I need help...

[datahawk]

Yes, I just said that. As Duncan so lovingly pointed out last week, I have 30 lbs of shit in a 10 lbs bag.

I am a pack rat. And as neat and loving as rats are, a pack rat is annoying. I need advice on what to do with some of my stuff, cause it's getting really annoying to look at. What I want to do is clean out stuff that I no longer use/want. I have lots of decent stuff, good and usable. Meaning, I won't throw it away. But it's stuff I'm not gonna use. A rummage sale didn't work, we had two this year and barely moved anything. I wouldn't mind giving it to the salvation army, but they charge way to much. And honestly it's way to nice to just give away (but I'd rather do that at this point and just get rid of it). Any suggestions?

I also have stuff like folding chairs, sleeping bags, a bicycle, roller blades and costuming that needs to be stored. The attic works for some things (like the skates, which we likely won't use much in the winter). However the attic isn't easily accessible, I need someone else to help me up and down, and is well packed with other crap and Christmas decorations. Not to mention the books, and computer crap and other 'needed' things around the house that need useful places to be put. A number of you have been to my place and know it's fairly small. We have a 1 bedroom with a 'den' that's pretty much another bedroom without a useful door. I have very little closet space and very few cabinets. Honestly a garage would make a few things easier to deal with, but I digress. Any ideas? (that wouldn't mean getting rid of stuff I do use and need)

Plus, of course, I have way to many clothes. Now I am, above all things, a clothing whore (like my mom). If it still fits, I'll keep it. But even without those I still have way more clothes then closet/draws. There is also my letterman jackets (I was a jock and a band geek, go fig), my prom outfit, plus a few other things that I want to keep and don't want to store in a box in the attic, but is taking up space in my closet.

Plus I won't even go into my other things..you know like Barbie’s, Cabbage Patch Kids, Hockey Jersey's, Star Trek, Jem...ok you get the idea, that I really want to keep and especially have no room for (Garfield) that I know I will never really have the room to put 'up' (baseball hats) but really really want to keep anyway.

I know a house would help with things, like enough space to store linens and towels, cleaning fluids, vacuum cleaners, buckets and such, but I can't afford a house right now and sure the hell don't have the credit (let alone down payment) to get one. Any clues, WTF I should do? Cause if you have ideas, you got more then I do. Sorry, this was all brought up when I went into the attic to get the xmas decorations and spent as much time fighting with other boxes as I did actually getting the decorations down. I'm just really sick of this (looks and points around). My mom and grandmother are both pack rats and both still have stuff from when they were in their teens. I'm finding the same to be true for me and I don't want to end up in house/apartment full of shit that someone will have to go through when I'm dead. I want to be relatively normal. I know I will never be truly normal, or have one of those 'Martha Stewart' clean homes. But just having some place to put stuff would be sooooo nice.

Ah well, off to go through decorations boxes. Maybe I'll find gold in all that crap. And if you've read this far, thank you.

Comments

[duncandahusky.livejournal.com]

There's some good ideas here. I'd also throw in the six-month rule, good for clothing of just other stuff. Take things you don't use every day, be it clothing or folding chairs or whatever, and box it up and put it away for six months (storage unit, maybe?). If you don't miss it, then obviously it's not that important and you can get rid of it.

There are other possibilities besides Salvation Army, and they're not one of my favorite charities, anyway. Goodwill, perhaps?

[enveri.livejournal.com]

Agreed, although I use the year rule. Items like letterman jackets, formal dresses (wedding and prom), things that you REALLY aren't likely to wear again but want to keep can be stored, then stuffed up in your attic. Everything else.. if you've not worn it in a year, it needs to go. Seasonal gear (winter clothes), 2 years.

Ikea and home depot have rather inexpensive shelving options, and really, you've made a great start in the living room, just need to expand that to the den and bedroom.

Like Misti, I'm more than willing to help.. I would just probably urge disposing of things the two of you might want to keep. ;)

[sylverfox.livejournal.com]

I have to question some of Goodwill's policies and practices, then again I'm biased, having formerly worked for them.

[werellama.livejournal.com]

*nod nods* Up here in Milwaukee we have Saint Vincent DePaul. They come with a truck and pick the stuff up from you AND they give you a reciept so you can write off your donation when tax time comes. It's nice because they call Rick and I once a month to ask if we have anything to donate and we ALWAYS do! It really helps in keeping the clutter down.

[datahawk.livejournal.com]

Well the folding chairs we use pretty much on a weekly basis, which is why I _can't_ store them. But I still need someplace to put them when they are not being used. :P

Besides, I won't use the Salvation Army, I don't like or trust them. Besides they always stink when you go in there and they charge way to much for second hand stuff.