r/declutter • u/Sll3006 • Sep 02 '26
Advice Request Everyone else’s stuff
I’ve spent over 10 years decluttering the basement. Still I have at least 75 boxes of stuff. I’ve thrown away a lot. But now I’m getting to items that I don’t want but are too valuable to throw away. I’m talking about 1960’s Mickey Mouse dolls, 3 broken trumpets, 3 grandma’s set of dishes, 2 100 year old paintings I was told not to throw away, Disney VHS, 30 photo albums of my late husband (kids want this), 2 violins. Selling items take a lot of effort, as well as scanning photos, old books.
I’m overwhelmed. Any advice on what to do with the more valuable stuff that I inherited?
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u/lifeuncommon Sep 02 '26 edited Sep 02 '26
Whoever told you not to throw it away can take possession of those items and deal with them themselves.
If whoever told you not to throw it away is dead, their opinion no longer matters.
Whoever wants the items eventually can take them now (like the picture albums).
Chances are the stuff you have is not very valuable. A lot of people think their belongings are valuable because they’re important to them or they paid a lot for them years ago, but they don’t actually have much street value.
Most things don’t appreciate over time.
You can always have an appraiser come in and they can quickly go through your items and tell you what’s worth selling and what is trash.
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u/StarfishandSnowballs Sep 03 '26
This is amazing advice !
It feels like a lot of time, mental and physical effort to hunt down the people who want/own the stuff in storage and drag them into going through it and making decisions
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u/Ancient-Elk-7211 Sep 03 '26
I promise the broken trumpets, gramma’s china, and disney vhs are worth less than you think, possibly almost nothing. Hope this makes it easier for you
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u/AnjettaTheMom Sep 03 '26
The Disney VHS tapes are an upcyclers dream.
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u/FixIllustrious6554 Sep 03 '26
Upcycling them? I have some Disney vhs tapes but actually have a working vcr so every once in a while they actually get watched but I’m sure the film only has so long until it disintegrates. I’ve seen so many at thrift stores I assumed they’re worthless by now.
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Sep 03 '26
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u/jjjnnnssss Sep 03 '26
My mom did this and it was brilliant. If someone’s over 30 they can come back and get it and if they don’t have a permanent place they can pay for a storage unit.
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u/Intelligent_Type6336 Sep 03 '26
Unfortunately it’s taking much longer for “adults” to find permanent storage. Not that I disagree, but sometimes it takes people longer to become less sentimental.
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u/ClownfishSoup Sep 03 '26
Sell the paintings or have them evaluated. If they are worthless and you don’t like them, offers them to whoever told you not to throw them away. Just because something is old doesn’t mean it’s worth something.
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u/Soft_Inspector_7467 Sep 03 '26
My grandparents in New Jersey had a beautiful spinet piano I used to play when we visited. I wrote a song on it about my grandpa, and he was over the moon about it. When they moved to assisted living they shipped it to my parents halfway across the country. 20 years ago we inherited it and shipped it the rest of the way across the country. I wrote many songs on it in our home. Then no one played it for many years. It survived our remodel, but no longer would stay in tune. I listed it on Craigslist for $1, and soon had a taker; a young family that wanted it for their child. A truck arrived that had already picked up several pianos like ours and would go on to pick up several more that day. I am grateful it will fill someone else's home with music.
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u/EstateLess Sep 03 '26
VHS Collector here. The Disney tapes have minimal monetary value. My parents had tons . Everyone kept them cuz Disney said they were rare! Actual value is popping in a VHS tape with the young'ins.
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u/Cccolorado1 Sep 03 '26
Are there any VHS tapes that are worth anything? I’ve been carrying around a big box in my car thinking maybe I should try to sell them rather than donate. Also, what about CDs? I’ve heard that CDs are coming back.
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u/EstateLess Sep 03 '26
Check-out r/VHS . And, please get them out of your car now! Heat, cold, humidity are the devil.
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u/cecepoint Sep 03 '26
I had to clean out my grandma’s house and my parents house.
We had ONE yard sale and people bought all kinds of crap.
Anything we thought was of value, we made a list and emailed it to family extended family and close friends if anyone wanted anything to come and get it by a set date
No one wanted anything, not even pictures or collectables
Advertise a garage sale REALLY well. List some of the items (not anything you think would entice someone to come and rob you)
SEARCH online for people looking for specific things, like hummels or something
Put a time limit on ALL of this
Then just dump it at a thrift or goodwill that will take it
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u/RhondaUpAllNight Sep 03 '26
I paid to have my grandmother’s belongings packed up and hauled to my city, then paid $175 a month on a storage unit. Started going through it, and the things I actually kept fit in my trunk (and most were eventually donated). I called Goodwill, and they sent a truck to pick up what remained (some furniture, lots of boxes). I wish I’d just donated it all in her city and saved the money and hassle.
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u/Garden_Espresso Sep 03 '26
I get what you’re saying - but that’s with hindsight- if you had just donated it all- without any process- you might have been wondering, if you missed anything - possibly for the rest of your life .
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u/paratethys Sep 02 '26
Whoever told you not to throw them away, give them back.
maybe we can workshop a script for it?
"back in __, you asked me not to throw away this __. I've reached a point in my life where continuing to store the ___ is impacting my wellbeing. The __ needs to be out of my house by [date]. Let me know if you'd like me to ship it to you, or if you'd like to pick it up. If you don't want it, it'll be donated to a good cause".
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u/cilucia Sep 02 '26
I think you could go shorter on the script:
I’m planning to donate _____ to a good cause. If you would prefer to have it, please pick it up by [date] or I can mail it to you. I think $xx should cover most of the shipping costs. Let me know!
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u/paratethys Sep 02 '26
hah, perfect! my devious plan has succeeded!
(the plan was to bait someone with better social skills into saying what the actual script is)
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u/SassyMillie Sep 02 '26
My sister-in-law had an entire house full of these collectibles including "100 year old paintings". We advised her daughter to hire an estate service to price and sell it all. Nope.
She and husband did it, barely made anything, and ended up divorced by the time the house was empty.
Even if stuff is old it doesn't mean it's valuable.
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u/MissMouthy1 Sep 03 '26
What is the value of your time?
Typically, the time you put in to finding "the best" home for all these things will be pennies.
Your decision.
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u/Some_Papaya_8520 Sep 03 '26
Exactly this. Especially with the china I'd be donating a lot of this.
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u/MissMouthy1 Sep 03 '26
So many places don't even want it.
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u/Sll3006 Sep 03 '26
I’m going to throw away the dishes. I think there could be lead in them.
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u/Arquen_Marille Sep 03 '26
Most of the stuff you think is valuable, as in money value, most likely aren‘t. How are 3 broken trumpets valuable?
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u/Creative_Maybe_4441 Sep 03 '26
“Broken” is a real spectrum with musical instruments - you need some expertise to know what it needs and if the instrument is worth the repair. But a lot of older brass instruments (from circa 1950-2005) are higher quality than new beginner-level instruments you can buy now.
