Suddenly all that extraneous "baggage" in the storage locker felt like a heavy burden and it was time to clear out the surplus. Has that mood hit you lately? It hit me with a vengeance and in the past couple of weeks I've gone through the locker and scrutinized everything in there. Was able to sell some items to antique dealers, the rest will be given to charity. There are still a few items on the kitchen table waiting for boxes to pack them in and a few odds and ends I don't know what to do with.

When was the last time the clearing bug hit you? Do you find it easy or hard to dispose of items you've had for ages? Some of it is easy enough but I feel some pain in letting go of a few things that were important to me in the past. It's sometimes hard to determine which memories should be cherished through the item, and which memories drag one down and prevent emotional growth. I know things I don't use are better off going to a home where people can use and love them as I once did. That helps me feel a little better about loss. How does the process of getting rid of things affect you?

It's funny you mention this, Fiveoaks.

This hit me recently. I tend to get a bout of Fall Cleaning round this time of year.

I spent part of the weekend moving furniture and cleaning nooks, washing/packing up clothing to donate to charity, and tossing out that stuff that hasn't been touched in a year or so. When I find an electronics donation event (usually schools have them in the Spring and in the Fall), I'll get rid of a bunch of computer stuff that's accumulated.

Recently I cleared the basement of 20 years worth of accumulation--old furniture, toys, bikes, trikes, clothes, and more. When my ex moved out, he only took what he wanted, and left me with his accumulation of junk too. This may sound weird, but it gave me such a sense of freedom, like all that junk was a great big weight dragging me down.

Hoos, I think there is something seasonal about it. Leading up to October, I usually get the urge to make the place as cozy and livable as possible, and free of clutter.

Mariana, freedom is the word--nothing weird about that in my book! That's the positive trade-off to some of the sadness involved!

Oh yes, I think purging one's stuff is very freeing. Once in a while I miss something that I got rid of, but rarely. Very rarely. And the "shoulder seasons" are great for this; the weather and landscape are changing, so it's a perfect time to take stock. Much better than New Year's, IMO.

You must feel positively giddy, 5-0! A whole storage locker!

That's why I have a lot of stuff for sale on the Swap board. I need to get rid of stuff that I have accumulated just because I thought I wanted it. I have a bit more to add to that fragrance for sale list eventually. I know right now that most folks are not willing to spend their money on more luxury in this time of economic crisis with the cost of gas, food and living in general. It's absolutely understandable.

I have an item for sale on Ebay now: my Coach Men's messenger cross-body bag, that isn't cheap. But I hope I can sell it because I have already replaced it. As always, I go and buy what I want and then have to have too much of something I don't already need. The story of my life.

Oh well, "I will put up again this item on Ebay and try to sell till someone wants it just like the swap board items I have" is all I can think of.

I don't want to post my fragrances for sale on Ebay because they really gouge you on the cost of listing them on there. I had to pay onwards of $60.00 and up on just the listing cost alone. Pretty bad if you're trying to make a profit.

I have a small apartment so I can't collect much of anything. I clear things out as I go along, to make room for new stuff. I don't mind a little dirt, but I cannot stand clutter.

Oh yes, I go through purging periods several times a year. Getting rid of stuff is very freeing. I try to be careful not to be too ruthless however - if I'm really unsure about something, I hang on to it for a while longer. I hate getting rid of something and then regretting it.

The local consignment shop closed it's doors this Spring without me even knowing, but then enough women called up distressed and it reopened in a new location. This was my clue to get on the ball, before the shop closed for good. Of course, once I got started, I had stuff to sell at the ebay store and the women's clothing consignment store as well. I think it's easier to clear out stuff you purchased than clear out stuff of your parents. Half the time, I have to figure out what something is! (No, it's not a cotton gin, nor a meat grinder, so what is it?) So, doing research does slow me down. Sometimes I simply have to walk away. I spent the weekend with Hubby clearing out in the basement tons of stuff, half we don't know what it is. It's very tiring, mentally exhausting, but since it has to be done eventually, might as well do it before things rust. Want a sewing machine? I've got seven! No, I don't know how to sew, LOL. Anyway, you get the picture. Three of the machines are pre-WWI. Luckily it's worth a few giggles along the way and I do adore the sound of junk hitting the trash with a great thud. It frees the soul.

I donate to Purple Heart, it is a charity for war veterans. They take the donations and sell them and then donate to war veterans. This way I feel I am doing something for them.

I generally donate at least bi-monthly with all kinds of household items. It makes me feel like I am doing something for others.

My weight really fluctuates and apparently I have no self-discipline, so it is really not a good idea for me to throw out classic clothing items I haven't worn in a year ... I did go through and pack up the summer clothes and move in the winter clothes and take inventory of what needs to be replaced. But in general I have a hard time throwing stuff out. Although I can't keep much, in 597 square feet. What I do have in there is probably going to stay awhile. There are two Goodwill clothes bins near me and I usually just put my stuff in there when I do have to finally throw something out.

Oh, yes, it is emotionally and physically exhausting, and poses a lot of dilemmas. The current cleanout is in addition to regular recycling to the Salvation Army. On a regular basis I keep a shopping bag in the closet into which I keep putting small items and clothes. When the bag is full, I bring it down to the local thrift store. I don't understand why things accumulate faster than you can dispose of an equal number of items.

I periodically donate clothing and recently added a few perfumes too. I hope someone will enjoy them.

It does feel good to make room for new things.

I don't even want to think about our basement, but it must be reckoned with someday. We have LOTS of boxes of books down there.

This was my entire last week! I've only ever lived in an apartment for up to two years before, and during my third year in my current apartment, realized that I'd been relying on moving to get rid of all my surplus stuff.

I think there were six trash bags when I was done. Two to Goodwill, the rest just trash.

It felt so good.

5Oaks - Heh. I notice you didn't mention one bottle of perfume. ;-)
I have boxes "in storage" (inside the house) and even though they're ones I'll never wear, I keep them. Why? No idea. I'm not a hoarder. I pare everything down. Except the fumes.

NJ, the perfumes are a separate issue. Eventually they will have to be gone through too, but for the moment I'm attacking the stuff that's clogging up the usable space.

Every three months, I collect extraneous things and take them down to Goodwill. I try to freecycle other things. But yes, I've been feeling the urge to purge as well.

I tend to get rid of stuff more in the fall than any other time of year. I think it's my way of "nesting" and getting ready to settle in for the winter months. I always feel so much better when I get rid of stuff that I don't need or use anymore.

I just did an "end of summer" purge and donated books, clothes and household items to our local Goodwill. I've heard that it's good to get rid of one item for every new item you bring into the house but who has that kind of discipline?

I used to donate to Goodwill but I think I will try to sell my extra stuff on eBay to pay down my credit card in these dire times.

HFIH, it is a good idea. What you are suggesting is the final step of a plan I once saw on a PBS show by an organization guru. She had the following formula for avoiding clutter and creating space:

S = sort
P = purge
A = assign a home (a designated place for your possessions)
C = containerize (keep things properly stored and organized)
E = equalize (to avoid accumulation, each time you take in something new, discard something else you don't need)

Of course all this is easier said than done and I find that even when you follow these guidelines things seem to accumulate faster than they can be disposed of ? but I think it's a pretty good guide for motivating and providing a plan that's easy to follow and remember.

It feels good so let go. I set four bags of outgrown boys' clothes and toys out for Vietnam Veterans of America truck that is doing pickup in my neighborhood today. I still need to work on my own closet and the basement. I have a couple of outgrown bikes that I need to put on freecycle also.