I have so much to do today - been very behind by playing with my friends in Flagstaff - that I have set up a 15 minute timer day. Each time the timer goes off, I switch tasks and get something quick and easy done. Right now I am putting all the bathroom toiletries I found in storage into a bathroom cabinet.

I will keep updating this post today and we will see how it goes. Feel free to comment, anyone? Are you ever simply overwhelmed to the point where you feel like you are behind no matter what you do?

Okay, bathroom stuff put away. Dirty dishes in one bag ready to take a sink and clean later.

Now to put dirty laundry into pillowcases to get them ready. Later I will carry the bags out to the car with detergent to go to a laundromat.

For further explanation of my issues today, I am living in my RV and right now in a friend's driveway, in Flagstaff, AZ. I am emptying out some of my storages and the RV is PACKED FULL. I can barely move around in here and my car is also packed to the gills. I have been needing to deal with the storage stuff for YEARS, so am sucking it up and trying to figure out what to do with everything right now.

Now looking at pillows. Why do i have so many throw pillows? Which to keep? Do I give the rest to Goodwill or sell them on Craiglist?

(note - i don't make enough money to itemize things, so i do not get tax benefits from donations).

Why do I have so much stuff? I have been paying for this storage for about 5 years...it's not like I have needed any of these things/ You know you're a hoarder when you have secret fantasies of all your stuff burning down and starting over... :-)

It finally occurred to me to put on music. Got some America playing now. :-)

Pillows are now heaped up in the RV cockpit area and I set up a yellow adjustable Ikea desk I had in storage. I think I like this there. Now to bring things back and forth to the car and RV. I still need help deciding what to keep, what to sell, what to give away. Anyone have any advice from their experiences downsizing their homes/emptying out storages?

Jilly - why mess with Craigslist? Why not have a yardsale first, and then whatever is leftover put on Craigslist/

Woud your friend be willing to let you hold it in her yard?

That gives you some instant cash and instant gratification of getting rid of stuff.

We give away clothing to the local women's shelter, and I would do that anyway even if we didn't get the tax break.

Women that have to run from an abusive relationship often have to take off with the clothes on their back and nothing else. So women's shelters are always in need of clothing to help these women get on their feet.

Now I am IMing Dan about a few things he had tucked in storage to see what he wants done with them, like some CD backups (he said toss em) and his old wok (to goodwill). I also made up a goodwill bag of things I just don't feel like trying to sell.

I am deciding where to put the dog crate in the RV. I am not sure I need it, but since I travel with two dogs, I think it will be helpful to have.

I also found some nice dishes I would like to use, but things that are breakable in the RV tend to break. Use them? Sell them?

Now listening to Bare Naked Ladies.

Hi Michelle. I had given a TON of thought to the garage sale idea and I just don't want to do that. I have several very good reasons. So CL is my chosen way to sell off these things and themn some ebay lots and then goodwill what is left over. :-)

I also wanted to mention that over the years I have probably given ten thousand dollars of my gently used goods to charities, so now it's my turn to try to make a few dollars. I am so broke it's unreal.

I am looking for answers to my specific questions though - what to do with my dog crate, how many throw pillows does one person need and should I try to sell them, do I keep the breakable dishes until they break or sell them...I have no one to bounce these things off of. My friend here is a guy and does not like to talk about this stuff. Guys are of the idea of just getting rid of everything...and I have a real emotional problem dealing with all these things.

Hmmm, dealing with random housewares. A large floor fan, floor lamp, a cat condo, some nice stools and a dinette, an antique rocking chair and jeweler's desk...I think I should either bring them to a consignment store or CL them.

Problem is, i like these things. My emotional attachment keeps me thinking someday I will have a house again and that I will want them. I have to somehow move past this.

++++++

I also found a bucket of tools and asked Dan what to do about them - he says keep them. They are heavy but I think I can put them in my RV basement.