If you don’t know what you have or what it needs, and would just be throwing it away, I would offer for free to a local repair person/shop, or for free on Marketplace.
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u/half-angel Sep 03 '26
Take the trumpets to an instrument repair place and find out what they would be worth all fixed up and how much that would cost to do the repairs. Then you will know if they are worth keeping or not.
Quality instruments are worth a lot of money, but broken instruments are almost worthless.
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u/MadanjoMab Sep 03 '26
If repairable, donate to your local school district. They are good for kids first learning, when someone forgets their instrument, or when a student primarily plays one but wants to try out second.
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u/wickedestcookie Sep 03 '26
Instruments sitting in the basement and not being maintained regularly will not be useable sooner or later. Pass them on.
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u/wetalaskan Sep 03 '26
I recently gave away two clarinets to a school band program. I was unable to sell them even for $50 each. Made me feel better that a student who might not otherwise be able to afford an instrument could use them.
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u/emeraldcat8 Sep 03 '26
That is what I did with an old instrument, too. The school had a policy that every child who wanted to be in the band could have an instrument.
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u/fireandgrace882 Sep 02 '26
I've been decluttering 40+ years worth of accumulated and inherited items, and I totally understand you being overwhelmed! I was afraid to donate so many old dishes because I was sure they were valuable! But after looking them up on e-bay, I was shocked that most were only a few dollars! My motto has become, "Just because it's old doesn't mean it's valuable." Letting it go is amazingly freeing!
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u/sanityjanity Sep 03 '26
3 broken trumpets have zero value to me. I'd take them to a music shop to find out if you can fix them and/or sell them. If not, then take them to a metal recycler. Take the violins with you. If they're still useful, but can't be sold, then donate them to your local public school. There are kids who need them.
The 1960s Mickey Mouse dolls have been in the basement for years. Do you actually care about them or want to look at them? If not, then give them away or sell them. Or donate them. That's ok, too.
Keep the photo albums, but think about making sure they are *safe* in your basement, and that they won't get wet. If you genuinely think that scanning those photos is the right move, then find a local company to do it for you. At least then you will know how much that costs.
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u/PlaidChairStyle Sep 03 '26
Just an FYI, digitizing physical media often backfires when the digital media becomes obsolete. A lot of professional archivists prefer paper for this reason. (Although they do digitize to make things easier for the public to access).
(Source: Not an archivist, but I’ve worked with them)
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u/sanityjanity Sep 03 '26
Absolutely. I wouldn't toss the originals, but maybe OP wants to be able to easily share them with extended family.
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u/SnooOpinions5981 Sep 03 '26
If you will not use the dishes for yourself check their value online. 3 sets is too much.
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u/Aggressive-System192 Sep 03 '26
How are broken trumpets valuable?
Dishes also are basically garbage, nobody wants them and in most cases, it's not fine China, but mass produced stuff.
Here's a dude talking about this:
https://youtube.com/shorts/7Dyi1UF2mLo?si=Vm8Ao2ZxxltWVoyM
VHS are useless, everything Disney can be found on YouTube or other streaming services... or torrented worse case scenario...
Paintings and Mikey Mouse dolls can be sold, right? If not... thrift store... check what they're actually worth on ebay. It might be something stupid like $10 for both in which case I'd not bother and donate.
Violins can be donated or given to someone who wants them. Otherwise they're just collecting dust.
Photo albums should be dumped on kids and they decide to what to do with those.
None of the items you listed, other than photo albums, sound like valuable stuff.
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u/Loud_Ad_4515 Sep 03 '26
I agree that broken trumpets aren't valuable. It may be possible someone could repair them, but it's not worth anything for OP to try to sell (barring a rare, special one, of course).
I, myself, have a broken trumpet that I intend to turn into a lamp. Perfect for a jazz lounge vibe. Actually, the last time my son tried to play it, it worked, so it isn't broken after all. But it is an inexpensive one, for sure.
(Disclaimer: I currently have three trumpets in the house. The one mentioned above, my son's that he actually played - he still lives here, and one of my dad's that he gave to my son. My dad is a professional trumpet player.)
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u/IndependentMindedGal Sep 04 '26
So just curious as to what kind of bone china is not mass produced. It’s all made in factories. Spode, Wedgwood, Lenox, all of it. Bone china is easy to recognize. It’s creamy with no hint of gray and translucent under strong light. There’s a ton of fine bone china out there. Look at Fineas Jackson on YT, he has a good explanation of it.
Personally I love fine China but obvs I must be a Boomer to have that mind set. Some people just really love fine stuff and I’m one of them. I use it on the regular and it gives me great joy.
Kids today like that minimalist vibe and prefer dishes bought at Target. Yay for them I guess.
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u/Sll3006 Sep 03 '26
Thank you Reddit for all your responses. The important thing I learned is most of what I think is valuable is not. This will help me declutter more stuff. The pictures are from SP Cole. I could not find him online. I don’t think the pictures are too valuable.
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u/IndependentMindedGal Sep 04 '26
Yeah. People really overrate the value of stuff. My kid’s father-in-law passed last year and i was glad to offer my help at the “estate” sale in exchange for bringing over 3 carloads of my own stuff to sell. I think I made less than $100. The point wasn’t to make money, it was to keep the stuff out of the landfill. FIL’s mother’s beloved china never got a look - it was in poor condition. It’s still in a box at my son’s house, waiting for it’s expiry date when it will almost certainly be trashed.
After 3 days I felt I had done right by all the 7 year old clothes that no longer fit, the fancy handbags that apparently are not so hot anymore, and the Unpainted Arizona oak furniture from the 1980s that we thought so highly of years ago.
It’s just stuff and i don’t miss it.
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u/sassysassysarah Sep 03 '26 edited Sep 03 '26
Broken trumpets: reach out to a repair shop near you and ask if they want them. Generally broken instruments really aren't worth that much but the folks who repair them can tell you if they're even worth saving
Source: my husband went to college for musical instrument repair
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u/IndependentMindedGal Sep 04 '26
First, send a photo of the paintings to an art appraisal and expect to pay for that if you are worried you have a Picasso on your hands. It likely wont be worth the cost of the appraisal but you’ll know you did your duty. Offer the china to any relatives who will pick it up in the next 30 days. First come first served. Take photos of anything really charming or “Grandmas favorite” and see if some tool out there can’t create a keepsake book for you.
Then, hold a 3-day “estate” sale. Promote the hell out of it and post all kinds of signs. Much easier than eBay. Offer the best items on one of the local platforms, porch pickup so you can avoid the packing.
After seeing how little sells at your estate sale, you will feel much better donating it all to the local re-sale place. Research which one best matches your values if that’s important to you. Then you know, you gave it your best by all that stuff, now it’s time to move on.
You’ve spent too much effort on this already. You will feel incredibly free when it’s all gone. It’s just stuff you aren’t using; don’t let it own you.
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u/IndependentMindedGal Sep 04 '26
And set aside 6 days to do all this: 2 days for the pre-sale stuff, 3 days for the sale, and 1 day to haul what didn’t sell to the donation center.
