Since my goal is to sell my house in another year or two (depending on this fabulous housing market I find myself in), I'm starting to look around my home with a critical eye, especially at clothing and kitchen items that I've neither worn nor used in the past year. I definitely don't want to spend my last month in my house (assuming it sells) frantically getting rid of things I don't want to put in storage.
Wherever I end up, it's a good bet that my new residence will be smaller than the one I have now, and will not have a garage. Now, I'm no hoarder, but I do have boxes of things here and there that I never unpacked when I moved here over four years ago! To me, that means those mystery items are unneeded; if I've not found a use for them in the past four years, it's as it I didn't own them at all. With that in mind, why not start downsizing before I really have to?
So today, rather than cleaning my floors as I promised myself I would do, I started the task of dividing some of my unused clothing into groups of: 1. nice enough to go to a consignment store; 2. nice enough to go to the Goodwill; and 3. what is this thing even doing in my house? This last group is unfortunately destined for the trash, much as I dislike discarding anything (it's the environmentalist in me that hates to see one more consumer item sent to our already full landfill).
I'm hoping to make a wee bit of cash with the consignment goods, and take a small tax deduction with the Goodwill items. I'm sure that my 'take' will be less than the original costs of these items (I found a $70 pair of shoes I've worn maybe three times because they're too big, and a $90 pair of boots I've worn a comparable number of times because they're too tight), but it's something, right? Plus, I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to fit Christmas into my meagre budget, and every little bit will help!
4 comments:
Could also try to sell those items rather than donating. Consignment, craig's list, blog...
Why no garage?
Other than that, I feel as if we're in the same boat. My husband and I are talking about moving across country in 2 years (or so). What we "needed" (Didn't really need!) for a family of 5, we really won't need for a family of two or three or, sometimes, four. (I just can't see all my kids coming home to stay!!) So much of what we have seems so superfluous and I wonder why I have it!
@Erin: I think when I move, it will probably be to an apartment; if I've still got those students loans when I'm free of my second mortgage, it's going to be time to save, save, save on my living costs. So, bye-bye garage (sniff!) Unless I can find a reasonably priced home rental (which is always a possibility). My kitties would definitely prefer a yard to run around in, that's for sure!
I'm working on doing the same thing right now :) Thanks for writing. Your posts give me confidence to keep moving forward towards my end goal of being debt free. Good luck with your efforts.
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