Do You Get Rid Of Things That You No Longer Use?

I donate any clothing I no longer wear to the nursing home where I had been a patient and now do volunteer work there.

My mother is the packrat. I have almost become like her, but I'm learning to let go of things. If it's something I no longer use, I either sell it or throw it away. As a college student, money is one of the most important things to me. Especially since I'm going to have a lot of loans to pay back after I graduate next year.

I usually get rid of the things I do not use for a long time.Since we don't have garage sales practice here I just throw the off in the bins.But I don't know how I need a thing that has been there for two years without any use the next day I got rid of it.

I am a certified, self proclaimed pack rat. My mother was and I am proud to carry the tradition, LOL. But seriously, this is what my problem is in a nutshell. If I throw something away that is still usable, then I always seem to forget I have thrown it away. Then I am going crazy tearing up the house trying to find it. I never really know whether I have thrown it away, gave it away, or what. I am the type of person that takes very good care of my things. I can use something for a little while, put it away for years, then pull it out and use it again or sale it. I sale or give away different things all the time. I hate to throw away things that are still usable. I probably need to be a little more organized, but I love to give so much. For instance, I got a little to car as a surprise gift from Reader's Digest about five years ago. I had no use for the toy, but I kept it anyway. My great-nephew is turning two this month. My sister was telling me how much he likes toy cars. The last time I saw him, I pulled it out of my coat pocket. The look on his face was absolutely priceless. I have some baby boy clothes that were too small for him by the time I got them. They are in excellent condition, so I am waiting for the opportunity to give them to some mother who needs them. I do not like giving to the Good Will and places like that. I give it to them and they turn around and sale it. Not only that, it takes away from me experiencing the pure joy of giving. The best person to give to is the one that can never repay you.

Oh how I wish I could say that I was so organised but unfortunately I can't. I do try hard not to have lots of junk around but it isn't easy when you have kids! My other half though has cleared out the loft and taken lots of junk to the tip! He wouldn't let me see what he was taking as he was scared that I would tell him we had to keep it! lol xxx

i am the same way. If its not being used there is no point in keeping it. Its almost time for me to have a yard sale myself. We have excercise equipment that hasn't been used and its time for it to go. Its just taking up space. Now that i'm not working it will be easier for me to have a yard sale. Usually the kids get involved and they put up a lemonade stand next to the yard sale.

mostly i do this every after semester. I throw papers, photocopies, stuff like that out from my shelves. I do have small place to keep them all so I have to move them out. Those books that I won't be needing the next semester anymore, I bring them all to my parent's house.

I know I had junk too. My husband is a pack rat. Not me Im always throwing or giving something away.LOL I like your idea. So if we dont use something within a year we get rid of it. Im going to give it a try. I know I could have a yard sale too.

What a relevant issue! Every household is likely to face this and I am reminded of a tip that i read in a magazine once. It said'If you feel that some things are not in use, hide them for 10 days; if you have not used them till then , do not hesitate to throw them." Unfortunately, we all collect junk with the idea that it should not be unnecessarily thrown and then bought at a later date when need arises. You won't believe it I carried an enormous junk with me whenever I got transferred from one place to another because my fatherinlaw and motherinlaw had kept all their things with us and were staying elsewhere. We did not want to hurt their feelings and carried this wherever we went. It was a real hassle because most of them were ruined. But it would upset them that old things were not revered. So, finally the day came when we had to relocate where space is a luxury.This is Mumbai and we just cannot afford huge spaces. Earlier I was in a a small town where the house was enormous.It could house all these because we had a junk store room in our terraced third floor. We had to get rid of everything and they did not object. They said that those can be sold and there wERE no hard feelings whatsoever. I still collect books and sarees like nobody's business and this is a habit I must slowly change. I also am not too strongly built that can pack with vigour and am allergic to dust. So, the thought of packing and moving really bugs me. But now that we are in Mumbai, we must do it and I have to travel light.

I'm basically a pack rat but it's been getting out of hand. I had the Purple Heart pick up some things and gave a bunch of books to a thrift shop. I also got a little help from the moths in one of the bedroom closets. The ydestroyed a lot of very woolen things. It's true, those little devils like the good stuff.

I have a similar method for not collecting too much junk! It all started when we were going to move a year or two ago.. I placed all the things we were not using into boxes and put them in the closet. We didn't end up moving, however, i realized, hey hubby never even missed this stuff and neither did i, So.. We went through the boxes, and closets and drawers, we didn't have a yard sale though.. we just donated all the toys and clothes and junk (to us), to the local second hand store.. So now.. i pack away stuff regularly to see if i can get away with giving it away if it collects dust for too long. lol. We still haven't moved. OOF!

I take after my Mom. I am a pack rat. But in January this year I have made a January resolution to start getting rid of stuff that is not needed and has been here awhile. It is hard for someone who finds a reason to keep all kinds of things. But I have done very good getting rid of stuff that is not needed. And also I have been good at throwing stuff away that we have just got this year that we know that we are not going to need. So I have been keeping my New Years resolution really well.

i was a pack rat.i just had a major cleanout and had a garage sale this weekend.i have decided that all junk must go as i really had horded things over the last few years.from now on i will have regular clean outs and get rid of things as they really build up.i made a bundle this weekend.cheers sue

What timing you have CatsandDogs. Just today I was thinking that as Spring is coming it's time to clear out the stuff taking up space in cupboards and cubbyholes that haven't seen the light of day in eons. Garage sale, here I come! lol I may make enough to pay my internet bill. What bliss! lol

Though I like to collect stuff that are important to me....I really will get rid of something that hasn't been used for a year. But my husband holds on to things even if it is 4 heavy chairs that are just lying around. After 4 years of nagging, I finally got him to get rid of all the junk we had at home and I can finally breathe! Some of the items we gave away to relatives who needed it and some we sold to scrap....and lots of other stuff we just threw out (because they were broken and useless).

Yes I do I used to save all my Books but then I decided it was no use as I would not read them again so now when I have read the Books I give them to a Friend Any other Stuff that I do not use goes out I hope that you will make some money on it all

We are pack rats. In fact, my hubby is worse than me. I know there are lots of items never used. Hubby thinks that eventually he may have a use for things. I am partly at fault too. It is long time since I have gone through a big drawer in the kitchen where I keep all sorts of cutlery. I do go through clothes & give to the Salvoes. We had thought of having a garage sale too at times. But they are a lot of work & people arrive too early. Our friends had a garage sale a few weeks ago & they made over $1000.