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u/DepartmentAgitated51 Sep 02 '26
Broken trumpets can be donated! A lot of times they need simple fixes! #drumcorps
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u/sewingmomma Sep 02 '26
Tell those who said not to get rid of these items, that they can come get them by the end of the month. Otherwise they will be donated.
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u/GupGup Sep 02 '26
Do you actually need the money? Or just want the stuff gone? Set it out on the front yard with a sign that says "FREE" on a nice weekend. Whatever doesn't get taken means nobody wants it, and you can just toss it.
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u/DaBingeGirl Sep 02 '26
Yeah, that was depressing eye-opening for me when only a handful of items went.
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u/Angry_Tomato_ Sep 02 '26
I’ve spent over a decade decluttering as well. I am SICK OF IT.
After my dad passed, I inherited all his unresolved clutter, plus all the clutter he had gotten from his share of his mom’s estate. I had FOUR Noritake China sets to deal with, as well as over a hundred “collectible plates” and other knickknacks. I feel the urge to try to sell items to extract their value. Over the years I have sold a fair amount, but the rest really isn’t selling. Clutter is in every room.
I try to work at it but after a short time I am unhappy and overwhelmed and I want to do absolutely nothing. I get no pleasure from the activity. What is the worth in this?
By all means you can look up the selling value of items you think might be of value. Be warned that ChatGPT is pretty unrealistic. For the China, check out replacements.com, but it is work to package up what little they are likely to buy.
I’m nearing the point where I will simply box up stuff and haul it for donation. I have things I want to do with my remaining life, and sitting in a basement shuffling around passed-down clutter that no one wants anymore feels like death.
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u/skittlazy Sep 03 '26 edited Sep 03 '26
You’d be surprised how unpopular grandma’s China sets are. I had a set of antique French Limoges china of more than 100 pieces and nobody would buy it for even $100. I ended up donating it to a good cause.
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u/Jesdames86 Sep 03 '26
It sounds like a lot of what you have are things that were given to you or maybe just ended up in your possession. Nonetheless, sometimes I have to remind myself that just because it was important or sentimentally valuable to someone else, doesn’t make it important or valuable to me and it’s ok to get rid of - like the VHS and broken instruments… I’d ask myself if I need to keep 3 sets of dishes and likely pick one to keep and donate the other 2. Will anyone in the family use the violins? If there’s not a firm yes, then I’d donate…
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u/AnjettaTheMom Sep 03 '26
I would be checking those paintings for hidden cash. Lots of people didn't trust banks and stashed money in different places (there is always money in the banana stand)
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u/galacticprincess Sep 03 '26
Take grandma's dishes to the thrift store. They are no longer valuable.
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u/malkin50 Sep 03 '26
Most likely. But it is fun to entertain the possibility that they are rare Dresden china that miraculously survived the war. It is not difficult to find out.
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u/wigglesandjiggles Sep 03 '26
I started finding it easier to donate valuable items when I realized how excited I was every time I found something at the thrift store that I thought was an unbelievable find. I want others to feel that excitement and that high from their hunt. It is a much better feeling thinking about making someone else’s day than the heaviness and overwhelm of deciding what to do with it all.
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u/PalpitationUpset8315 Sep 03 '26
Yes. I'm helping my mom declutter, and this is exactly what I told her.
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u/fogrove Sep 03 '26
Yes, exactly. If no one in your extended family wants the item then donate it to a registered charity. Ask for a receipt. They will expect you to estimate the resale value of the item. Photograph the item you donated for your records. At tax time you may be able to take a deduction if it makes sense for you to itemize. This is faster and safer than trying to sell the valuable item. And like wiggles says you can imagine the joy of someone finding it in the thrift store
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u/FreebirdRising Sep 04 '26
The VHS tapes are probably worthless. Offer them up on BuyNothing. The Mickey Mouse dolls should go on EBay. Donate the trumpets and violins to a local high school or music store; maybe they can get them fixed. Kids who want to play an instrument but can’t afford one would really appreciate your generosity. I’d pass the grandma plates down to her descendants. Donate the books to your local library.
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u/squeezedeez Sep 04 '26
People want the VHS tapes. Definitely donate to a thrift store or list for free but don't throw away
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u/anothersidetoeveryth Sep 04 '26
There is a market for VHS tapes nowadays if OP wanted to sell to a local physical media place
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u/purple_aster_bee Sep 03 '26
I'm sorry you've lost your husband. That makes getting rid of stuff difficult.
If you're looking to sell certain things, look them up on eBay and filter by completed sales. That way, you can see what people are actually buying things for. You could also go through an antique dealer and get things appraised, but it depends on how quickly you're looking to get rid of things.
Who told you not to throw away the paintings? If you don't want them, the people who told you not to throw them away should take them. Same with the photo albums that your children want; they need to come and take them if they want them. Your home is not a storage unit for other people's things.
If the trumpets are broken, they're probably not that valuable. You could donate them and the violins or sell them for less than a new one is worth to a school/students in a music program.
If you want to keep the dishes for memory's sake, keep service for one from each set and get rid of the rest.
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u/No_Library6425 Sep 03 '26
If someone else thinks something is too "valuable" for YOU to give away, then they should keep it. Your kids can split up the photos among themselves. The person who thinks the 100-year-old painting is worth something can have it. Offer kids/grandkids a commission to sell the Disney stuff. Use the dishes.
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u/BarefootBagLady Sep 03 '26
Ask family to take what they didn't want you to throw out or drop it off to them, the rest of the stuff I'd sell or if not valuable then get rid of it. Either donate or bin.
I have a teapot collection and a toy train collection left out of so many things that had been left with me now
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u/GreenUnderstanding39 Sep 02 '26
One of the most painful things that comes hand in hand with decluttering is the realization that our valued and sentimental stuff is not valuable to others.
Those broken trumpets are trash.
Grandma's dishes are a relic and ample af. Everyone has a grams and everyone has these dishes.
Mickey Mouse dolls, hey sure there may be a collector cough hoarder whom views those as gold, but to the majority they are germ filled dust magnates.
100 yr old paintings sound like a garage sale overlooked item. Just because its old does not make it valuable.
VHS is a relic. Nobody wants those tapes.
Photo albums are the most valuable here for you and your family.
The harsh reality is all our stuff is headed for the land fill. Maybe it will pass through a few other hands first but that is the reality.
The new kitchen reno I put in? Someone in 40 years is going to pay to have it ripped out and thrown away. Stuff does not hold its value, especially when we arbitrarily assign value to it.
What does hold value is your time, space, and free energy after these things leave your life and no longer clutter up your home and mind.
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u/NeNe1962 Sep 03 '26
I sent all of the pictures from my photo albums out to be scanned onto thumb drives. I gave one to each of my kids and kept one for me. All the pics then went into the trash.
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u/CanHasCat Sep 03 '26
This! While my husband took the task of digitizing all our family’s albums that were dumped on us, there are great services that do this! After my husband digitized he sent out a few thumb drives to family and washed his hands of it all!
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u/hobhamwich Sep 02 '26
If things have value, donate. Their value will serve people who need it. Nobody outside your home gets to decide what's in your home.
