shops here is stamped “GOODWILL” inside.

Many of the newly-arrived-to-the-USA (from eastern Europe, from Latin America, from Africa, where-ever) need to start all over again and welcome anything they can receive or buy used. A good way to get “plugged in” to a redistribution network (if there isn’t one available to you) is through the churches – especially the bilingual ones. The Lupus Foundation (in and around NJ, at least) runs terrific thrift shops under the name “UNIQUE” and will come and pick up donations of clothes, furniture, appliances, housewares.
Knowing someone needs and will use my stuff is great motivation to clean out closets!

]]> By: DeLaina http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2010/12/07/out-with-the-old-in-with-the-new-clean-out-your-closets-and-liquidate/#comment-932416 DeLaina Thu, 09 Dec 2010 16:19:09 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=6351#comment-932416 Freecycle is also a good way to get rid of things that may not have value, but are in still usable order. I just moved and had a “Freecycle Yardsale” that helped get rid of a lot of things I didn’t have the time or the energy to really sell. I posted that @ 3pm at my address, bring your own bags/boxes and you can have whatever you want. 3/4 of the stuff was gone that day and the rest the next day.

]]> By: Briana @ GBR http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2010/12/07/out-with-the-old-in-with-the-new-clean-out-your-closets-and-liquidate/#comment-932383 Briana @ GBR Wed, 08 Dec 2010 22:51:26 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=6351#comment-932383 Cleaned out the closet and heading to the consignment store tonight!

]]> By: Steve http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2010/12/07/out-with-the-old-in-with-the-new-clean-out-your-closets-and-liquidate/#comment-932377 Steve Wed, 08 Dec 2010 20:27:41 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=6351#comment-932377 Don’t let “but it’s worth money” and “but it’s still good” be the friction that stops you from clearing your life of clutter.

A lot of what gets donated to goodwill gets thrown away anyways. Don’t get me wrong, I am all for keeping stuff out of landfills! But there is a corollary rule to the one year rule – let’s call it the one month rule. If you have a pile of stuff that you’ve been meaning to get rid of, and it’s been sitting there for more than a month, just throw it in the trash.

]]> By: socalgal http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2010/12/07/out-with-the-old-in-with-the-new-clean-out-your-closets-and-liquidate/#comment-932367 socalgal Wed, 08 Dec 2010 17:38:53 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=6351#comment-932367 A Fawn #2- I either give things away at Freecycle or list them on Craigslist under “Free”. The people come to me (actually to stem the flow of people I only give the first few my address via email). It has worked out great & no more trips to Goodwill!

]]> By: GayleRN http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2010/12/07/out-with-the-old-in-with-the-new-clean-out-your-closets-and-liquidate/#comment-932364 GayleRN Wed, 08 Dec 2010 16:52:40 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=6351#comment-932364 @Fawn, You go grocery shopping don’t you? On shopping day load up the truck with what you want to get rid of. Go to that place and get rid of it. Then go grocery shopping load the truck and go home. Unload truck. All done. Rinse and repeat as needed.

]]> By: michael bash http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2010/12/07/out-with-the-old-in-with-the-new-clean-out-your-closets-and-liquidate/#comment-932359 michael bash Wed, 08 Dec 2010 15:47:46 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=6351#comment-932359 That’s “year”.

]]> By: michael bash http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2010/12/07/out-with-the-old-in-with-the-new-clean-out-your-closets-and-liquidate/#comment-932358 michael bash Wed, 08 Dec 2010 15:46:27 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=6351#comment-932358 I haven’t read it all but the 1st commandment is, “If you don’t use it once a yer, you don’t need it, and get rid of it.” This allows Xmas decorations, for example. simplify, simplify.

]]> By: Joan http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2010/12/07/out-with-the-old-in-with-the-new-clean-out-your-closets-and-liquidate/#comment-932348 Joan Wed, 08 Dec 2010 13:58:32 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=6351#comment-932348 My husband and I have been following along with the Out with the Old activities.

Our comment on this one is a little point – I noticed, Trent, that you said this gives you an enjoyable activity to do with your wife. I thought we were the only couple that thought that!

We will pick something – books, closets, a room, and we’ll say, “Oh, let’s play ‘Sort the books.’” Dorky, maybe, but we really do enjoy it and we talk a lot about other things as we go. A win-win.

Meanwhile, this was a good fit, because as we started our five-year plan, one of the things that quickly rose to the top was even less clutter and even fewer possessions.

]]> By: Gretchen http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2010/12/07/out-with-the-old-in-with-the-new-clean-out-your-closets-and-liquidate/#comment-932347 Gretchen Wed, 08 Dec 2010 13:57:41 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=6351#comment-932347 Thankfully, I don’t buy so much extra junk each year I need to take every single thing out of my closet to review it’s usefulness.

]]> By: Matt http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2010/12/07/out-with-the-old-in-with-the-new-clean-out-your-closets-and-liquidate/#comment-932346 Matt Wed, 08 Dec 2010 13:49:31 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=6351#comment-932346 I’m doing the same thing, only with huge collections of small stuff that have built into boxes and boxes I don’t want — books, video games, and movies. And clothes.

Probably thousands of dollars being donated to the Salvation Army next weekend. Everyone should do this.

