by kathilipp | Jan 5, 2015 | Clutter Free |
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I gasp, freeze, and reach reverently for the small grey box.
I haven’t seen this for at least twenty years.
It’s Day 5 of The Great Gregory Garage Gutting, and I’m finally sorting through dozens of boxes that haven’t seen the light of day since our last move.
(Which was … <cough> … four years ago.)
I’m not going thru just any boxes. Oh no. I’m finally opening all the boxes marked “Misc. Stuff.”
Packed in desperation, each one is crammed with a psychotic disarray of our most precious belongings (which we’d saved to pack last) and chaotic clutter (which we’d refused to give up.)
It’s while slogging through the second-to-the-last “Misc. Stuff” box that I find this unexpected treasure, an item I’ve long since given up as lost and gone forever:
The gold pocket watch I gave Daniel as fifth anniversary gift more than twenty years ago. He loved it and wore it constantly.
When the battery gave out, he gave it to me to take care of. I set it aside for that mythical moment called “When I Have More Time.” Years passed, and eventually, I realized I had no clue where it was.
Lost?
Stolen?
Now, in a minor miracle, it’s right here.
One tiny treasure we truly value, rescued from mountains of “Misc. Stuff.”
As I look from the overflowing trash can to my tiny To Keep stack, the sickening truth hits me in the gut: the ratio of worthless to worthwhile is appalling.
We have invested so much time, energy, and money into packing and storing boxes upon boxes of “Misc. Stuff” that we haven’t have the time, energy, or money to take care of what we actually value.
This habit stops here.
I put the pocket watch in my purse and Google a local jewelry store. Later in the day, a kindly gentleman oohs and ahhhhs over the watch as he makes it shine and tick again.
And on this day, I declare an end to “Misc. Stuff” boxes once and for all.
“Misc. Stuff” boxes lure us into believing that we can “keep it all” without negative consequences.
But we can’t.
When we try to keep everything, we end up caring for nothing.
As Kathi says, “If you love it, keep it and enjoy it. If not, get rid of it and make room for the most important things in your life.”
So our family has adopted this new motto:
“We will keep only what we care for, and we will care for what we keep.”
You’re welcome to make it yours.
Did you enjoy Cheri’s post When Your Care Enough to Keep the Very Best? Cheri is doing a give-away of both Clutter Free and The Cure for the Perfect Life over on her blog. Don’t miss this chance to win these two books!
by kathilipp | Feb 19, 2014 | Home |
So you’re knee deep in your piles of things to get rid of for the 2014 Things Challenge.
The Problem – some of this stuff is worth some real money!
While it’s great to be generous (and let’s face it, it’s a lot less hassle to give stuff away than to sell it) sometimes it’s worth the time and effort to sell those things off and do wild and crazy things with your money, like feed your family…
I also believe in selling off a variety of “things” in order to get the “one thing” your family needs. Last year I sold dozens of books on Amazon in order to put the money toward a juicer that we wanted for our health plan. I haven’t missed one of those books, but the juicer is now a beloved part of our family.
So here are just a few ways to get rid of the stuff you need, and get some cash along the way:
The first way to make money from your unwanted goods is Craigslist. This is like the greatest garage sale you could ever hold and the buyers are at your fingertips on the computer. Although you do the selling and shopping online, the buyer meets you at an arranged location. There are some very specific tips to help you out like taking good photos and writing an accurate description of the item. These tips from the Money Saving Mom site will help you to save time and make money without hassle.
When setting up a meeting place, make sure it’s always a populated area or if it’s an item you have to have picked up at your home, make sure your husband or a beefy male friend is on hand. I sat on a jury where a fake Craigslist ad was posted for the sale of a car. The meeting took place at the end of a court and the men “selling” the car were waiting for the buyer (who brought cash” with guns. My son purchased a car through Craigslist the same week I was on the jury (and I was forbidden from talking about the case,) but he took his dad to the meeting – in front of a local Target store.
Selling things on Ebay is another easy way to get rid of your extra things and make money. Ebay is a website that allows you to download photos and descriptions and you are responsible for shipping the item to the buyer. The most important thing to remember is to do your research. Every detail you put into the description will help the buyer know exactly what they are buying and will be more likely to pay more money for your item. It is also important to time it right. Selling that Mickey Mouse costume in the middle of the winter will not be quite as lucrative as selling it in the beginning of October in order to get the money saving mamas buying for Halloween. Ebay selling tips like setting reasonable prices or having your shipping supplies ready ahead of time will help you get more money for your clutter.
The last way to make money from getting rid of your stuff is a feel good way – donating. The IRS rewards generosity with money-saving tax perks for certain charitable contributions. As in the other ways, research is very important in knowing the cost of the items you are giving away. It is also crucial to decide on a place where the organization wants you items and will be able to use them.
Next week we’ll be talking about how to get the whole family in on a garage sale and make even more money from all of your stuff!
Whichever way you choose, do your research so you know that your time invested is worth the money you will get. The good news is that you really can make money selling your stuff. What is a another way that you make money getting rid of your stuff? Tell me in the comments below and you will be entered to win Wisdom Meets Passion by Dan Miller!!! Just one of the 52 books from my library I’m giving away in 2014!
The gold pocket watch I gave Daniel as fifth anniversary gift more than twenty years ago. He loved it and wore it constantly.