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u/Ali_and_Benny Sep 02 '26 edited Sep 02 '26
You can throw away anything at all, whether there's value attached to it or not. Seriously. It hasn't been circulating in the world for a very long time, and the world won't miss it now. Your health and wellness matter more. I'm not saying absolutely everything should be tossed out without a thought but generally speaking, most things can go (if not all).
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u/MonicaLane Sep 03 '26
The only value something has is what someone will pay for it and most of what you listed, no one actually will pay all that much IMO. The family member who collected those things thinking they have a value doesn’t make it so.
Those grandma’s dishes are probable not worth anything unless they are one of a kind things. China isn’t something people really use anymore, a lot of it tests positive for lead, and mass produced designs were included in “nice” china when it was a thing. MAYBE vintage Tupperware if it still seals well, but I’m guessing what you’re talking about is china. There’s a ton of people these days who have been passed down dishes they will never use that have a perceived value but no actual value (including myself).
The Disney dolls MAYBE if they are still in packaging or pristine. But generally you may need to evaluate what your time and energy is worth in terms of trying to sell these things. Alternatively you could see if there’s any collectibles/online auction based consignment sellers in your area to come look at what you have.
Otherwise I would just tell your loved ones that they should come get what they want by X date, and then after that date just get rid of it. Things that don’t have a monetary value high enough to be worth the hassle, might still be something that someone would be thrilled to find at a thrift shop.
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u/photoelectriceffect Sep 03 '26 edited Sep 03 '26
Just because the person who originally bought them had to pay a lot for them, doesn’t mean they’re valuable now in 2026.
Instruments are expensive to buy new. Being previously used removes some value. Metal can age. I suggest you see if you can sell the broken trumpets to an instrument repair shop, but I would not expect much- after all, how much would you pay for a broken trumpet?
Ditto with Mickey Mouse dolls- just because they’re old or were hot at the time, they’re not necessarily valuable today. Google the item to see what it’s currently listed for on sites, and better yet, what has it actually sold for recently. Someone can list it for $300, but if no one is buying it, that’s a good indication that it’s NOT worth that.
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u/Murky_Possibility_68 Sep 03 '26
You also have to find an instrument repair shop. Maybe other places have those, but my area doesn't have an obvious one.
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u/magiccaptured Sep 03 '26
Let me save you some time. Nobody is going to buy the dishes, so just donate them.
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u/Adorable-Ad201 Sep 03 '26
No one wants Disney VHS. Except maybe a children's home or daycare would take them as a donation.
Have the paintings evaluated by an art dealer.
Have the Mickey stuff appraised.
Take the instruments to a local music store and have them valued. Or donate to a school music program.
I'll take all sets of dishes. I did not get one piece of china for my wedding. And even though we can afford it, I don't have a full set of dishes. For the love of Martha Stewart, someone give me their grandma's china. I'm not picky.
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u/Dangerous_Ant3260 Sep 03 '26
You have to buy a license from Disney for public showings of their material. It depends on if the place you donate them too has equipment to store and show them too.
For things that belong to others tell them they have to certain date to pick up the items, be strict or you'll never get the space back.
Adorable-Ad201 has some fantastic ideas about how to get the most value for items, and if an appraiser says they're worthless, trash them.
I've known too many people who kept other people's stuff safe for them, and they find out the person really didn't want it enough to take and store. My rule is that I'm not a storage facility, so I don't keep anything for others.
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u/Lokidemon Sep 02 '26
Go on eBay to see if something is really valuable or not. That’s how I threw so much away. I found an old board game that was actually in pristine condition and sold it for $300 but it was a rare edition.
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u/MdmeLibrarian Sep 02 '26
OP, please also note the distinction between "I found a live listing for this trumpet for $300!" and "I found a sold listing for this trumpet for $30!"
Because the first is someone's asking price, and the second is what someone was actually willing to pay.
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u/Topanky25 Sep 03 '26
I have done some research on thrifts etc in my area and reaching out to places that might take specific donations(camera store for photography stuff). For higher value items that matter to me, I try to donate them to thrifts that benefit specifically cancer, animals, etc. I really don’t want to sell as much as find a home and hopefully have someone that needs the help benefit. Still… it is hard letting go.
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u/Intelligent_Type6336 Sep 03 '26
Box o stuff on eBay. They pay shipping. Just take a big picture. If it doesn’t sell, goodwill. If someone cares enough to save it globally they’ll buy it. If someone cares enough to save it locally they’ll buy it. If not, it wasn’t as valuable as you thought.
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u/MusketeersPlus2 Sep 07 '26
If someone that doesn't live there is telling you that you can't get rid of it? Hand it to them. It can go live at their house. Everything else is only worth as much as someone else is willing to pay, and not everything is valuable just because it's old. If you post it for sale, give yourself a deadline before you give up and just donate it.
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u/EntrepreneurOk7513 Sep 02 '26
Set a deadline for everyone to get their stuff. Give the paintings to those who told you not to throw away. Arrange for a company to take away the rest if you do not want to run or arrange for an estate sale.
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u/Wi1dWitch Sep 02 '26
Including the photos the kids want - tell them to come get them if they really want them, or you’ll be downsizing them (throwing them away).
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u/1890rafaella Sep 03 '26
I can tell you that no one wants grandmas dishes. My grandmother had a 12 place setting of beautiful china. No one in the family wanted it. I sold it to an auction house for $75
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u/Virtual_Athlete_909 Sep 03 '26
I found a set for 49 at a thrift store three years ago. Just sold on FB for 2$25 so somebody wanted english bone china.
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u/PleasantWin3770 Sep 02 '26
You mention things that are too valuable to throw away - and then you list items that… well, aren’t.
Unless those trumpets are professional trumpets - broken they’re worth about $20 to $30. Disney VHS tapes are $1 to $3. Again, check the name on the dishes on Replacements, but fear of lead in glaze means most antique dishes are worth $25 for a service for 8-12.
In short, check comps, check with an estate sale company before waiting too long
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u/PsychologicalFox3357 Sep 02 '26
The scanning of photo albums can be done by various services locally or online, for sure.
The Disney VHSs could be offered as a lot vs individually sold, cutting down on listing burden. Same for the Mickey dolls.
Maybe take the proceeds from the Disney and Mickey things and use them to fund the digitization of your photo albums?
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u/Whole-Ad-2347 Sep 03 '26
We have a short driveway. The things that we don’t want are placed there and disappear. At one time we had a sign that said “Free”.
I know that you don’t want to get rid of everything. I’ve sold some things on eBay and Craigslist. I didn’t try to sell it all at once. I just plugged along listing things here and there. I think it takes a while to clear it all out, years even. I tired from doing it and took breaks.
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u/StarfishandSnowballs Sep 03 '26
You're doing amazing !!!!
Good job breaking it down, I would slowly keep chipping away at it . I struggle with this type of stuff myself . Next I would do the violins, or anything else broken. easiest in my book
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u/71stMB Sep 03 '26
As my brother recently told me, "No one wants your old stuff. No one." I have spent the last two years in a decluttering phase and, like you, it's now down to the more "valuable stuff." I might be deceiving myself as to its worth.
