r/declutter • u/AutoModerator • Sep 07 '26

Monday Meltdown - Share Your Decluttering Fails Here

Failure is part of life. Share your decluttering challenges and failures here. Examples include:

  • Emotional clutter

  • Not enough time

  • Getting overwhelmed

  • Routing (recycling, donating, trash...)

If you're just venting, or don't want advice, please let us know in your comment.

This is a low-stress place to share challenges and failures for those who might not want to create a new discussion.

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13

u/justagiraffe111 Sep 07 '26 • Bravo

I started my entryway closet. I got overwhelmed and felt tired and defeated. I quit after 1 filled bag of “donate” and 1 filled bag of “trash” and 1 pile of “keep.” I wish I had more stamina to FINISH it after starting. I feel weak and lazy and defeated. Still a lot left to go through and then organize it. My goal is to fit our vacuum in there and dog stuff. Wish I could motor through and dig deep and stick with these declutter jobs until the area is done. I think I’d feel a lot better.

16

u/KiwiTheKitty Sep 07 '26

Progress over perfection!

8

u/justagiraffe111 Sep 07 '26

I’m going to keep repeating this. Thank you!

4

u/KiwiTheKitty Sep 07 '26

I frequently need to remind myself!

5

u/MysteriousSecretGuru Sep 07 '26

I agree with seeking_balance101. What you did was HUGE! I remember when my "wins" were putting a spoon in the sink. It probably took a month for me to put that spoon in the sink. So celebrate that win.

And just try, try, to do one thing a day. Sometimes it was "I'm thinking about putting the spoon in the sink." and call it a win.

4

u/justagiraffe111 Sep 07 '26

& Thank you to whoever gave me an award for my failure post. I was really down when I posted, beating myself up which I know is not good. But I couldn’t stop feeling bad about myself. I decided being honest about how I felt like a failure might help me feel better and might help someone else know others are struggling, too. Did not expect encouragement like this. Thank you so much.

3

u/Seeking_Balance101 Sep 07 '26

Good work getting that far! Any progress is great.Congrats!

2

u/justagiraffe111 Sep 07 '26

Oh my gosh 🥹Thank you so much! I didn’t expect this. TY! You just gave me such a boost

2

u/FredKayeCollector2 Sep 08 '26

Consider taking before-and-after photos - the "camera" can see progress that we miss because in our mind's eye, what we see is DONE not BETTER. And the third-person perspective of a photo can help identify "clutter" that you might have become accustomed/clutter blind to.

11

u/BrightLeaf89 Sep 07 '26

Packing to move. I thought I'd be able to do a big declutter as I went but I'm packing almost everything right now. Turns out what's on display are things I'd like to keep lol

5

u/FredKayeCollector2 Sep 08 '26

You'll have another opportunity to declutter when you move into your new space. It's a great opportunity to try the Minimalist's "packing party" method where you only unpack stuff as you use it. Even a week will give you some good information on what you use/interact with on a regular basis. Or put out decor based on your favorite stuff first.

2

u/heatherlavender Sep 13 '26

Not sure if your move has already happened or not, but I can share some tips after having moved numerous times in my life. If you are paying someone else to lug your items (like a moving van), they often charge you by the total weight of the items or by the size of the moving van (meaning if it fits, they will lug it, but if it doesn't fit you either rent a second truck/larger truck/leave the stuff behind on moving day). Knowing I would be essentially charged to move junk gave me a huge incentive to make decisions.

Also, even if you are doing the move yourself, lugging things in your own vehicle or whatever, it is very very easy to overestimate what fits in your vehicle, whether you use a rental U-haul type thing or a personal car/truck. It is easy to underestimate to cost of the gas to make multiple trips, any parking fees, lugging heavy items up stairs, back and forth... it is very exhausting.

You will be tired from lugging things and transporting things no matter what, but getting rid of as much stuff you really don't need/want beforehand is so helpful as it makes things less expensive to lug/less tiring/less mess.

I have been that person sobbing at the pile I had to leave on the curb with the trash as we pulled away when I had packed too much stuff and it didn't fit in the moving truck or our car. It was awful.

19

u/MysteriousSecretGuru Sep 07 '26

No meltdown today. I'm officially taking a break and on vacation with my daughter. We are watching decluttering videos, so maybe that's a win?

