packing and moving...

[pisces2473]

So I was all gung-ho to pack, now I'm hating it. Does anyone want to share tips on how they purge things? I'm all good on purging clothes--if it doesn't fit or I haven't worn it in a year or so, out it goes. I'm talking books, kitchen stuff, etc.

Thanks.

[winneythepooh7]

I just got so tired of packing and stuff that I didn't need/use, that I went to Home Depot, got those really heavy contractor garbage bags and just set it all out on the curb. My neighbors must've thought I was some crazy hoarder lady with the amount of stuff I produced every trash day for a month.

[pisces2473]

I was thinking the same thing yesterday, as I took out 2 more bags and put them next to my garbage can--which was already full, since I missed trash night last week. My neighbors probably think I'm screwed up, too!

I hate getting rid of books, but I think the paperback chick lit types might have to go. I'll keep the classics and other literary fiction things that I had to buy for college...I think.

[wordsmith]

I despise packing. I love moving and unpacking and organizing, but I loathe the packing up process soooo much.

I can't imagine getting rid of any of my books, but the next time I move, most of my non-bedroom furniture's getting purged, and a good deal of my clothing.

[SmilesSoSweet]

Take whatever you can and donate them to Goodwill. I'm really big on trying to donate stuff first before just throwing it away since it'll just end up in some landfill when someone else maybe able to use it.

The only books I have are textbooks and reference books I use for my field/work. If you do decide to get rid of books, try going to one of those used book stores. I took a few of my books there and probably walked out with about $20, which was a lot better than just throwing them away and you're still donating them to a place so that someone else can read those books.

[pisces2473]

Oh yeah, I wouldn't just throw them out. Hello--it's ME, I work in publishing! hehe

I don't really have books for my field (the way C does) so I don't really NEED them, but part of me just likes looking at them.

I don't usually throw out anything unless it's broken. I try to give it away to friends or Goodwill first.

[SmilesSoSweet]

That's good. I can't stand to throw stuff away. I'll literally drive a recycling center first before I put it in a trash dumpster. That's how anal I am with throwing things out.

Also when you move into your new place, try and do seasonal purging. That way if you should need to move again you'll least likely to have to go through a lot of major purging once again. I've also noticed that things I wanted to keep when I moved out here, I got rid of because it didn't fit in my new apartment. I also don't buy anything now that I'll use "when I get a new place" because I have no idea what that new place will look like until I move in.

I really should be a professional organizer. It's my dream job. I just have to figure out how to get my foot in the door in that profession. hehehe

[cheshrcarol]

I also can't stand packing. Every time I move I throw away as much as I can. And it's usually still not enough. I still have two boxes full of desk stuff that aren't unpacked from August that I probably should have throw away.

I hate throwing away books, so what I did this last time was make a list of every single book I wanted to throw away and then listed them as a bulk lot on ebay. For kitchen stuff, I know that I tend to use the same stuff over and over. I don't need to have 4 frying pans that are all the same size. So if I didn't use it, it was trashed. I also threw out 4 place settings of old plates that I didn't like any more.

[WorkInProgress]

You could see if your library takes book donations. Mine does, and I get a tax write off, instead of whatever pittance a used book store will give. Also, in my area, you can donate books to ACTs or Salvation Army.

And as long as your kitchen stuff is in reasonably good shape, goodwill should be able to take them as well. Or maybe check out freecycle or treasure hunters. I've not done it, but they're supposed to be good for this kind of thing.

[pisces2473]

Hmmm, maybe I didn't phrase my question correctly. I know WHAT to do with the stuff that I don't want. It's how to go about sorting out what I don't want. Maybe that's just personal preference?

[wordsmith]

I personally tend to get really impatient with how slowly the sorting process goes when I move, so I just snap and start tossing things. I could sit for hours and agonize, "Do I get rid of this...do I really wanna?" so I have to steel myself and just start chucking. Have I used it in the past year (if it's something that should reasonably have a use within the confines of a year, anyway, I might not use certain tools, etc. on a yearly basis, but it's good to have them around)? If not, buh-bye.

