Things you don’t have/have gotten rid of, because you have no place to store them?

Ronni

Ronni

Well-known Member
Location
Nashville TN
This came to mind as I was responding to another thread about roaster pans.

There are all kinds of items I’d own if I had the space to store them, not just frivolous things either, actual useful things.

Like a Kitchen Aid mixer for example. I do a lot of cooking and baking and it would be very useful, but I don’t have enough counter space to keep it on the counter top, and my kitchen cupboards are already filled with essential items.

There is exercise equipment I’d enjoy, to vary my routines, but the office/gym room is already at capacity.

I would love to have an extra set of beds for the dogs so that I could put fresh down when I’m washing the others, but there’s just no room to store something that bulky.

I love to shop though I’m a judicious shopper and seldom buy things just because. Still, there are deals and bargains on things that would be so useful to have, but I pass them up because I have no idea where I could possibly put them!

How about you?
 

After moving several times, after having family take my things without asking, after my parents died and some of their stuff moved into my house - I still have stuff I should give away or try to sell.

Some years ago my husband and I were going to make an overseas move and I sold off furniture and had charities come and pickup lots of things. We also dropped off donations to the charity/thrift stores in the area.

I have had to replace things I gave away as we didn't move for a few reasons. I now have lots of good luggage, some only used once. Lots of well...

About the dog beds, could you use those vacuum bags for storing? I first used them when we were planning to move and they really did work to make things flatter and easy to store, except that the bags are slippy and tend to slide haha. Bulky winter coats, bedding, pillows, clothes, etc. They didn't suffer from being in the vacuum bags and came back to their original shape.

Do you have a garage or shed? Shelving off the floor, utility hooks, etc. I have used these in the garage and have a lot of things in there. The basement has shelves and tables to keep some things off the floor.

I personally need to try and empty the house once again, it's past the time, it's just getting started that's the issue. It's hard to give away things with memories attached.
 
When we moved from Illinois to Virginia we had the garage in sections of stuff
Day Care equipment and supplies (most I donated to private owned day cares. Craft material and cots, etc.)
Engraving materials and merchandise from DH's work
Stuff to donate
Stuff for yard sale
Dump stuff.
People from church came and helped us pack and clean, which I am ever grateful for!
SO I had a huge downsizing on that move. Moved with one moving truck and one pickup bed full.

Next move from Va. to Missouri, one more downsize, yard sale and donation regimen.
I am very clear to family and friends.. do NOT buy me stuff for the house, we are good!
Moved using one POD. Bought another living room set after we got here.

I gave family most of the stuff they had eyes on and cherished so they all got what they wanted ahead of time.

I am good to go, come what may now. I mostly still have things my grandkids made for me and small sentimental
things.
 
I shed many possessions and am now gradually replacing a few things.

I don’t regret getting rid of things and I’ve given a great deal of thought to the few things that I’m replacing.

I think for me it is always going to be a case where a few things are headed out and a few things are headed back in.

I think it’s just about different stages of life.

I read an article by a couple of empty nesters that went full circle. Starting with a shabby apartment to a starter home on to a McMansion and now back to a trendy studio apartment filled with inexpensive easy care flat pack furniture.

Sometimes it’s just a relief to simplify things.

I don’t regret getting rid of the couch, dining room furniture, books, Crystal, silver, multiple sets of dishes, dress and specialty clothing, bedroom sets, etc…

I still need to let go of several collections and small antiques that I accumulated over the years.

For me, collecting was a very enjoyable mistake. 😉🤭😂
 
I had a single engine plane that I bought at a very good price. I couldn’t keep it at my home because of the zoning ordinances and also the covenant that went along with the purchase of the home by the developer. I had to keep it outside at the airport. When a friend of mine found out about this, he said I should store it at his place. He had a small farmette and allowed me a small area to put it on. I told him great, except how am I going to get it there and back to the airport. He looked at me and said, “Oh $hit. I didn’t think about that.”

So, it stayed at the airport for 14 months before I sold it. I was only flying it about 20 hours a month and the price to keep it at the airport “outside” was expensive, so I sold it.
 
My neighbor makes me laugh. She has an account at a consignment shop in the bigger town near us.
She is a shopper, big time, could be called her hobby.
So she cruises Goodwill, 2nd hand shops, thrift shops and buys home décor or clothes and in 3 weeks when
she tires of something, loads her car up and gets half or more of what she spent back.
It's her thing and makes her happy and she's so funny when she's had a good run.
 