Tools are very practical - and expensive to have to rebuy! Keeping them is probably a good idea.

Antiques I would keep, just because of their value (and a rocking chair? Come on - you can never get rid of a rocking chair).

But you have no way of knowing if your dinette would even look good in the next house you buy. Same for the lamps and stools (antiques look good anywhere). Do you own a cat? If not, then no reason for a cat condo.

Throw pillows - 2-4 for a couch, that's it. People (other than you) usually hate those things any way because they are uncomfortable to sit on. Keep the comfy ones, get rid of the rest.

If the dishes are China handed down through generations or are wedding gifts - keep. Otherwise, sell.

Dog crate - keep. You never know when they might need calming down or have to go to the vet.

OK - that is my humble opinion on everything you have listed so far.

Of course it is a lot easier for ME to get rid of YOUR stuff, LOL!

Hi!

I second everything Michelle said, lol!

As you sort through everything, if something has so much sentimental value for you, wait forty eight hours.

If, after forty eight hours you are so relieved that you didn't sell it, then you can do the happy dance.

If, after forty eight hours you are so ready for that item to be out of your RV, then you can still do the happy dance, lol, and mark it for sale.

Is your dog crate bulky? I definitely think you should keep it in case of an emergency, like Michelle said.

But, they do make relatively inexpensive collapsible dog crates that store nicely--as it they fold up into a nice little square, lol! Maybe it's something to think about down the road.

I do understand about not wanting to get rid of somethings for when you move back into a house. That's not a bad thought, especially as it'd be so nice not to have to purchase new dishes and such right after closing on your house.

Is there anyway that some of the items that you know you'll use again can be stored with Dan? You could also make a list of the of the items that you are not sure what to do with, and then note what it would cost to replace them when you do move into a house again.

I'm not sure what your time line is though--if you plan on being int the RV for a long time, then maybe it's best to sell things now.

Also, keep in mind that Target has GREAT deals on housewares and such!

Good luck!!

This is very helpful, Michelle, thank you. Okay, here is my thought on those items:

1. cat condo - i am tentatively trying it out for the chihuahua. He seems to like it as a den, plus it's small and lightweight. If he rejects it later, i'll sell it. :-)

2. Dog crate - okay, I'll hold onto that. I will either break it down and place it under the bed, or find room in the RV basements.

3. Tools - will put in basements but not sure I can keep the bucket. My basements are not that tall.

hmmmm, let me look at the throw pillows. I have a pillow fetish. :-) Should I try to sell the ones i don't keep on CL or donate them? Do you think if I made a 'lot' of them someone might give me a few dollars?

Throw pillows ...

- one for bed with two plus toys (I already have like six bed pillows).
- three for couch
- one for each Captain's chair

And that's all the room i have! lol. Okay, that leaves me with ten throw pillows to get rid of. I will pile them on the driver's floor and decide what to do with them (CL or donate).

Um, the dishes are just Target things. Okay, no need to keep. In the CL/donate pile!

Alrighty. I love the rocking chair, even though the frabric is falling off. It's a fab antique. The stools are just plain old Target wooden stools - so I will sell those. The dinette is very heavy and I really have no need for it - you are right. Okay, so to sell it. Lamps - the antiques i will keep and the rest I will sell or donate. Great! Let me go move things around and then see what my next things to tackle are.

This is awesome, thank you.

Brandii, this is great info, thank you!!

Hmm, going down the list. The dog crate isn't bulky - it's a plastic shell that nests into itself for storage. I like it better than a wire one b/c this one is better for flying or emergencies. Easy to carry. Both my dogs could be crammed in it if I had to use it that way. Thank you for helping me bounce these ideas around! I guess a wire crate isn't what I need, although I do have a folding wire doggie playpen that I use at campgrounds, as well.

I don't expect to be living in a house again for a very long time. That's why I am not sure whether to store any of the antiques or just get rid of everything. Dan would like to get rid of everything but the treadmill and setee, but I have more attachment to a few things, like framed paintings and such. Hard to deal with all this!