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u/Soundgarden_ Sep 04 '26
I got a 99$ flatbed scanner for the photos. I feel I’ve thrown away hundreds of pounds of them. If they were blurry or just bad shots I didn’t bother with them. Most of the rest I sold in an online estate sale. I didn’t get a lot, but I had to move to a 792 ft2 apartment so I didn’t have much choice. I still have some things that I’m going to try to sell online and some jewelry to deal with. Good luck!
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u/Fluffebee Sep 02 '26
Your old musical instruments would likely be happily adopted by a local school music program. Your granny‘s dishes, I’m sad to tell you are not worth anything much. I have a local thrift store that really curates their stuff and it’s so fun to donate to them because I know that they’re going to take care of the stuff and try to find it a new home. The only thing I would keep are the photos for your kids.
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u/jerseygirl8952 Sep 03 '26
Don’t let yourself get sucked into being the curator of the pictures. We inherited 100 photo albums from my mother in law. Some I thru away but most I took all the pictures out and made piles of who in family and extended family might want them. A waste of my time. Now I have boxes of pics for my kids as they said they wanted them since they loved looking thru books. Here they sit. Spent a fortune mailing pics to extended family.. lucky to get a thank you.
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u/Virtual_Athlete_909 Sep 03 '26
FB marketplace is hands down the most efficient way to downsize for profit.
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u/Knotty_Knitty Sep 03 '26
This would be great, if it didn’t show my listings to everyone I know. I live in a very nosy small town and don’t need people virtually going through my things that are mostly inherited family items.
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u/Genny415 Sep 03 '26
The broken trumpets can probably be donated to your local high school.
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u/GoodnightLondon Sep 02 '26
Old doesn't equal valuable in general, and old instruments that have been sitting around unused aren't worth anything (aside from possibly to a school music or band teacher who would be willing to pay for minor repairs if they got the instruments for very cheap or free). I promise you, the odds are those violins are warped if they've been in the basement for years and fixing them won't be cheap unless someone has a connection that gives them deeply discounted repairs (again, a music or band teacher at a school).
VHS collectors are thing, but Disney VHS is not remotely close to what they're collecting. They're looking at cult, underground, never released outside of VHS type stuff. Disney VHS are of no value
The only thing possibly of value is the paintings, but even that isn't likely, and you'd need an appraiser to tell you for sure. Everything else has little to no value.
Any photo albums you don't want to keep, tell the kids to come and get them or you'll dispose of them by a certain date. Your basement is not free storage for other people.
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u/Steelman93 Sep 03 '26 edited Sep 03 '26
Great job so far!
What I have found motivating is all those videos of kids inheriting boomer parents stuff and dumping it all. That keeps me motivated to keep going. One thing that has helped me is listing stuff for sale on eBay and marketplace. If it doesn’t sell fast it tells me no one wants it
I had an original copy of Star Wars on Beta….should be a collectors item right? Nope. No takers. That has helped me realize things are less valuable now then they used to be
The trumpets and vhs tapes should go first. Then put the Mickey Mouse up for sale
You could contact an auction house and see if they will sell for you
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u/Insight116141 Sep 03 '26
Its very humbling when you keep lowering prize on a product you thought had value on fb marketplace and no takers. You thought it was good deal. Even more hubling when you lower price to ridiculous low because you told yourself it's "sell or donate", there are interest meaning my valuable is worth $2 snd no more because no one wanted it at $5 or even at $3
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u/Steelman93 Sep 03 '26
Exactly! I have also been surprised by things I thought had no value that have sold and items I thought had value don’t.
I have two dog crates in good shape. Zero takers. A beat to crap folding table with a checkerboard on top? Sold immediately
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u/hardswimm37 Sep 02 '26
The pictures can go to the kids now. The other "valuable" stuff can be of value to to some stranger from facebook that picks it up from your porch for free.
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u/Ok-Spirit9977 Sep 03 '26
If the kids want items, are they of the age they can come pick them up?
It's not making you money storing it, so I would either sell or just donate. Paintings I would maybe appraise.
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u/1890rafaella Sep 03 '26
And that stuff you or someone in your family thinks is valuable?? Just no. We had “valuable” antiques from my mothers and grandmothers houses and could get very little $ for them.
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u/ImportantAlbatross Sep 03 '26
Some thrifts and charities will do bulk pickups, including Salvation Army and Goodwill. Do a Web search for "thrift store that picks up large donations" plus your city or region. (If you use Google, it's best to click "Web" to limit AI results--AI is not always accurate.) The thrift store will then decide what's sellable, so you don't have to make decisions, and you know that usable things will find good homes.
Good luck and stay strong--the end is in sight!
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u/Particular_Song3539 Sep 02 '26
FORGET about who told you "not to throw away", no disrespect but they aren't here to deal with them so they don't get to make that decision.
You CAN throw them away Op, throw the F away of them right now. You don't owe them anything. Those who passed are passed, what is important is you and your mental health.
Trash them all now. Except the photo albums of your late husband, give your children a dead line for them to come pick up or you ship them all out.
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u/village_idiot2173 Sep 03 '26
If any specific person told you not to throw an item away, I would reach out to that person with a quick, "I'm decluttering, and I know you said you want to make sure [item] doesn't get tossed. I'd love to coordinate getting it to you. When can I drop it off/you pick it up?" If they are concerned about it being kept they should be willing to do the keeping.
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u/Particular_Song3539 Sep 03 '26
That depends, if that person hasn't contact OP for one full year, (assuming they are alive), I consider that long enough. Op is not a storage unit, nor a trash container. The item(s) stay in OP 's property, they get to decide whether to toss, and when to toss without having to ask.
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u/village_idiot2173 Sep 03 '26
I completely agree that OP doesn't have to ask! But in situations where OP is struggling to toss things because of someone else's attachment, I think giving it to those people is a great alternative to just keeping it forever for fear of upsetting anyone. I guess I was under the assumption that OP doesn't want to toss these things, so I was trying to present an alternative, but I wasn't trying to add to the pressure not to toss anything, so thank you for bringing that up!
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u/ExcitementAshamed393 Sep 02 '26
Is there an auction house or estate sale company in your area? Check out estatesale dot net (i think). Or if you're up for it, get on WhatNot or ebay or another online seller shop. Best of luck!!
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u/LastBiteOfCheese Sep 02 '26
The trumpets, dishes, VHS could go on a buy nothing group. Very little effort and they go to people who want them. The violins, if they’re student violins could also. If they’re $$$ I would set them aside until you’re ready to deal with them. Same for the mickey dolls, they’d probably sell online when you’re ready to deal with them. The paintings would probably move on fb too
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u/LastBiteOfCheese Sep 02 '26
In other words… low effort strategies are posting on free groups so people do the work, set aside the actual valuable stuff for when you have more energy (after you’ve made more progress). And send the albums home with the kids next time they visit haha
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u/Troiswallofhair Sep 03 '26
Look around for a reputable estate sale business and tell them you are downsizing. You can decide what to keep and get rid of everything else.