]]> By: Kate http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2010/12/07/out-with-the-old-in-with-the-new-clean-out-your-closets-and-liquidate/#comment-932337 Kate Wed, 08 Dec 2010 11:12:07 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=6351#comment-932337 more…
Don’t wait to have a yard sale someday: set a yard sale date and start putting things in the yard sale pile or sell it some other way.
Don’t rent/build a storage unit to store things–at some point your relatives will have to go through it and make decisions that you should have made;
If a family member dies and you have to go through their house, make decisions! Don’t bring it all home with you.
Don’t start a “collection”–they cost money and take up room;
Don’t keep the little Christmas gifts that you know you will never use–donate them to a school or to a thrift shop immediately. Just because someone gave it to you, doesn’t mean that you need to keep it.
Keep your wrapping paper and stationary supplies in a central place and periodically inventory it instead of just buying more because you “might need it”.
Biggest thing: You can’t take it with you! At some point, most of us are going to have to downsize into a smaller place. From my research, older people are less likely to make a move that is beneficial for them (i.e. moving into an assisted living place) because they have so much “stuff”.

]]> By: Kate http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2010/12/07/out-with-the-old-in-with-the-new-clean-out-your-closets-and-liquidate/#comment-932335 Kate Wed, 08 Dec 2010 10:15:09 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=6351#comment-932335 As a person who is currently cleaning out a relative’s house who would definitely qualify as a hoarder, I have to chime in with these words: the humane society gladly and with open arms will accept old towels/blankets/sheets; if you want old pictures to pass to a future generation, make sure to label the people in the pictures; go through old photos and cull out the blurry ones; it is obsene to hang onto usable clothing that people who are less fortunate can use; keep a recycling bin and shredder by your front door and handle mail as soon as it comes in; do everything you can to take your name off junk mailing lists (credit card offers, etc.);

]]> By: Mel http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2010/12/07/out-with-the-old-in-with-the-new-clean-out-your-closets-and-liquidate/#comment-932334 Mel Wed, 08 Dec 2010 08:56:05 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=6351#comment-932334 @Fawn: you just have to do it. Put aside a day / morning / afternoon, and when that time comes, load up the truck and go. Maybe get a friend over to help. Is there a nice cafe or something near or on the way to the donation place? Treat yourself on the way back.

Hmm, I should take some of my own advice – I have one back to donate, and one to dispose of (awkward things, like a dead car battery). I know *of* the places I need to take them, but not the actual locations. Plus the fact we don’t have a car… But, we’re moving in a few weeks so no doubt both piles will grow and we’ll have a vehicle available.

]]> By: KC http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2010/12/07/out-with-the-old-in-with-the-new-clean-out-your-closets-and-liquidate/#comment-932331 KC Wed, 08 Dec 2010 03:14:35 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=6351#comment-932331 When I lived in a 1400 sq ft house I keep things to a minimum – had to, no space. But now I’m in a larger home and things tend to accumulate because there are places to store them. But once a year I go through an area I consider cluttered (this year it was my bedroom and closet) and donate stuff to Goodwill.

Now if only I could get my husband on board. He’s a real hoarder. Fortunately he never buys anything, but everything he’s received as a gift or work materials, etc, he’s kept. He likes to keep things in piles, too. But like a friend of mine told me. Just pull from the bottom of the pile and discard.

]]> By: Brittany http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2010/12/07/out-with-the-old-in-with-the-new-clean-out-your-closets-and-liquidate/#comment-932330 Brittany Wed, 08 Dec 2010 02:45:28 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=6351#comment-932330 Freecycle or goodwill it. Don’t just throw it away!

]]> By: Michele http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2010/12/07/out-with-the-old-in-with-the-new-clean-out-your-closets-and-liquidate/#comment-932328 Michele Wed, 08 Dec 2010 01:48:45 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=6351#comment-932328 I do this 4 times a year! We donate most of it, sell some of it and freecycle a tiny amount of it. It all adds up at tax time. I seriously hate doing garage sales so we take photos and the tax deduction for most of it.

]]> By: Jenny http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2010/12/07/out-with-the-old-in-with-the-new-clean-out-your-closets-and-liquidate/#comment-932326 Jenny Wed, 08 Dec 2010 00:49:45 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=6351#comment-932326 Yesterday I spent one afternoon turning our craft room into a usable space. It was where craft projects went to die. Even in the event that I knew where something was, I probably couldn’t get to it. We packed our van full and took it all to the Salvation Army. We didn’t make a dime, but the thing is, we don’t have a garage or anywhere to store stuff until we can sell it. It just prolongs the clutter agony, and normally we wouldn’t make enough off the stuff to go to the trouble. I’m sure someone can use most of that stuff though, and I’m so happy to have my craft room back :-)

]]> By: CNM http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2010/12/07/out-with-the-old-in-with-the-new-clean-out-your-closets-and-liquidate/#comment-932324 CNM Tue, 07 Dec 2010 23:47:32 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=6351#comment-932324 What if you are a purger but your spouse is a hoarder? I am merciless when it comes to getting rid of stuff. My husband, however, seems like he wants to keep every scrap of paper he has ever laid eyes on! Any suggestions? Right now the solution is that his random junk goes into a cardboard box so at least it is out of (immediate) sight. Not a great long term solution, though.

]]> By: valleycat1 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2010/12/07/out-with-the-old-in-with-the-new-clean-out-your-closets-and-liquidate/#comment-932322 valleycat1 Tue, 07 Dec 2010 23:43:43 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=6351#comment-932322 Patty – very true – I am ruthlessly pruning our book collection & the local library has benefited greatly. Also, good children’s books (anything appropriate for children/young people are ofn accepted by school libraries if they fill a hole in their collection.

Old towels, blankets & even sheets are needed by animal shelters. Household items & sometimes clothing by women’s shelters or similar groups.

This time of year our local paper often posts ‘wish lists’ from various local charities (& most charities post online if they have a website).

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