[pisces2473]

Yeah, that's how I'm getting to be now. But 10 cartons of books? Eeek.

[wordsmith]

The only reason books suck for me is b/c they're heavy, and so you have to pack lotsa small boxes, or you can't lift them/carry them. But they store pretty easily, so it doesn't bother me to move my muliple shelves' worth.

Kitchen stuff, on the other hand, makes me homicidal. Maybe because I've never had sufficient storage for that, no matter where I've lived.

[capella]

I hate packing too. I have a bin of papers that I lovingly refer to as The Bin of Unspeakable Horror. It has moved with me at least 4 times. I never have gotten the desire or energy to go through it. It's mostly my husband's fault as he likes to put small paper bits, old receipts, and useless mail into boxes and close them up. I dumped them all into this plastic bin with the intention of going through it. This was about 3 years ago. I should just take a paper shredder to it since I've yet to need any of those old phone bills, but I am afraid there is something in there that I will need the very instant I get rid of it.

I am trying to purge my house of stuff to put the house on the market. I hate clearing out old stuff. I'm not a packrat, but I always feel like I'll need it sometime. Ugh. When we move to Texas though *crosses fingers* I'll be getting rid of just about all my furniture (nothing is all that fancy) and a lot of other crap.

I just donated a ton of books, but I'm sure there are more that I could let go of. I hate getting rid of books.

[WorkInProgress]

Hmmm, maybe I didn't phrase my question correctly. I know WHAT to do with the stuff that I don't want. It's how to go about sorting out what I don't want. Maybe that's just personal preference?

Ahhhhh, yes. I have a hard time with this too, sometimes.

Book. An option would be to go, "Hm, do I ever want to read this again?" If the answer is no, get rid of it. If the answer is yes, then keep. (For me, this works, because there is no hmmmm, maaaaaaaybe. I either like it enough to read again or not.)

Kitchenware. (Unless it is a part of a set, and you feel the need to keep the whole set together) ask yourself what was the last thing you cooked in this. If you can't recall, get rid of it. If you can, and you only use it once/twice a year but NEED it for something that you do realistically make, keep it. Like a rolling pin. Now, do I realistically make pie more than once or twice a year? No, but I need that pin to do it. So, I would keep it. But, let's talk about those really cute shaped bundt pans. I like them, but they're not all that useful and I don't really use them. Those, I would toss.

Clothes are harder for me to get rid of. (Mostly because I really like them, and I like having just the right thing for an occasion, and that takes a lot of stuff.) I do purge (go through EVERYTHING) but usually only find a handfull of stuff to get rid of. I could do it if I desperately needed to, but I've never reached that point.

[pisces2473]

The only reason books suck for me is b/c they're heavy, and so you have to pack lotsa small boxes, or you can't lift them/carry them. But they store pretty easily, so it doesn't bother me to move my muliple shelves' worth.
Yeah, fortunately, my mom's been stealing the cartons that the printer/copier paper comes in from her school. I've been using those for books, since you can't pack a TON of books in there, but they are sturdy. And I'm so anal, that I separated them by genre, and packed them accordingly. With labels. Now, all of my book boxes are in a corner of my living room, ready to go.

I've gone through my bathroom cabinets and purged old makeup, things I don't use/don't like anymore, etc. That's ready to be packed, even though it'll be last.

I'm going to do summer clothes next and just throw 'em all in my suitcases.

I still need to go through my desk stuff, get rid of old papers and condense my folders and files...

Kitchen stuff, on the other hand, makes me homicidal. Maybe because I've never had sufficient storage for that, no matter where I've lived.
Me neither. I have kitchen stuff everywhere in my kitchen. It's not really "put away." I think the new place will have more room, but we'll see.

[wordsmith]

I hate packing too. I have a bin of papers that I lovingly refer to as The Bin of Unspeakable Horror. It has moved with me at least 4 times. I never have gotten the desire or energy to go through it. It's mostly my husband's fault as he likes to put small paper bits, old receipts, and useless mail into boxes and close them up. I dumped them all into this plastic bin with the intention of going through it. This was about 3 years ago.