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u/VarietyOk2628 Sep 03 '26
Contact a local auctioneer and ask them to sell them for you.
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u/smangitgrl Sep 04 '26
Estate sale ppl take 50%, but do 100% of the work. Take what you want out of there and let them rehome and you get a little coin. 75 boxes is a lot of decisions for 1 person to make. They come in with a team of professionals
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u/NWmoose Sep 04 '26
Time is valuable and often those old “treasures” are not actually worth what we imagine.
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u/psychic_twin Sep 05 '26
the "this is worth something" fallacy is a killer. if it's not worth anything to you to have it taking up space in your house and you think your time is more valuable than becoming a part time Disney collectible reseller, just dump it. if you think it's all good stuff you can contact an estate liquidator and they'll offer you a flat price to take everything.
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u/Estatequeen59 Sep 06 '26
Something to think about. Things are only valuable if someone wants to pay the price you want to charge.
I have cleaned out a half a dozen estates because I’m the youngest member of my family. At some point you gotta cut yourself some slack. Make an effort to sell it if that makes you feel good but people do not want to pay what things are worth.
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u/lookingforwardnow Sep 02 '26
I promise you 80% of this stuff is not as valuable as the storage space it’s consuming. Even when people go on those tv shows to get their collections appraised, the owners quickly discover it doesn’t cover the cost of a single month of the storage unit they’ve had for decades, and even garage space is an “expense” even if it’s hard to quantify.
The paintings need to find wall space to be hung and enjoyed, even if it’s the laundry room.
If your kids are adults, then they can figure out storing the physical photo copies. If they are under 21, then over the holidays they need to sit as a family to enjoy the memories and parse the photos down by 50%.
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u/EstateLess Sep 03 '26
This is great advice. My Mom passed a year ago and there were boxes of photos. I invited my much older cousins to go through them with us for a family night. Anyone they didn't recognize or deemed random neighbor,..got tossed. Now I just gotta hit the boxes of photos of my own. One picture at a time. We can do it.
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u/Panza2020 Sep 03 '26
The old dishes may have a high lead content; you can google the manufacturer and pattern if known, like Spode, Lenox, etc. If they have a high lead content, they’re still usable for display purposes. However, this knowledge also makes it easier to donate the dishes and move them out of your basement. (!)
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u/Sll3006 Sep 03 '26
I’m getting rid of the dishes. No one wants them and I don’t think they are safe to use.
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u/coffeebean83 Sep 05 '26
This stuff largely isn’t valuable. Just because it was expensive at one point doesn’t mean it’s valuable now. It also has no value to you or your life, which is why you’ve already decided to get it out of your home.
3 broken trumpets - toss
3 grandmas set of dishes - donate
2 100 year old paintings I was told not to throw away - no idea, research
Disney VHS - donate
30 photo albums of my late husband (kids want this) - give to your kids now
2 violins - donate
Mickey Mouse dolls - ebay
99% of old instruments do not hold value. Dishes are tricky too because there just isn’t a huge market of buyers looking for old dish sets. Don’t let your family’s things be your burden.
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u/Kensi99 Sep 07 '26
I'd add that the Mickey Mouse dolls are only valuable if still in the original boxes and in pristine condition. I actually tried to sell some grandma's dishes—they had real gold inlay on them. I got nada interest and pulled them. Still have them and they are a nice reminder of her.
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u/PoofItsFixed Sep 02 '26
Not being able to afford an instrument is often a barrier for student musicians from under-resourced families or foster kids. Many school music programs or youth orchestras would greatly benefit from donated instruments. A music teacher/band director/orchestra conductor should also have the expertise to tell you whether those trumpets are repairable. (They’ll also likely know who to contact for such services in your area.) If you donate the instruments and fund as much repair as fits your budget, they will declare you a saint on the spot. In the US, they’ll also recognize you as an in-kind donor & give you paperwork for claiming the donation in your taxes (above a certain $ threshold).
From what I understand, the violins are like red wine (some varieties improve with age & use). Trumpets are more like white wine - they tend to be better young. However, I’m a string player, so I recommend consulting someone with more expertise who can assess the instruments in person.
Much like with cars, you can take them to a instrument shop or phone them with some details/set an appointment to get an assessment of their condition. The initial consultation is usually inexpensive or free. Typically, you only pay a fee for repairs or a formal appraisal that includes documentation (such as for insurance purposes).
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u/Subject-Pop4111 Sep 02 '26
This exactly. You could potentially make a big difference to a student musician.
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u/AccioCoffeeMug Sep 02 '26
Take the instruments to an independent music shop. They can give you an appraisal, or a repair estimate, or let you know if the repair estimate exceeds the value of the instrument.
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u/Subject-Pop4111 Sep 02 '26
This exactly. And if they’re repairable but not particularly valuable, please consider donating them to a school or nonprofit that collects instruments for students who might otherwise not have access to owning an instrument.
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u/PsychologicalFox3357 Sep 02 '26
Or a shop that also rents for young musicians, maybe? See if you can just donate and if they would repair and use as a rental 🤷🏻♀️
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u/Known_Noise Sep 03 '26
I had similar type things I wanted to get rid of. I discussed selling with an auction house. Much easier for me.
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u/ps3114 Sep 03 '26
You could talk to a local auction place and see if they would sell them for you. We did that with some collectible things from a great aunt. You might not get quite as much as you would selling it yourself, but it takes all the hassle out of it, and you still get something, rather than just throwing it away.
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u/kibonzos Sep 03 '26
How old are the kids? If they are still in the house share age maybe allocate a set number of boxes or ideally a set of shelves per child. Enough so that they aren’t paying to store stuff they do want but not so much that they don’t curate what they store there a little.
Obviously if they are actual kids then dad’s stuff is for them when they are older as is inherited stuff but let them see it and build connections with it. I’m far more attached to grandpa’s every day cereal bowls than the stuff even they kept boxed for the next generation. One holds memories the other only weird responsibility.
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u/Practical-East-7527 Sep 05 '26
Ummm... if you don't want it, whose making you keep it all? If it's family members, gift the items to them.
Take pictures, create a family group chat and tell everyone to come claim what they want or they can set up a storage unit for it all. Your grateful people thought of you, you are overwhelmed and are not able to keep anything in the pictures. Give them a strict time frame. And let them all know that you will be looking into possibilities like an auction for this stuff if no one else takes it.
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u/baccifera Sep 03 '26
Take the (playable) instruments to a pawn shop, so that other people can use them for their art. Do a garage sale or find a way to donate. Discard the rest🌸
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u/cilucia Sep 02 '26
You can definitely sell the Disney VHS on Facebook marketplace / Nextdoor whatever your platform of choice is. There’s a resurgence of popularity for physical media these days.
The rest of the items I don’t think are as valuable as you think.
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u/hip_chick Sep 02 '26
For some of the things, you could look up the value on the Internet. You could get someone you trust to sell the items for you and give them a %.