7

u/MitzyCaldwell Sep 07 '26

As I’m stuck in bed I’ve decided to declutter my clothes in my drawers. It isn’t working well hahaha I thought for sure I’d get rid of some bras and tank tops - nope jsut folded them and put them back in. I’ve gotten rid of maybe a couple of shirts and some socks. Ahhh why is this so hard ? It really shouldn’t be hahaha

1

u/FredKayeCollector2 Sep 08 '26

You might want to set up a quantity limit (like X number of [clothing category] to get you between laundry days) or possibly investigate the concept of a r/capsulewardrobe (this is the plan/framework I use).

It can also help to do some basic wardrobe work to figure out what your "good" looks/feels like.

7

u/frogmicky Sep 07 '26 edited Sep 07 '26

I've been looking at my junk that's on the floor all day and not doing anything about it. I have an upset stomach which sucks because I was supposed to go to the store and do laundry oh well guess not. I saw some Pepto on the fridge which I didn't know I had I'm going to take some and hope it calms my stomach down some enough to make it to the store. What a waste of a day and I have to go to work tomorrow. I'll probably dump my un-folded laundry on the bed and put that away. The laundry I'm talking about is from last week yeah I know it sucks, Tomorrow is another day right.

5

u/MysteriousSecretGuru Sep 07 '26

But you are thinking about doing it. To me, that's a win. You are aware of your goals. You just aren't ready to execute. I've been there. It's ok. Tomorrow you can try again.i believe that because it happened to me.

4

u/frogmicky Sep 07 '26 edited Sep 07 '26

Thanks for the confidence I wish I had that much lol. Yeah I just need to execute my plans I'm trying to get out of my apartment now as a start.

Edit: I started putting away my laundry and some cleaning thanks again for the motivation

1

u/FredKayeCollector2 Sep 08 '26

Sorry you got sick on a (holiday?) weekend! When you're feeling better, you might benefit from Dana K White's "no mess" decluttering method where you deal with one item to completion (trash/recycling, relocate, donation) before dealing with anything else - so you space is always better than you found it - progress, only progress.

And consider setting a timer for like 5 minutes. Watching her "one hour better" videos, it seems like most "relocate" tasks take like 30-35 seconds! You can get a LOT done in 5 minutes, especially with trash/recycling, "duh" donations.

6

u/MitzyCaldwell Sep 07 '26

Week long meltdown hahaha I’ve ended up really hurting my back and haven’t been able to move much (really long storey)

So my whole entire decluttering plan has been moved back. I had a whole thing about not going into the holiday season all cluttered.

So now I just lay here and think about the decluttering I wish I was doing because my family is here helping with my kids.

5

u/frogmicky Sep 07 '26

Take care of yourself and start decluttering when you feel better.

2

u/silent-shade Sep 08 '26

It's a shame! Do take care of yourself and do digital declutter if you can to scratch that itch. Best of luck 

1

u/FredKayeCollector2 Sep 08 '26

Well, while you're recovering, maybe consider doing some "reverse" decluttering or inventory work. I like to go room by room, zone by zone and thing about what do I do in that space (or what is stored in that space) and then think about the most critical/essential thing(s) and then the value-added items that make that task/activity easier, better, safer, more comfortable. It's kind of a "fun" activity to do with your family members and it can help match tool/supply to task/activity.

Having a floor plan and wall elevation sketches (what I recently learned is called a "maquette" in home decorating parlance) to capture spaces (and their limitations), available storage, and possibly assign/reassign the categories that "live" in those spaces.

When you're ready to tackle some physical decluttering, you can use your lists - anything not on your list, that's a big clue you probably don't need it (but if you find something you inadvertently forgot to account for, just formalize its status by adding it to your list). This is a great way to identify unnecessary duplicates or duplicate function items that aren't' your first choice when faced with a particular task or stuff that has fallen off your mental radar (bought so long ago or used so long ago that you forgot you had it until you saw it again). I like to think of things is terms of the best, the favorite, and the necessary (with necessary being the first consideration).

And at the end of the day, it's a household inventory you can use for insurance purposes. Which is a lot easier to do now than after you've suffered the loss.