We are actually thinking of getting the storage down to only a few things and perhaps making a shed on Dan's Aunt's land in Oklahoma.

Dan does not like the antiques so there is no way he will put any of these things in whatever small apartment he rents.

The two of you have to come to a consensus. What is he giving up? It sounds like you are giving up a lot. If you know this is going to be your life, then you may as well not keep much of it.

Hi Angie. I won't be living with Dan, so that is my compromise. I told him to rent whatever he likes and that I will be living happily in my RV. :-)

I would take photos of EVERYTHING and then rotate them as the background of your PC. Then release them to new loving homes. You can appreciate their beauty whenever you want to - and also know that they are being loved and enjoyed by a new owner every day. Your rocking chair could become an elderly woman's favorite spot where she sits all day long knitting things. You will have the joy of seeing it, she will have the joy of "living in it".

I don't mean to be icky but pillows get tons of dust mites and other things in them. This could be the perfect time to release those pillows into the world and to keep only a few - and to get fresh new pillows over time. For your health Again you can appreciate the photos of the old pillows and in the meantime find new even cooler pillows.

I see. An RV doesn't have room for a lot of antiques unless they are small and useful. I think Lisa is right. Takes photos of everything and they will be your remembrances. The only thing is, if there is something that is truly dear to your heart, keep it. If it is only so so, then let it go.

LOL, I need to take that piece of advice to my own heart.

I still vote for keeping the rocking chair. (I really, really miss mine!)

In all seriousness, though - Jilly are you close by any of your family that you could leave some of your antiques with them?

Michelle, my whole immediate family has this same packrat/hoarder problem. Neither my parents nor my sister would take on the slightest item for me; nor would i for them. It would be enabling of the worst kind! :-)

I think i have to let the rocking chair go, as Lisa suggested. It is really HUGE. Let me ponder this. I also have to think about letting go of the antique jeweler's desk that my father used to make jewelry on (and right, mom and dad won't take it back, LOL).

I *might* be able to keep the pie safe, though. It might work inside the RV instead of some wooden boxes I was using for storing things. Just not sure how to keep it from tipping heavily over every time I drive. Bungie-ing it to the wall won't work - the wall isn't strong enough.

Then there is my Milk Glass collection and my native american pottery. I will think about what to do with these tomorrow. I have a lot of smalls, as they say in the industry. :-)

I will have to weigh the small stuff carefully for usability and lovability, as Angie suggested.

UGH! I'm over here wishing I could take your rocking chair for you. It would definitely receive a good loving home here - and you could visit it anytime you like!

All the time!!! I need a secretary, housekeeper, dog walker, accountant, manager, cook, chauffeur, someone to pack all my pics and cards for sending off (I hate doing that), an organizer and an agent.

But I expect I'll get somewhere or other eventually all by myself...

Eek!

Jill and all,

This may not help answer your questions about specific items, and it's a pretty broad bit of advice, but you might find it useful nonetheless.

When I'm working with clients who are struggling with decisions about what to keep and what to let go of, the question I ask them about every single thing is this: "Does this item deserve to live with you?"

Not "Should you keep this?" or "Could this be useful someday?" or "Did you pay good money for this?" or "Are there memories associated with this?" or "Did someone give this to you as a gift?" Those are all reasons we often tend to hold onto stuff, but far more often than not, keeping something because of any of those reasons will seriously bog you down.

Jill, you're living in a small space, and while it sounds like there may be a house or apartment somewhere in your future, that's not right around the corner, yes?

Given that, you have the right to claim every inch of your living space for things that fully and absolutely and unquestionably deserve to live with you. Filling your RV with things you're on the fence about will, I'm willing to bet, bring you down--not to mention make you feel crowded out of your home.

