Keeping possessions to a minimum

[ny biker]

I'm wrestling with this right now. Some of the stuff I'm trying to sell isn't moving, despite being in perfectly good condition. It seems people would just rather buy new.
On the other hand, I recently bought a carpet shampoo machine because I was tired of lugging home the rentals, finding they weren't completely clean from the last renter, and then having to race to shampoo every rug and carpet in time to get the machine back on time. It was worth it to me to be able to clean when I wanted to and even just do one carpet at a time if need be. And of course, it gets done more often. So, for that reason - and the fact that it was on sale for half price - it was worth buying.
My husband is a bit of a packrat, it's about the only thing we ever have arguments about. I used to be, but my shopping habits were drastically changed when I volunteered for an annual charity rummage sale three or four years in a row. The first year I put on my change apron, walked out into the sale, and looked at tables and tables piled high with donations. The thought that ran through my mind was "Wow, this is how we live in North America. We have so much stuff that we have to give it away to keep from drowning in it." It changed the way I shop. I look at non-essential items and ask myself if I'll use it often enough to justify buying it. Things like seasonal ornaments, I buy at thrift shops and then re-donate. When I see knick-knacks in places like Winners (T.J. Maxx in the 'States) I wonder how long it will be before I see it in a yard sale or thrift store.

It can also be hard to donate some stuff, especially furniture. Many charities won't accept it because they will have trouble re-selling it. There is a group down here that takes furniture and household items to give to people who are transitioning from homeless shelters to apartments, but they have very limited storage space so they will only take furniture if they know they have a current use for it.

[OakLeaf]

Or just put it on the curb on large item collection day. Pickers go through the night before, or early in the morning, and take anything usable or restorable, anywhere I've lived.

[ny biker]

Or just put it on the curb on large item collection day. Pickers go through the night before, or early in the morning, and take anything usable or restorable, anywhere I've lived.

Yes we have large trash pickup once a week here, and sometimes people will take the usable stuff before the garbage trucks arrive.

[Crankin]

We have an agency that takes donations of all household goods, including furniture. They have a large warehouse in the neighboring town. It's for anyone that can prove need, not just people transitioning from shelters. I've written letters for a couple of clients. Also, I know quite a few people who volunteer there.
Nuliajuk, we have quite a few household items/tools like the rug cleaning machine, because it's easier for DH to do it himself. Personally, I would pay for people to do anything, but, I am totally useless when it comes to mechanical things/fixing stuff/operating machinery. DH even has a tool to help him do the snow tires on his giant SUV, but in the spring I heard him grumbling it might be time to start taking it to the tire place. None of this stuff is in the way, though, and some will go when we move. We sold our tractor mower for a 1.00 to a neighbor who fixed it up, when we moved to this house. It was broken, we hadn't used it for years, as we had gardeners, and this house has no lawn, thankfully.

[shootingstar]

My partner bought the carpet shampooer cleaner...whereupon he shampooed and cleaned the carpet..um several times. It makes a difference if it's your own and on your own time doing it. Strange as this may seem but we really didn't want to buy any counter kitchen appliances --no toaster, blender, food chopper or pannini grill. Hand blender and stowaway egg/batter beater is all broken down, stowed away. We live in condo for 2 @ 770 sq ft. We do have lockers to store bikes. He has an elaborate happy storage locker for his bikes (we cannot keep bikes up in our suite at all, too dirty and not enough rm.), most of his cycling jackets, trailer, several panniers, just stacks of stuff. He even forgot once he had a brand-new of panniers.

But it's all put to good use --we have basic bike, accessories stored in 3 cities now. I know it sounds crazy but honest we are long enough in a city where there is family, that bike rental would be $100.00+ for several days in total or if we shipped our bikes everytime we visited families that's $50.00 one way per bike (Air Canada). Cities where we each aren't often, we leave behind one of our older bikes /cheaper bikes and allow family members to ride if they want.

[DebSP]

I was wondering if anyone had any experience with free cycle? I would use something like that to unload items that are good but not needed. But you have to register just to see what it is about. I am so tired of registering for things and then finding out it is not what I expected. I end up convincing my husband to donate usable items to Goodwill or Value Village. I have been saving things for our children if they move out on their own only to find out that either they don't want it or need it! Oh well.

[BlessedB]

I also struggle with the clutter demon, although I'm pretty strict about keeping things past the point of needing-loving-using them. What I love to do is pass something on to someone who can need-love-use it after I'm done. One tool that helps me is Craig's List, the free section and the curb alert section. If I can't sell something for cheap, I just post it there and boom, it's gone, and often to young folks just starting out. It's a good feeling.