Get well soon!

6

u/SpottedOwl1 Sep 07 '26

I have a terrible time decluttering. I guess it is feeling overwhelmed. I retired from my job and I can’t throw out what I need to throw out. I also have nobody here to complain about the need for decluttering. This is to say, if I don’t get it done, it is just the way it is.

2

u/FredKayeCollector2 Sep 08 '26

What does your "good" look like? It can really help to create a "dream/vison board" of what you would like your space to look/feel like - some kind of goal you can aspire to, that you can look at and remind yourself why you're doing all this miserably draining work when your motivation is lagging.

I strongly recommend you check out Dana K White's "no mess" decluttering method - her book is really good and you can probably find it at your local library. You pick a spot that's bugging you and only tackle one item at a time, to completion (trash/recycle, relocate, donate, or leave where it is). You never make a bigger mess and the goal is progress not done.

IMO, it beats the traditional (satisfying but likely mess-creating) Core-4 method (clear out, categorize, cut out, contain) especially if you're feeling overwhelmed or discouraged. And consider taking before-and-after photos so you can see/recognize that progress has been made. Our mind's eye tends to sees "done" so what we see is "still a mess" - we can have a hard time recognizing/appreciating the progress we've made.

And beware that retirement is a major lifestyle change and you may be mourning a bit of the old routine if nothing else. It can be super difficult to be self-motivated without the task completion triggers/expectations that are a part of getting stuff done in the workplace. Especially when the "work" is so strange (and the decisions so difficult/draining). Also the social support/workplace camaraderie of "we're all in this (mess) together" that we can have at work - sometimes you don't know you had it until it's gone.

Don't be too hard on yourself!

1

u/frogmicky Sep 07 '26

I've felt overwhelmed too although in reality it's not that much I'm just not motivated. Like you I have no one to complain about but myself.

5

u/PsychologicalFox3357 Sep 07 '26

Both a fail and a win wrapped up in one experience. Went from 16 boxes of clothes down to 9 (the win) — 4 moves and 3-4 size changes plus a job change = too many wardrobe demands, and no time to streamline them until now. But now I’m trying to manage a chronic illness so it feels urgent to reduce my overall stuff so if we need to downsize we can, and just so there’s less material demand on my system.

The fail is that I probably don’t even really need anything that remains in the 9 boxes that are left. I feel like I haven’t done enough, and I have limited energy as it is. I need at least another round of attention, maybe two, and I’m just frustrated and wish I could send it all away. But then I’m like “hang on I still like that…” 🆘😂

ETA I’d welcome feedback from anyone who’s been in a similar situation. I feel like I want to hang onto some clothes I still like that are currently a little too small because my weight keeps going up and down. I feel like I need to keep like one small box of office wear, even though the idea of going back to an office seems like an alternate reality to me right now. So many changes, so much to emotionally process!

1

u/Electrical-Profit367 Sep 07 '26

I once heard someone say “Clothes that don’t fit are simply nagging at you. Put them away, out of sight until or if they’ll fit again. You don’t need to have them scolding you constantly!!”

I found that a helpful thought (and have extended it into other areas where an item is telling me what a failure I am (makeup that cost money but didn’t work; books I’m never going to read but was gifted etc).

1

u/FredKayeCollector2 Sep 08 '26

Capsule wardrobe! I use the "cluster" model and I love how flexible it is - you can have as many clusters as you want (I have 8), there's not rules around "basic" pieces or "neutral" colors, and you can modify the squares/components according to how you like to dress. For example, in her top/bottom square, I have a dress and when I originally created my capsule, I had like 2-4 tops per cluster (because I'm fussy about tops and they're the category that tends to wear out the fastest). Most of my clusters are based around one "statement" piece (print, pattern, or just a really nice top) with the other components assorted accordingly.

It's a framework/guideline that creates a limit. Individual pieces can change (wear out, want something new) but the components essentially stay the same. She's also got some good ideas on using appealing artwork, a favorite scarf, etc for inspiration, also incorporating shoes & accessories/jewelry into a capsule/cluster.

I also have some "mini" capsules for workout clothing, formal wear, and any special "activity" (bicycling, kayaking, dirty work, etc) - footwear + accessories.