I know this process isn't easy, especially when you're trying to do it alone. It sounds like you're getting some great support here on the forum. You might also consider enlisting a supportive, non-judgmental friend to simply hang out while you go through the process of sorting and weeding your stuff. He or she doesn't necessarily need to do a thing other than be present with you while you do this work. Sounds overly simplistic, but it often makes a huge difference.

Good luck as you continue to chip away at this.

Best,
Emily

Jilly is there a historical society nearby that might put a few of the older things in a museum?

Michelle, if you come out here you can have my rocking chair. :-)

Lisa, that is an interesting idea about the historical society. I will look into it.

Susan, hee, i think we are in the same predicament. Except you forgot Masseuse. I looked at your art blog, BTW - lovely works! You have a very sensitive style.

Emily, i do remind myself of these things - do i love it? Do i use it? But your question is interesting: "Does this item deserve to live with you?"

I am not sure what you mean by that but would like to know more of your view on it.

I don't expect to be living in a house or apartment for possibly a decade or more. The RVing thing seems to be perfect for me, unless somehow Dan and I start making a ton of cash on his projects and we get a little cabin somewhere. It could happen. But I do think if that is the case then I'll be able to afford more things if I sell them off now. I really should not be enabling my hoarding with the idea that i might have a cabin somewhere, someday. :-)

Still dream of your cabin one day Jilly - but think of the perfect items for you that will be in there, not what you would be willing to settle for.

(I have a friend in Tolleson, AZ. Is that anywhere near Flagstaff? I might have to wheedle him into getting that rocking chair from you!)

I do not know where Tolleson is, but pretty much anything in the state is just a few hours drive, so you may as well ask him. But then how will you get it?

Good thinking on the dreaming of perfect items. I don't HAVE to use these things. And i may NOT have a house for a long long time...if ever. And it could be anywhere in the world...so why would i want to drag stuff around?

I have to remind myself of these things and not just hoard everything!

Jill, here's how I come to an answer on the "Does it deserve to live with me?" question:

* Do I unabashedly love this thing?
* Do I use this on a regular basis? If it's a special occasion item, have I used it within the past year?
* Based on the vision and goals I have for my life as I'm living it right now (not 5 years from now, not last year, not 5 years back), does this thing support me?
* Do I feel good when I look at/use/interact with this thing, or does it make me feel guilty, annoyed, angry, regretful, bad about myself, like I made a mistake?
* Is this thing worth the time, effort, space, and energy it takes me to store it and take care of it?

I think it's well worth acknowledging and honoring the emotions that come up when sorting through stuff--especially heady emotions like nostalgia. The true payoff comes when you're able to make the tough (but immensely valuable) decision not to be held back by those emotions.

Best,
Emily

That's a great description Emily, thank you so much for posting it. I didn't want to admit it before but I was confused too by the initial statement of "Does this item deserve to live with you?" I'm glad Jill asked for clarification

I think for me the **RIGHT NOW** issue is so key. People hold onto things as if they are fortune tellers, figuring in 10 years they might be able to use it. Who knows what 10 years will bring! In 10 years you can get something much more perfect for you then. Right now you need things around you that are perfect for you right now. To me that is my real key.

Emily, that is great stuff. I will have to read it again in the morning after sleeping on it...i think reading that a few times to set what you said in my brain will be very helpful.

Crikey - fancy forgetting the masseuse!!!

Thanks for saying nice things about my work. I'm trying to work out how I can keep doing it without starving to death before I get there... That sounds a little similar to your situation, too, although I didn't come in at the beginning so I might be way off.

I keep meaning to ask you how I can back up that blog, but I should do that on your forum, I guess. I keep losing myself in here, too, and losing threads I'm interested in, although I do click the watch wotsit... Oh, well.

Susan - post your dilemma in a separate thread and we'll help you out!!

Thank you, Lisa. I'm not sure if you mean the dilemma about keeping going long enough without starving to death, or how to back up a blog - I'll go with the latter - I'd better find Jilly's forum and put it in there.