IrishEyes said:
My neighbor makes me laugh. She has an account at a consignment shop in the bigger town near us.
She is a shopper, big time, could be called her hobby.
So she cruises Goodwill, 2nd hand shops, thrift shops and buys home décor or clothes and in 3 weeks when
she tires of something, loads her car up and gets half or more of what she spent back.
It's her thing and makes her happy and she's so funny when she's had a good run.
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Your post reminded me of an old friend of mine. She was part of a large group who all met and booked several cruise holidays a year. She seemed to buy everything from Ebay and, after each cruise, sell it all back on Ebay and buy an entirely new wardrobe for the next cruise. One day, I asked why she couldn't wear the same outfits again and she looked horrified, apparently it was considered a major faux pas to even wear the same outfit twice, let alone wear them on a subsequent holiday.
 
Trish said:
Your post reminded me of an old friend of mine. She was part of a large group who all met and booked several cruise holidays a year. She seemed to buy everything from Ebay and, after each cruise, sell it all back on Ebay and buy an entirely new wardrobe for the next cruise. One day, I asked why she couldn't wear the same outfits again and she looked horrified, apparently it was considered a major faux pas to even wear the same outfit twice, let alone wear them on a subsequent holiday.
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I could see my neighbor doing that. She does it for dressing up outfits all the time. Won't be seen in it twice. She gets bored easily too.
 
Having had relatives who tended to keep stuff 'just in case', I aim to only keep what I use and love. If I hoarded stuff, I certainly would have run out of space! I have a relative who literally keeps everything - envelopes, Christmas and Birthday wrappings, plastic bags, bits of paper etc etc, just in case they may come in handy one day. The thing is, you can bet that if you one day needed any of those things, they would be lost amongst all the other things!
 
I know a fellow who I count as a good friend making lots of money because people hold onto things far too long. Over the years he has built a number of large self storage facilities, and I'm really amazed at the cash flow those businesses provide him. People rent those storage areas for years.
 
Trish said:
Having had relatives who tended to keep stuff 'just in case', I aim to only keep what I use and love. If I hoarded stuff, I certainly would have run out of space! I have a relative who literally keeps everything - envelopes, Christmas and Birthday wrappings, plastic bags, bits of paper etc etc, just in case they may come in handy one day. The thing is, you can bet that if you one day needed any of those things, they would be lost amongst all the other things!
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I grew up with those people! 😉🤭😂

I could probably become one of them if I allowed myself to save every little nice jar, box, and bag but I force myself to set limits and get rid of things.

On a similar note the friends and relatives that save all of the presents and gift certificates for some far off special day that never seems to arrive.

I do my best to use the things that I receive or send them on their way to someone tha can use them.
 
Aunt Bea said:
I could probably become one of them if I allowed myself to save every little nice jar, box, and bag but I force myself to set limits and get rid of things.
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The horror. I do love boxes or bags and yes, I may have a few nice little jars. Honestly, I go through phases of getting rid of most of these things and then decide I need some. Then it’s time to purge again.
 
Seven years ago we lived in a nice ranch house with full basement and lots of storage. I also had enough garage and shop space that I could store 6 cars plus 40 years of accumulated tools and lawn equipment. The lot was 2 acres of lawn plus a large pond in the back yard. It required a lot of equipment. I had many power tools, drill press, welder, bench grinder, work benches, on and on.

When we moved to our current home I only have a 3 car garage so, I had to sell much of my garage stuff because there was no way to fit it into a 3 car garage. If I had the room I would buy another drill press and bench grinder. I occasionally have a need for them. If I had more room I would also have another classic car.

Our house is about 2350 sq. ft. so it is big enough to store what we need. There is just no room to add any clutter.
 
I have learned to moderate what I buy, because like you, where would I put it? I am told, and I see the practicality of it, that at my stage of life I should be downscaling. I do still live in my own house and it can yet accommodate more stuff if i choose to follow that practice.
 
I have no garage so no junk there. I have a double carport which ends with 3 storage closets which are actually part of the house. They are empty except for ladders and tools, all of which I need or use sometimes.

The inside of my house does not look cluttered. But, there are pots and pans and dishes I never use because the kitchen has a lot of storage space, just as the bedroom has sealed plastic storage boxes with bedspreads, quilts, etc. which I haven't used. So there will be things for my heirs to deal with, but I don't plan to go clearing out all those things, because they will probably just have one big sale and everything goes anyway.
 
I'm going to get rid of a whole lot of stuff in preparation of moving. Clothes, odds and ends. Stuff that has been sitting in drawers forever and don't use. Sorry for not being very specific but there's just too much to list.
 

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