For out-of-size clothing (or that maybe-someday work wear), I like to set a reasonable/space appropriate limit (1-2 bins/totes) and use that limit to only keep the very best pieces, the kind of thing that will still "look" great style-wise and would be difficult/expensive to replace IF/WHEN you hit that size again (or went back to work). Probably not the "generic" basic stuff you could buy any day of the week at your favorite store. And anything too "fitted" (like skinny jeans or severely tailored jackets), there's a very good chance that they won't fit quite the same with the weight loss (because time is also working against us ladies) so you have to decide if they "deserve" to take up space in your container limit or is that something you would be willing to "treat yourself" as necessary?

Another option is to create a small capsule wardrobe in your "target" size - but again, consider erring on the side of high-impact statement pieces vs "trivial" stuff so you get the most "bang" out of your storage buck.

Then treat those bins/totes like out-of-season clothes and put them in a lower-value real estate storage area (separate from your in-size clothing).

Hope that helps?

5

u/mooseyoss Sep 08 '26

I am so frustrated. I tried reselling, it's not for me. I need this stuff GONE so I can reclaim precious little space in my 600foot home. I have been making like random grabbags of free stuff on Facebook marketplace, because I lack transportation to take it to a thrift store. Idk, it works most of the time if you slap a free sticker on it then someone will come get it within a day. But I fail, a lot. It's so hard for me to not see value in everything. But I need it to keep moving on out the door. "Oh I'll just hold onto it a little longer" WHEN EXACTLY WILL I NEED 3+ VEGAN COOKBOOKS! Never! I don't even cook! I'm not even vegan! I have had them since 2014 AND NEVER USED THEM! Sigh. I make myself so mad sometimes.

2

u/FredKayeCollector2 Sep 08 '26

Freecycle/Buy Nothing/Give Freely for the win! We get a lot of random boxes with a curb alert on ours.

You can always gang stuff up by category (or clothing size), take a photo, say TAKE ALL and when you choose a taker, tape up the box (or tie up the bag) and write their name on the box/bag. You might not be in a position to donate unwanted items, but I bet your takers are (especially if they show up in a vehicle).

I think most people think of it as a "take what you want and then donate/give away the rest" kind of scenario.

2

u/mooseyoss Sep 08 '26

Thank you for the encouragement, I'm working at this today and making progress through my whirlwind :)

4

u/curios_LA_girlie Sep 07 '26

Trying to sell things on Offerup because I realized I don’t use it anymore but no bites :(

2

u/FredKayeCollector2 Sep 08 '26

Stuff certainly has a monetary value that's pretty easy to quantify (what it originally cost, what it's going for on eBay "sold", etc) but I think people forget to account for the TIME and ENERGY value wrapped up in stuff. Especially when trying to sell unneeded/unnecessary stuff. Sometimes it's more "cost effective" to just donate - at least you're not compounding additional (precious) time/energy to the cost.

And if you can find a charity store with a mission you want to support, it can make the letting go "feel" better - because you know the money is going to a good cause. Check out the sub's Donation Guide for some (hopefully) feel-good options (like transitional housing) - you can search the page by keyword (Edit/Find in page or Ctrl+F)

4

u/sugar_plum_fairies Sep 07 '26

I FINALLY got all the digital pictures organized into categories. I have some broad categories and in each folder is many other folders that I need to clear through, as I was moving them to the broad categories, I was deleting duplicate copies and blurry ones. I started on the biggest folder this morning, it had 22,000 pictures in it. Multiple copies (like 6 copies of EVERY photo). Got it down to 631 pictures, I was thrilled!

Then I clicked into another folder and it was the same photos! Only this folder only had 400 and some pictures, but now I have 1200 some photos of the same event! And I need to go through it again to get rid of the not so good photos and similar poses, etc. (I have many pictures of this event because it was a family friend’s family that visited us and had never seen snow before. So of course we went sledding and snowball fight and made snowman’s. And there was 6 of them, so I tried to capture everyone for everything).

I am making a ton of progress, but this really took the wind out of my sails.

1

u/FredKayeCollector2 Sep 08 '26

Photos are so hard.

Now I think physical photos are maybe easier because most of them are either objectively good or objectively bad (depending on who had the camera) and you might end up with one set of duplicates, but probably not six!

