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The angst is quickly replaced by relief once this stuff is gone.
I HAVE noticed that, having brought a few boxes and bags to both my local humane society thrift store and Goodwill (not my favorite charity, but just junky items I can't bear to throw into a landfill). Relief and also a fleeting but satisfying sense of virtue, LOL.
The way to generate the most valuable return on no longer used items is to donate them. Donate to local charities. Donate to the church yard sale. Donate to [any place]. When you donate items to charities, the return on your investment is immeasurable.
I sold my house and could not take any furniture or furnishings with me. I donated everything. First to family and friends. They came and took what they wanted. Then I arranged for charity after charity to drive trucks up my driveway and load up.
I didn't even ask for receipts for tax purposes. The feeling was truly liberating and wonderful. Instant "I am a good person" boost.
I realize that those are my only choices; I was just curious how other frugal people dispose of unwanted items.
Without angst.
What angst? I don't consider myself really that frugal in every area, but neither am I a spendthrift. If I have things that I no longer want and don't want to take the time to sell, I stick it in the car, drive up to DAV and drop it off. No angst.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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There are 3rd party sellers who will market and ship your items. (Mobile consignment shop). For stuff with heritage or special interest / benefit to others I would have those sold, but most likely to donate or give away.
I use Habitat, and Salvation Army quite a bit. Also I contribute to fundraiser garage / thrift sales. (Usually hosted by youth group or band / choir needing to raise funds for service projects or traveling.
There will be a few huge estate sales very soon.
I have recommended they be auctions / quick and complete liquidation in one day.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,705 posts, read 58,031,425 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by otterhere
"they be auctions"?
Yes... My estate sales must be auctions...(sold and gone in one day). Way too much to sell individually. Dozers, (3) machine shops, (2) complete woodshops, auto shops, tractors, trailers, 12 motorcycles, 40+ cars, ....tools... Semi truck loads of tools. (Many from my grandfather's farms)
Hope many people get bargains and spouse / heirs get a long trip overseas.
There was a good thread here on CD a few years back, "Nobody wants your old stuff". Meaning, nobody wants to pay for your old stuff, especially furniture. There are obvious exceptions, such as classic cars, high quality art, valuable jewelry, etc.
I never accumulated a lot of stuff, so when it came time to downsize, there was not a lot to part with. Things that I got rid of had been used for decades, so I got my money's worth from them. At first there was a bit of regret with giving away long-held items, but once the first batch of stuff was given away, it got easier.
Last year when I came here to Germany to live for a year or more, I arrived with one 50 lb duffel bag of clothes, and my bicycle packed in a box. My remaining possessions fit easily into a 10'x10' storage unit that I rent in Tucson.
Easy? Consignment stores. Drop off, get paid about 40% of the sales price when/if it sells.
Top dollar? Shippable items, eBay. Big items, Facebook Marketplace.
We are a six figure seller. There is no magic, you just have to do it.
I repeat, unless you disparately need money, donate. There are people who live a frugal live not out of choice. Help them.
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