I have this. It makes me feel better that other people do, too.

[WorkInProgress]

I hate packing too. I have a bin of papers that I lovingly refer to as The Bin of Unspeakable Horror. It has moved with me at least 4 times. I never have gotten the desire or energy to go through it. It's mostly my husband's fault as he likes to put small paper bits, old receipts, and useless mail into boxes and close them up. I dumped them all into this plastic bin with the intention of going through it. This was about 3 years ago. I should just take a paper shredder to it since I've yet to need any of those old phone bills, but I am afraid there is something in there that I will need the very instant I get rid of it.

I have a couple bins like this. Also I have my notes from classes, and I just feel like I can't get rid of them. I should, and I will, no doubt. Right now, they're in the basement. From when I moved them last. Two years ago.

[pisces2473]

Yeah I save all my receipts, even from a bottle of water. I don't know why, I don't keep track of them in an excel or anything. I know that it's a good idea to keep important receipts (TV, new coat, etc) but I don't know why I save everything. It's all a messy file, too. I tried to be organized.

[capella]

I have this. It makes me feel better that other people do, too.
LOL :huge: Glad to be of help. PS: Did you notice I'm at home? Sick days are nice. :) Being sick isn't. :sad:

[WorkInProgress]

Yeah I save all my receipts, even from a bottle of water. I don't know why, I don't keep track of them in an excel or anything. I know that it's a good idea to keep important receipts (TV, new coat, etc) but I don't know why I save everything. It's all a messy file, too. I tried to be organized.

Yeah, me too, but no. Mostly, I move them from my purse into a box, which may or may not ever be opened again. I should just get rid of them.

[winneythepooh7]

I have a hard time parting with books as well, and these were the one thing that moved with me that were the heaviest. Now that I actually have time for leisure reading, I've accumulated a lot more since I've been in my apartment. It's going to be a bitch to move them when the time comes, but fortunately, that's what M is for heh heh :huge: .

[capella]

My husband is the Receipt King. I only save the ones I'll use for the school tax break (which probably doesn't exist anymore anyhow). He keeps old receipts for EVERYTHING. It drives me batty.

[pisces2473]

Book. An option would be to go, "Hm, do I ever want to read this again?" If the answer is no, get rid of it. If the answer is yes, then keep. (For me, this works, because there is no hmmmm, maaaaaaaybe. I either like it enough to read again or not.)
Hahaha, I'm even keeping books I didn't like, because they are classics, and it looks "good" to have them. I did get rid of a few though.

Kitchenware. (Unless it is a part of a set, and you feel the need to keep the whole set together) ask yourself what was the last thing you cooked in this. If you can't recall, get rid of it. If you can, and you only use it once/twice a year but NEED it for something that you do realistically make, keep it. Like a rolling pin. Now, do I realistically make pie more than once or twice a year? No, but I need that pin to do it. So, I would keep it. But, let's talk about those really cute shaped bundt pans. I like them, but they're not all that useful and I don't really use them. Those, I would toss.
Luckily for me, I don't really have anything that's cutesy. It's all pretty utilitarian. I do have a lot of old glasses and antique bottles and stuff that I don't use. I have a lot of built in shelves and nooks in my kitchen so I could display them since I had the space. In the new place, I won't have a lot of display area, so I think I might take all of that stuff, and box it up and store it in my parents' garage until I get a house with more rooms and stuff. Most of the things are from family members, like my grandfather's baby bowl.

Clothes are harder for me to get rid of. (Mostly because I really like them, and I like having just the right thing for an occasion, and that takes a lot of stuff.) I do purge (go through EVERYTHING) but usually only find a handfull of stuff to get rid of. I could do it if I desperately needed to, but I've never reached that point.
Yeah I did some purging a few months ago--got rid of a TON of stuff, but I think I'll do it again before I move it all.

[SmilesSoSweet]

Yeah I save all my receipts, even from a bottle of water. I don't know why, I don't keep track of them in an excel or anything. I know that it's a good idea to keep important receipts (TV, new coat, etc) but I don't know why I save everything. It's all a messy file, too. I tried to be organized.

