How do you collect so much stuff - RV-Dreams Community Forum

two travelers · RV-Dreams Family Member

How do you collect so much stuff

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Patti,

I have heard a number of people say that if you haven't used an item in a year, get rid of it. If you haven't used it in that period of time, it is unlikely you will. Or, if you want to use it, you may not be able to find it.

As for us, I have a hard time getting rid of things myself. Fortunately, we move enough that some things get dumped just so we don't have to pack and move it. Once we finally get our house sold and buy our "RV Dreams Dream Home", a lot of those problems will be solved due to lack of space. We have already begun to get rid of stuff.

Terry

Tylersamma · RV-Dreams Family Member

Just last night, we were looking at photos of our official move in date, June 1, 2007. RV in the park, patio covered with boxes, stacked 6 ft high. Inside the RV, more boxes with barely a walkway thru the middle. And this was AFTER numerous garage sales and donations. UGH !!!!!!! I just hope we don't ever collect that much stuff again! Because that is what it is, just stuff.

two travelers · RV-Dreams Family Member

I am just amazed at it all...I went to goodwill today with 2 boxes of books...I tell my husband all the time after you read the book you pass it on.. but no he has to hold on to them... why I don't know...
I can't wait to get into the kitchen closet.. I know there is a bread machine , deep fryer and a juicer that I just had to buy from QVC and they are collecting dust.. so I can't be too hard on the hubby...patti

Footsiebear · RV-Dreams Family Member

I know this is an old post but the comment about books got me. DH and I are voracious readers and neither one of us will hesitate to read a book over and over again so we tended to collect books by our favorite authors. When I started packing the house, I got rid of hundreds of books but still kept way too many. (DH wanted to keep all of his Stephen King and Dean Koonz books; there were over 40 of them!) After we got into the 5er, I managed to convince him we needed to dump the weight, so I got several flat rate boxes from the post office and mailed them in stages to his brother and neice in Orlando.

Now that the "home library" problem has been solved, I'm seriously considering a Kindle because I know we'll start accumulating books again. The Kindle would allow us to continue our passion without having to worry about weight and storage. *sigh* I just wish they weren't so darn expensive. LOL, well maybe it can be a joint Christmas present like the 5er was a joint "anniversary present"! biggrin

GENECOP · RV-Dreams Family Member

How do we do it? Its our nature, collecting stuff makes us feel safe, i think it probably goes back to a time when we needed to gather, hoard, and collect stuff for our survival. G

pierreandcolleen · RV-Dreams Family Member

I think all the STUFF helps some of us justify all the time and energy we put into our work.

-Colleen

Happytrails · RV-Dreams Family Member

I agree with you Colleen....in our former life I would buy things just because "I work hard and deserve it." LOL

Patti... don't feel too bad we have all been there and experienced that. We started full-timing in August and I think I made that same comment on this forum. Where does it all come from and WHY??? You are doing the right thing by getting rid of as much as you can now. Don't wait. Craigs List is a good source and then so is just donating some things. Yard sales are such hard work and you never net a lot of money.
Good luck and stay with it.

two travelers · RV-Dreams Family Member

Just an update all the closets in the house are cleanned out... we are working of our small garage... You can not believe the stuff we have sat out at the end of our lane and people take... Every Sunday we set stuff out this week a Large dog crate and some brand new floor covering.. if it is not gone by Wed.. it is garbage....Anyone need 3 window air conditioners, a 4 ft plant table with trays , and an Oriole Range from 1940.....yes my DH got it out of a house he was working in when he worked for the gas company...he planned to put it on our deck as an outdoor cook area to steam crabs.... We have discovered we are pac rats...even the kids do not want what we have saved as treasures... I have not even broke into all of my holiday ornaments and decorations... someone please save me patti

janieD · RV-Dreams Family Member

Craig's list is a great way to go but if you list furniture or large items watch out for the scam artists. Sell local, anyone who is from a long distance that says they will arrange shipping is probably a scammer. If you tell them you are not interested in shipping and are only selling to those that can come and get the item themselves you'll be in good shape. I learned a lot of this as we were downsizing and luckily I read up and was able to get rid of the scammers pretty easily.
Good luck with the downsizing, we are still working on ours but I have found it a very freeing process.

TrailsEnd · RV-Dreams Community Member

Nikki and I had an extensive library in our sticks and brick. We gave a lot away, sold a few and put way too much in storage which is now going on 18 months. We did get a Kindle which has been a major life and weight saver since Nikki reads at least a book a week. It is my understanding that this month Amazon will be releasing free software to run on your PC to be enabling you to read Kindle downloads. Of course you still need to buy the books but will be able skip using a Kindle. We cannot wait for we have been discussing getting a 2^nd Kindle since the drawback is only one can use the Kindle at a time. So this software will solve that problem since we do have laptops.

Joe & Nikki Wright

2007 Mandalay Presidio 39E

2006 Jeep Wrangler

SKP #91530

FMCA #384390

“Skating Away on the Thin Ice of the New Day” – Ian Anderson

janieD · RV-Dreams Family Member

We also have Kindles and if you read a lot they are a great investment. When we downsized we gave Friends of the Library over 500 books. We both read all the time so it was a great solution to one of our "paper" issues.

galeanna · RV-Dreams Family Member

I got lucky .. I read sci-fi/fantasy and that genre of books people hang on to for some reason .. I was actually able to sell between 400 - 500 paperbacks I had collected over the years. Return on money spent ... not even close to half but better than nothing. Check with your local used book stores.

UniquelyRV · RV-Dreams Family Member

We feel your pain. We are going through stuff now, and it's amazing what accumulates. What gets me is that we went through this same exercise 5 years ago when we moved to this house. The only explanation I can offer is that, if left alone and undisturbed, stuff mates with other stuff and reproduces. LOL!