Susan, this would be great to talk about. Post about this and I will join in with you. We can put our heads together with Lisa and everyone else and come up with ideas/solutions. I would think another forum might be better for this? Let me think about where.

=====

Possibly Small Office/Home Office, Wealth and Abundance, Inspiration, Self Development, or Life Coaching.

Okay, so, another day and more fifteen minute sessions. I have set the timer and have a list of small and large tasks to flip between so that nothing gets too overwhelming, and so also I can feel a sense of accomplishment.

I have several large categories to deal with: books, jewelry, housewares, videos, sporting goods, rv things, furniture and antique smalls/collectibles. I am starting to break these down into different posts to discuss.

I also need to break down the next two weeks/month into time management chunks, I need to walk downtown to retrieve my car, and I need to clean things, do errands, take care of some life things, do about five loads of laundry, and set aside time to see movies for RunPee.

So I am busy thinking. And there goes my timer! :-)

Coo - I'm a tad overwhelmed that people want to talk about this stuff and help like this. How brill is that!!!

I have no idea at all (she says, helpfully) which would be the best place - I'll follow your lead...

Am being a bit pathetic today - it seemed like every burglar alarm for a mile around went off at the same time this morning at 3.30am. Monty-dog and me were spooked then and shattered now.

Yes, that is what Lisa set up BellaOnline to do - help women achieve their dreams and goals in life. Well, and men too - they are absolutely not unwelcome. :-)

The forums are established to be sympathetic, supportive and even loving of each other. We want people to be happy!

I have found it VERY helpful to document my progress in life in these forums and ask for help. We all could probably use practice in learning to ask for help, methinks. :-)

Yesterday I managed to eek out a few small tasks and also walk to my car. Then I somehow ended up socializing the rest of the afternoon and evening. Not as productive as I would have liked...but i DO have my car here now. I also got the phone DH mailed me, so I can make necessary calls again - too bad its the weekend. But yay to having a car and a phone again. :-)

What I would like to do today is start some laundry, get my eyeglasses fixed, sell some books at Bookmans, do my dishes, drop some boxes of stuff off at Goodwill, put air in my tires, pick up some necessities, and continue to sort through my storage. Also work out!

Everyone needs a down day, Jilly. You'll make yourself nuts if all you do is work, work, work.

Thanks Michelle, that is very nice of you to say.


I have started two laundry loads, did the dishes, and took several large bags out to the car for Goodwill. I took out trash and recycling and set up for another load of dishes(i have not done dishes in weeks as I had no water to wash with until now...since it is overwhelming i am doing it in stages).

I also have eight throw pillows in the car to get rid of! Go me. I will take a look at some of my other throw pillows. Some the doggies use.

Next to take out more Goodwill stuff (need to sort through a few more bins), do more laundry and dishes. Then I will take out my bins for Bookmans to the car. I am not ready to make phone calls or drive anywhere yet, but will have to before 5pm my time (when some things will prolly close).

Okay! I took bins to the car ready to bring to Bookmans. I did more laundry (drying the last load of the day - have more to clean, but not today), went and bought a few necessities, dropped things off at Goodwill and looked for an eyeglasses place to fix my frames. I didn't find one on this side of town in the plazas I expected, nor was there one inside the WalMart. So i will have to look oline to find one for tomorrow or Monday.

I went to put air in my tires but then realized the place I was at needed quarters, which I was using for laundry, and also that I did not have a tire pressure monitor on me. SO i need to make sure I have quarters and a gauge when i set out again to get my glasses fixed.

For today, I still need to: find an eyeglasses place, go through three more bins of stuff, workout (which I will do on my twist board after dark to the UK Biggest Loser), finish my laundry, do more dishes, walk my dogs and also start this:



Tomorrow I will keep breaking down my tasks (the more i break things down, the less overwhelming they will be), make another dropoff at Goodwill, look up ebay stores to sell my stuff (prolly in Phoenix), get my glasses fixed (if anything is open on sunday), call Geico for insurance on my new car, take a long hot shower, match old videos to their boxes and take out to car to sell at SuperPawn, and figure out 1st batch of books to mail ahead to FL. I need to find my tire pressure gauge, change my sheets and make another storage run.