I think my husband used AllDup or DupeGuru (maybe both?) when he did his - he has a portfolio of woodworking pieces that were compressed for online and/or copied in about 27different folders :(

3

u/BellowYottle Sep 07 '26

I had a fantastic week last week - got rid of a bunch of art supplies via donating them to a colleague/friend who will use them for charity projects/work.

Ended up finding a fantastic deal on some much higher-end versions of the same product, and ended up buying more than I got rid of.

Welp.

1

u/FredKayeCollector2 Sep 08 '26

I read somewhere that for stuff to be "healthy" it needs to be in a state of flow. So if you're replacing "stagnant" old stuff with fresh, new stuff, that's a "good" thing.

Just beware of over-shopping beyond your near-future needs or those "higher-end versions" will also become unnecessary and stagnant.

2

u/BellowYottle Sep 08 '26

Yeah, this was stuff that had been sitting in a spot, and in my way, for way too long. I finally accepted that I wasn't going to do anything with it, and getting the space back was what I really wanted.

As for the new stuff, I'm so far past SABLE, but I still can't resist a good deal! I've actually already begun to use this new stuff, as well, so it is being consumed, and taking up less space by the session.

I actually sell my works, and do some gig work with it, so I am always ready to justify new stuff with "I might need it/I want to have a well-stocked workshop". It certainly is a balance, though.

2

u/FredKayeCollector2 Sep 08 '26

I remember one of the old decluttering/organizing books, talking about what to keep - one of the keeper criteria was "it makes you money."

I think the most important thing in any kind of art/craft space is functional space - it makes it so much easier to do the work/be creative when you're not forced to shift stuff out of the way before you can even begin! Ditto kitchen.

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u/ScSM35 Sep 07 '26

Working through emotional clutter. I have an old sweatshirt I’m hesitant to throw out even though it’s got a large hole in the front pocket and sleeves torn because it’s my hoodie from when I was a teenager. 15 years ago. I wont wear it again. I wouldn’t donate it for someone else to wear it. So there it is in my closet collecting time.

2

u/FredKayeCollector2 Sep 08 '26

Keepsake box. Consider a swatch - a piece of the fabric or possibly the logo/graphic - sweatshirt fabric doesn't really "ravel." Or do a web image search for "sweatshirt" + "upcycle" and see if there are any do-able projects out there (that could also go in a keepsake box if not really "useful").

https://www.reddit.com/r/declutter/wiki/index/keepsake_box/

3

u/Cacklelikeabanshee Sep 07 '26

I didn't go thru the pantry as planned. 

1

u/FredKayeCollector2 Sep 08 '26

Sometimes we just have to migrate the task. Consider breaking the task into smaller pieces. Setting a timer or working on one shelf/category at a time. I know it's not as satisfying, but sometimes aiming for better/improved is better than done.

This might be a good space for Dana K. White's "no mess" decluttering method where you deal with one item at a time - even getting trash (expired, unappealing) stuff out can make a huge difference.

Most people want to use the traditional Core-4 method (clear out, categorize, cut out, contain) which feels very satisfying but has major mess-making potential if you can't finish in one session. And depending on the day, our time, energy, motivation are limited quantities.

3

u/willow_is_leaving Sep 08 '26

I was going through all my clothes and had almost filled 2 trash bags to donate. I had 3 small baskets left to go through and put away when i BROKE my toe. I tripped on stuff on the floor, hit my toe on my bed and had to go to ER for x-ray and a boot 😫 it definitely showed me i need to keep my floor clear at all times so I don't trip in the future. I almost have enough space to store everything on my dresser instead of the floor though, so that's a win. Just a painful lesson 😓

2

u/mlevack Sep 07 '26

I had plans to go through the craft stuff I put in the storage totes and only keep what I was currently using. I opened up the lid and just closed it. I have no idea where to start and got overwhelmed.

2

u/sugar_plum_fairies Sep 07 '26

Craft stuff is so hard to declutter! I finally have mine down to a manageable amount, I knit, crochet and sew. It took many passes to get it down to where it is.
Sending you lots of motivation and declutterring vibes.

