BellaOnline Forums Home and Garden Organization Dealing w/stuff from Storage - 15 minute Timer Day

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!