Do you keep your receipts in one of those accordian folders? The ones where you can seperate them by month? I have two - one for cash purchases and one for credit purchases. I also keep an excel spread sheet for my purchases too.

I also take all my warranties and keep them in the front of one on the accordian folders. That way I know which warranties I have for whatever item.

As for monthly statements, I still get the paper statements, but after a 6-9 months I shred them. If I haven't looked at them in that amount of time then I know I really don't need them. I also have a shredder next to my home office that I use daily. Any mail with my address on it or statements I no longer need I shred them.

(Seriously, I should just become a professional organizer already!)

[capella]

Hahaha, I'm even keeping books I didn't like, because they are classics, and it looks "good" to have them. I did get rid of a few though.
I do this. I like having a nice literary-looking book collection. I guess I'm a snob. :googly: I have a lot less trouble donating a book that is pop cultur-y chic lit than I do getting ride of The House of Mirth... no matter how little I liked the book. Stephen King would get the ax over Shakespeare any day.

I would like to have a real library one day (like floor to ceiling bookcases and a nice cozy leather chair in the corner with a big window in the room. *sigh*). I hate getting rid of books.

[Rusalka]

Hah, I just spent this weekend at my mother's house sorting things because she's moving. I rent a very small place and there is no way I could have all of my tons of stuff in it. I'm talking books, beloved toys, school files, old essays etc. It's good that my mother has a large attic in this house and will have a bigger one in the new house, and if storage is free, well ....

I totally understand about not knowing what to throw out and what to keep. I found things like my secret diary I wrote when I was 10; files and envelopes of short stories and articles I wrote; personal letters ... OK I am keeping all of that. It's my personal history, I am not letting it go. That stuff came back to my place in my suitcase.

But, old books? That's the main problem, I find it so hard to know what to keep and what not. If I read something that I'm not bothered about, out it goes. But I love most of my books.

Also, keeping school and college files and old papers seems so anal to me but I never know if I might need them one day on an MA program.

[WorkInProgress]

Also, keeping school and college files and old papers seems so anal to me but I never know if I might need them one day on an MA program.

It occurs to me that I could maybe scan a lot of this stuff and just keep it electronically. I'll just have to stay a bit later at work to do it. But I'll have it if I need it and won't need to keep the papers.

[Kitty]

We sold all of our books in amazon - it just wasn't worth it to lug them around and try to find space for them.

We gave a ton of stuff to the Goodwill as well.

We actually lugged a lot of crap to the first house we lived in that we eventually ended up weeding through and throwing a lot of it out. I am really big on having space and I can't stand clutter.

[Rusalka]

[FONT=Arial]

that's quite a good idea ... but i have boxes and boxes full. I need to learn how to cull my stuff. Not easy.

[SmilesSoSweet]

Also, keeping school and college files and old papers seems so anal to me but I never know if I might need them one day on an MA program.

My high school stuff is all purged into one box at my mom's house. She made my brother, sister, and me go through our things and to keep only what we wanted.

I think a lot of my paper work I threw out. I just held on to papers I wrote (the days before computers and everything was handwritten so I don't have electric copies). And I kept a few subjects as well.

I also had to purge my stuffed animals that were at my mom's. I think I had well over 80 of them. I ended up just keeping my two cabbage patch dolls, my pound puppy, and my rainbow brite complete with the horse and that little white fur ball character. I can't remember its name. LOL

Most of my college stuff is with me. I did purge them and only kept things that were related to my major (like all my plant references when I had to take plant identification classes). All my general ed stuff I threw away.

[pisces2473]

Do you keep your receipts in one of those accordian folders? The ones where you can seperate them by month? I have two - one for cash purchases and one for credit purchases. I also keep an excel spread sheet for my purchases too.

I also take all my warranties and keep them in the front of one on the accordian folders. That way I know which warranties I have for whatever item.

As for monthly statements, I still get the paper statements, but after a 6-9 months I shred them. If I haven't looked at them in that amount of time then I know I really don't need them. I also have a shredder next to my home office that I use daily. Any mail with my address on it or statements I no longer need I shred them.