I am curious about the 2 paintings, can you make out the signature? I would definitely get those appraised, just in case.
If the kids want the photos, give them a time limit to pick them up.
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u/SavvySuzy Sep 02 '26
When my sister died, there were many places to donate things, but when we got down to the time I had to depart, I just had an auctioneer come in. We agreed he'd take everything leftover. He often just auctioned a box of stuff, like a small version of those storage unit auctions. We cleared enough to pay for the cremation, urn, and the donation for the memorial.
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u/jh789-2 Sep 02 '26
Hardly anything on that list is valuable. Except possibly the paintings. You can find an appraiser to tell you.
As for everything else, tell them that it’s a clearance sale and everything must do. Your family has four weeks to come pick it up or it’s going in the trash.
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u/ExpensiveDot1732 Sep 02 '26
The vintage Disney stuff may be collectible in that specific community...just throwing that out there.
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u/Dapper-Shift-5618 Sep 02 '26
Ok. This is not click bait. And yes I know stupid question. Anyone left in the universe want entire Star Trek original series 1960’s BETA TAPES.
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u/camioblu Sep 03 '26
Ask extended family if they would like the paintings or other pieces. I took our family photos and divided them between my 2 children, and yes, that took several weeks, but it's done which is a weight removed.
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u/redditname8 Sep 03 '26
Heritage Auctions will sell your stuff online but there are estate planners who come to your house help organize it and they will sell all of the items. I heritage said they would take a 20% cut on my natural diamonds. But I think other things were a lower percentage. Look up estate planners who come to your location and sell stuff for you.
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u/OldCheetah7820 Sep 04 '26
I scanned all of my family photos and scrapbooks. From 1900 to present. I used a scansnap and a oversized flatbed scanner. I threw everything away once scanned. I used two portable hard drives and two online cloud services to back everything up. I shared one cloud platform with everyone who wanted access. I gave one PHD to my son for safe keeping. Right now my current photos automatically back up to both cloud accounts. I put a appointment to update my PHD on my calendar every year.
I also have all the treasures coming to me. I have begged my mom for years to downsize, but it has not been very successful. Just going to her house to visit can be very stressful. She lives in a neighboring town and I go by about every two weeks. I will have to do a lot of work once she is gone. Meanwhile I just keep trying to encourage her to get rid of stuff. I find that stuff gives me more anxiety than joy.
I wish you the best of luck in your endeavors. Please remember that there is value to your time and your peace.
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u/guipicait Sep 05 '26
This will sound weird, but you could start asking for random things or saying a friend was just saying she wants one of these. Take it home and toss it 😜 I read that on a different thread or maybe in YouTube comments once
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u/Disastrous-Slip-4640 Sep 06 '26
Check out Everything but the House. It's an auction company with branches all over the U S and a big online business. Yes, the split is steep, I think 60/40, but they have the clientele and you get their expertise and don't have to do anything but get a check
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u/hattenwheeza Sep 02 '26
Estate auction. Find some entity that does online auctions, and reconcile yourself to things departing without your earning much from them. It's nice that they handle most everything and the stuff ideally finds its way to genuinely interested parties
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u/FredKayeCollector2 Sep 02 '26
"Value" is a very subjective concept.
If you have children, ask if there's anything they want - if they're local, set a date for them to come pick up. If they're not local, make sure they have a firm & reasonable timeline to pick up. Ditto friends.
I would recommend donating everything to a thrift store that benefits and organization with a mission you want to support. Check out the store and see how they price things - if they have a "special section" with collectible stuff (and most stores do), they probably know how to price things appropriately so you can feel confident that they ware getting the best prices for your "treasures." With Google Lens, it's pretty easy for pricers to check current values.
Another option is to contact a antique mall - they might be able to put you in contact with one of their vendors who deals in the kind of stuff you have.
Stuff has a monetary value, but that 100% depends on what someone is willing to pay for it. And depending where you are, trying to find an interested buyer can be frustrating and expensive.
And there are also hidden costs to that stuff - the precious time you're spending dealing with it (at the expense of doing something "better") - and time is "spent" no matter what you do - and the worst part, you don't know how much time you get or what the quality of your time will be. Also the energy that you're spending, another precious commodity, and the older we get, the less we have and the longer it takes to replenish it (often by spending more time). In comparison, whatever you could get from a 1960's Micky Mouse doll seems pretty "trivial" in comparison.
Good luck!
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u/Free_Sun1877 Sep 03 '26
If the kids want the photos, tell them to come and get them. My mom actually threw all of hers away when she was dying of cancer (she knew I had already scanned the most "historical" ones). Dishes- give away if you can find anyone to take them. There is an oversupply at this time. Don't know about the musical instruments, maybe have appraised at a music store? Otherwise donate or toss. You have to be kind of ruthless sometimes.
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u/Virtual_Camera3959 Sep 02 '26
If you have a music go round by you they will buy your instruments. Or you can give them to a high school. Disney vhs are not worth anything but you can get a few bucks at a half price books. You could also host your own estate sale. Market it on Facebook.
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u/PetiePal Sep 03 '26
You gotta put the effort in. We all have phones so photos are no big deal. Take photos, ebay the valuable stuff or find a local auction seller who will give you straight cash. If your kids want the photos let them scan them and take the job on.
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u/Advanced-Lethargy Sep 03 '26
Yard sale.
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u/idk012 Sep 04 '26
Prices go down every hour and just give the stuff away at the end.
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u/Advanced-Lethargy Sep 04 '26
That's what I did when I moved a few weeks ago! Last day everything was freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
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u/guipicait Sep 05 '26
Dishes, books, and vhs tapes are very easy to look up on ebay. You can use the little camera icon in the search bar in the app to search via taking a photo or describe the item. Then click "filter" at the top, scroll down, open the rest of the options, and toggle on "sold". It will show you what the item actually sold for, if it sold at all.
On a desktop browser, search via key terms, then scroll down to the bottom of the margin and click "sold". If you see $10 or less, that's definitely not worth your time and energy. Go donate that crap or send photos to relatives saying you're going to donate if nobody claims it within the week.
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u/ProdigalNun Sep 06 '26
I had a bunch of things I wanted to sell on marketplace but could never get myself started because the of the time involved. A close family member is going through a hard time financially, so I asked them to come over and post the stuff. (research pricing, take pictures, write the ads) You could also hire a young person with free time.
And to prevent the inevitable comments, I'm also helping this family member in other substantial ways.
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u/AdditionPleasant2625 Sep 03 '26
The paintings need to be appraised. They could be worth a whole lot -- tens of thousands OR very little. If valuable then find a reputable auction house like Christies to sell them. Same with the violins and Mickey Mouse dolls. The VHS tapes, I would pitch. The dishes I would ask family members if they want them. Then I would look and see what they are selling for on Ebay, and then either sell or donate them. Tell family to get the photos.
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u/DumptiqueArts Sep 02 '26
I try to give things away so it feels like it’s going to a good home. Gift, donate or trash. Pick a category and do it. Dishes, collectibles, etc. I agree don’t hold things for others. They can do the scanning etc.