At this point I am tired and will just work out and watch my Biggest Loser. What I did since I updated: went through five more bins of stuff, walked my dogs, got back my laundry (took three sets of coins to dry it all) and folded things up (put most of it away), made another batch of bags for Goodwill and Bookmans, made a box of things that were grandma's to give to my mom, scrubbed the floor, and set things up for tomorrow.

Right now I am filling out my calendar to establish the rest of my first week here in the park and to start running down plans for next week.

Breaking things down, here are my other posts in different forums:

Selling things at Ebay dropoff places - any advice?
Selling handmade crocheted and knitted blankets
Selling your old costume jewelry
Cleaning out my old media - books, videos, magazines


I will add them here as I get things up!

Oops, I had to move to a new post for more links -

Selling Gently Used Housewares and Furnishings
Where does charity to others start?

Yay, I got a lot done today: some vacuuming, dishes, Goodwill dropoff, fixed eyeglasses,car stuff (new wipers, oil change, checked belts and top off fluids, vacuumed floors, bought tape to cover broken plastic on front tail lights, filled tires, priced various car services that I might need), went through several more storage bins and made up some boxes of things to give to my mother to sell for me in San Diego. I walked the dogs, brushed the dogs, and called for some prices on RV repairs.

I also made an appt to get my car brakes checked (free at Midas) for tomorrow and got a phone number for a mobile vet clinic to update the shots on my doggies (clinic will be held Wed and Sat I am told).

I even had a nice long phone call with the hubby. :-)

You're absolutely right, Jilly. I'm hopeless at asking for help. I expect to be able to get everything sorted out by myself.

Wow, Jilly! You were a busy girl yesterday!

I felt happy for watching Wolverine and writing a review.

Today I woke up really late, so getting a late start. I usually need a few hours each morning to fully wake up...so I am finally getting things done about now.

Starting more laundry, more dishes (Taking things from storage mean a LOT of dirty housewares to wash before trying to sell them), mailing a package to DH, figuring out how to download music and photos from iTouch so I can send that to DH too, getting more things from storage and consolidating things to keep, planning the next eleven days here in Flag (meeting mom and dad in Cottonwood for a few days Oct 4-8) and deciding where to go next, or if I should stay here.

I am thinking I should at least stay here until Apple makes our August payment...otherwise no money to go anywhere anyway. :-)

Last night I was pretty proud of myself - I made several planning lists and color coded their importance by highlighter color! I also figured out how to get fotos and numbers off my phone and onto this laptop, in prep to send it to Dan. I also worked out and went through more books to be ok with getting rid of.

That is awesome Jilly - you are making incredible progress!! Good for you! You should give yourself a toast each evening for the things you're getting done

Thanks Michelle and Lisa. :-) I have my vino all set up to toast myself tonite. :-)

I sent off my phone to Dan at Fed Ex, put degreaser on my car engine, started laundry, put paddling gear in some bins to ride on the back RV platform, figured out where to store my RV while I go to Cottonwood to see my folks for a week, and filled out my calendar for the whole next two months. to get an idea where I probably will be staying, depending on finances (Plan A, Plan B and Plan C, actually).

I set up the videos to match to their cases while I work out to BL UK and also go through my stack of RV magazines - I am not sure carrying around 20 pounds of magazines is a good plan.

I finally made myself try to sell some things. I went to the pawn shop of videos and Bookmans for books/vids and collectibles. So I made $17 from a few things. Not great but a start and every dollar helps.

I need to bring in a new box each day - if i can make around $20 a day I will be doing well.

I have to bring my car in for a free break check right now. So that will be a good thing. I will do more updates when i get back.