(Seriously, I should just become a professional organizer already!)
Yes, I do have an accordion thing, but I separate by store/store type. I don't do anything with them, so I don't know why I'm keeping them. Once I get my bank statement, I should just chuck 'em.

Obviously I do keep things like warranties and stuff.

[pisces2473]

I do this. I like having a nice literary-looking book collection. I guess I'm a snob. :googly: I have a lot less trouble donating a book that is pop cultur-y chic lit than I do getting ride of The House of Mirth... no matter how little I liked the book. Stephen King would get the ax over Shakespeare any day.

I would like to have a real library one day (like floor to ceiling bookcases and a nice cozy leather chair in the corner with a big window in the room. *sigh*). I hate getting rid of books.
HA! I was thinking about House of Mirth when I wrote that post!!!!! I'm a snob about books, too.

[SmilesSoSweet]

Yes, I do have an accordion thing, but I separate by store/store type. I don't do anything with them, so I don't know why I'm keeping them. Once I get my bank statement, I should just chuck 'em.

Obviously I do keep things like warranties and stuff.

How does separating them by store work for you? Mine is filed by month so I know how much I spend per month. Then on my excel spread sheet is where I can tell how much I'm spending on certain things by week and month (i.e. groceries, clothes, shoes, bills).

[pisces2473]

I've pretty much narrowed things down--I purged all of my HS stuff when I was in college and now have a hatbox full of stuff. Same with college stuff. Two hatboxes = not bad. Childhood stuff I have more of, but that's at my parents' for now. I need to go through that one of these days. I have some childhood stuff with me at my house, but I think I'm going to bring it back to my parents' since they have a crapload of room. I am organized with my stuff, I just have a ton of it.

[pisces2473]

How does separating them by store work for you? Mine is filed by month so I know how much I spend per month. Then on my excel spread sheet is where I can tell how much I'm spending on certain things by week and month (i.e. groceries, clothes, shoes, bills).
I don't always shop at the same stores, so I have it more like categories. I have one for groceries, one for gas, one for Walmart/Target, one for CVS/Walgreens, one for debit card purchases that don't fall into the above categories, one for cash purchases that don't fall into the above categories, one for dr's, one for prescriptions, etc.

I don't really feel the need to track things like you do on Excel, because I don't really shop for much besides food and gas.

[SmilesSoSweet]

I don't always shop at the same stores, so I have it more like categories. I have one for groceries, one for gas, one for Walmart/Target, one for CVS/Walgreens, one for debit card purchases that don't fall into the above categories, one for cash purchases that don't fall into the above categories, one for dr's, one for prescriptions, etc.

I don't really feel the need to track things like you do on Excel, because I don't really shop for much besides food and gas.

Oh okay, so you're basically doing what I'm doing on my Excel spread sheet, but you just use your accordin folder to organize it.

I don't shop for much either. I'm not big on clothes and shoes shopping, but I'd like to know how much I spend when I do.

I'm just way too organized with my stuff. My sister thinks I'm nuts! LOL

[coll214]

I so shouldn't even be in this thread since i'm a pack rat :huge:. I've now lugged my childhood books in moves twice b/c i can't bear to throw the books out... makes someone else nuts about it too! You could always let some friends look through the books and take some ;) if they haven't read them yet.

[pisces2473]

Hang on, I will message you about that stuff. :)

[MollyMe]

I just purged a lot of stuff.
I didn't have much time to purge everything I needed to before moving but I did get rid of A LOT. Maybe 20 trashbags and three boxes.
I had over two boxes of every note/test I took in college, which I had the movers move twice. Now that I had to move myself, I decided to go through it. I threw most of it away.
I threw away almost all my makeup that I don't currently wear.
I collect all my reciepts/bills. I need to go through those. I have them in hanging files that are very organized.

I assign value to things that do not have value so as I was going through things I asked myself what value/purpose does the item have. Sometimes, I sorted the stuff into a pile and then came back to it to revaluate the value of the items. Once I started purging, I found that I keep too much junk and it was easy to throw things away.