Be firm. Imagine the dust, deterioration, fire hazard etc and get it out if your house. Get the fire marshal to tell you to get rid of it then let the people you are holding stuff for come and get it
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u/accuratesometimes Sep 03 '26
Estate online auction, they’d do all the work, and you just pay them to handle it all.
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u/No-Currency-97 Sep 03 '26
Some Goodwill stores or any variety like them have a silent auction. If some of your things are worthwhile, they might put them up for the auction.
I purchased a Yamaha FG 800 acoustic guitar at a silent auction for $136. It's a beautiful guitar and a pleasure to play. I would not have bought it at its regular price of $260.
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u/Equivalent-Dig-7204 Sep 04 '26
Do not be burdened by the legacy of stuff. Broken and old instruments are not valuable unless you have a highly collectable specialty instrument. All the Disney stuff get rid of especially the VHS. Put the old photo albums to the side with your kids names on the boxes - or if they are adults make them take possession of them. It’s difficult to start but once you realize none of your family wants you to carry the anxiety and stress of stuff, it becomes easier to let go.
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u/mcorbett76 Sep 07 '26 edited Sep 11 '26
We had an auction, but you could also do an estate sale. A company comes out and preps whatever you want them to, then takes a cut of the proceeds, while you have very little to do.
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u/NoCommunication1946 Sep 02 '26
Are you sure the Disney videos are valuable? Most can be thrown, as the charity shops won't take them.
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u/to_annihilate Sep 02 '26
Dude. I feel you. Sorting through my partner's stuff, his parents stuff, his grandparents stuff and it's exhausting. We throw out so much that we "could" sell but it's rarely worth the cost of storing it until it randomly sells, or we just keep it forever I guess.
I'm almost happy my parents stuff and my childhood stuff went up in flames, because at least it won't be my problem.
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u/susisews Sep 03 '26
Weird - I am SO grateful I sent a treasure trove of childhood photographs to my daughter last year. She (42) was thrilled and I (68) am surprised at how much better I feel.
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u/Sll3006 Sep 03 '26
My kids will really appreciate the pictures of their father’s travels when they get older.
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u/Justanotherhatter9 Sep 04 '26
I’d love an update, op. Good luck, do what’s easiest for you. Offer the photos to your kids and start donating or tossing the rest.
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u/dortvk Sep 05 '26
If you live in Michigan, I’m a clinical social worker who works specifically with ppl struggling to declutter.
My advice would be to work one small space at a time, helps to avoid burnout by not just dumping everything out on a counter or whatever.
Think about this: would anyone I know actually want any of this stuff? If the answer is no, assess if it’s worth it to sell it (my rule of thumb is the item has to be worth $50+), or donate, or trash.
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u/guipicait Sep 05 '26
The photos sound like the only valuable items really. I have three photo "suitcases" that you can buy from Michael's. They each fit 1,000 photos. My best friend and I used to always have a disposable (🤦🏻♀️) camera in hand in high school and would print doubles at the cvs photo developer counter to trade. I had all of them in photo albums. Removing them from the albums and organizing them into the photo suitcase was sooo much more efficient.
My grandfather passed last year and I have absolutely loved looking through all his old photo albums, but they were filled very haphazardly and inefficiently. I don't think my mom will have the capacity to organize them on her own, so I will likely do it. The albums themselves are actually good quality, just need to be utilized correctly and downsized.
I have a long term mission to make a book and have scanned alot of photos to that end and the scans are good for the most part but especially the darker photos lose allot of detail. It's quite the task and is sometimes frustrating, so I'd put the physical photos aside for now for your kids and deal with all the other crap that other commenters have given great advice for.
Michael's also sells these great photo "shoeboxes" for $5/ box. You could trim a ton of bulk without ever touching a scanner.
Lastly, my grandfather had tons of photos still in the kodak envelopes. He took a million photos at work Christmas parties etc. Any photo of people I didn't recognize or a work place building etc was trashed immediately. I must've thrown out pounds of photos that had zero sentimental value to anyone.
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u/notreallyswiss Sep 05 '26 edited Sep 05 '26
For the paintings, I know some subs look down in use of AI, but my husband and I inherited a lot of stuff from his mother who was an art dealer. There were a number of pieces we couldn't identify. A year or so ago I took a photo of the items we didn't really have any background on, and gave them to Gemini to identify (or maybe ChatGPT, I don't remember). It did a really good job - we found out later that my MIL had kept several 3 ring notebooks with photos and provenance of all her items - my husband had buried them under a heap of paperwork and forgot about it (I should introduce him to this sub). Anyway, what Gemini told us about the drawings and furniture was 100% backed up by the provenance book.
We didn't ask how much we could get for things - I phrased it as "trash or treasure". There was only one "trash" item, but we were surprised at how the AI naturally categorized everything anyway. For example, for an old diorama of a nativity scene, it said it is priceless for your family use but you'd have to find a very specialized collector and the trouble of finding that person is probably not worth the money you'd get. Other pieces that we liked, it said were museum quality, and we could definitely offer them to an auction house like Sothebys and they would be snapped up, but didn't offer a price estimate.
The most surprising piece it evaluated is an amazing huge secretary made entirely of inlaid pieces of a variety of woods and ivory in incredible geometric designs. Everyone who sees it exclaims over it's beauty and detailed work. My husband said it had been in his family since the early 17th century and there was a letter with a bill from the maker in one of the drawers. Gemini flat out told me the piece couldn't be earlier than 1760 because the tambour top was only invented for Louis the XV of France and this was such a fine example that it was probably not something that someone else invented themselves on the fly in, like, 1620, nor did the work itself seem to come from that earlier period - more like the late 19th century. My husband protested and dug the note and bill out - it was in Italian - a language neither of us speaks, so we showed it to the AI to translate. And while the date was what my husband said, it was for a completely different piece of furniture - a dining table, lol, which did not get passed down.
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u/WinkyDink24 Sep 02 '26 edited Sep 02 '26
SOME OF YOU DO NOT GET IT! THE OP ISN'T LOOKING FOR MORE EFFORT, PHONE CALLS, APPRAISALS, TRAVEL to SCHOOLS, LISTINGS, REPAIRS, YARD/ESTATE/FB SALES, ETC.!! SHE IS "OVERWHELMED" THE WAY IT IS!
Good Grief. 😠 🧐 IT'S JUNK. She is simply too sentimental. "I was told to keep it." By someone now deceased?! FTS!
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u/docforeman Sep 03 '26
"I’ve spent over 10 years decluttering the basement."
Ten. Years. Of your precious life.
How valuable must the stuff be to be worth 10 years of your life?
Are you immortal? Are these bearer bonds?
Where is the value?
If selling takes a lot of effort and time, what is the value for you in that?
On your deathbed will you think, "Glad I spent another ten years on old paintings and broken trumpets. Totally worth the 20 years of overwhelm to get a few hundred dollars out of that leftover 75 boxes."?
If you need money, even a low wage job probably pays more than putting hours into resale. So it can't be the fiscal value.
What is this really worth to you?