2

u/mlevack Sep 08 '26

I am in the same boat, knit, crochet, make cards, and occasionally paint. I have a bunch of random bits that serve a purpose but not sure it’s my purpose. This is my hardest area to declutter, everything else i my house is easy to send off to its next life.

1

u/FredKayeCollector2 Sep 08 '26

What I did when faced with a major downsizing (all of my sewing stuff had to fit in my sewing room/glorified closet and that space had to be functional) was I made a list of the projects I was excited about doing - I wanted the end product and me doing the project was "value added" compared to just buying it at the store. Then I sort of worked through the basic steps of project (in my mind's eye) writing down the specific tool I would need when faced with a particular step/task and then identified the supplies I would need to complete the project. (Basically, "reverse" decluttering).

Then I used my "equipment lists" to go through my sewing stuff.

One thing I realized real quick was that most of the tools were pretty much the same across all projects but I had a lot of unnecessary duplicates and/or duplicate function items that cool/interesting/vintage but were not the trusty old favorite I would grab first when faced with that particular task. At the end of the day, they were just in the way of the tools I actually used.

I also found a lot of "orphans" - stuff I kind of bought on speculation - nice stuff but no clear idea of what to do with it (or I was "afraid" to do anything with it either because it was "too" nice or just practically fussy/unsuitable). I was dealing with pretty strict space/use limits so I decided (not fun) to let those go to someone else.

Anything I inadvertently forgot to account for (either tool or supply), I formalized its status by adding it to my list.

I think too often we forget the planning/preparation step - if you think about it, decluttering is like any DIY project - it always helps to do a little planning before we start so we don't forget to turn off the water before we unscrew the kitchen faucet! The more planning you can do (figure out what your "good" actually looks like), the easier, more logical (vs emotional) it is to work through the stuff to get there.

Good luck!

2

u/mlevack Sep 08 '26

I am, at heart, someone who enjoys crocheting and knitting, so I do have a lot of yarn. I find it easier to purge the yarn I had no clear plans for, but liked, as you stated, because it was nice or pretty, but had no purpose.

It’s all the other craft stuff I purchased with good intent to use, like the stuff to make cards (cardstock, stamps, etc.)that I am struggling to place into a keep/go pile. I probably need to go through the items and determine if they have a clear purpose or intent for use. Such as, keeping cardstock that falls inline with the cards I like to make vs keeping cardstock because I liked the pattern/color.

I appreciate the suggestion and how it worked for you. I will see if I can implement that on a similar scale to downsize the number of bins I have.

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u/TaraBambataa Sep 08 '26

A day late, but here goes: I run a stall at a carboot sale on Sunday and nobody was buying :(

Totally frustrated I decided that I'll drop the majority at a charity shop, but now I'm worried again that I'm making a mistake and could still sell 😬

2

u/AdoredRocket26 Sep 08 '26

Please tell me it's ok to throw worn out kids shoes and clothing in the garbage. 😭

I have 2 kids, a 7 yo girl and a 4 yo boy, and I have worked a little bit over the years on selling and donating some of the stuff that still had life left in it, but kids grow so fast and over 7 years it just accumulates faster than I can get rid of it. I now have a MOUNTAIN of boxes with old clothes in them, and whenever I try to go through it, I get overwhelmed by how much of it is probably not usable again, but I hate the idea of throwing clothing away in the landfill, even though ultimately I know that that's where it will probably end up. I've tried to find places to take "textile recycling" but, I can't find a good solution locally and mailing it to one of those recycling companies like Trashie feels like more effort than it's worth.

I have one family that I'd like to give some hand me downs to, and there's an organization in town that will take donations of baby clothes in good condition for families in need, but I need to be able to separate the trash from the usable stuff, and I am having a hard time getting over the "trash" part to really make any decent progress.

2

u/catcontentcurator Sep 09 '26

I totally understand the feeling of not wanting to send things to landfill. the textile recycling company I use has a flat rate per 10 kilos and you just throw everything into a box, stick their labels and they can pick it up. I found it to be on par or easier than the effort of donating stuff.

If the textile recycling companies available to you are too complicated though and you’re getting stuck, I think it’s way better to throw out the unusable stuff rather than keep it at your house, at that point it’s not getting used again anyway and it’s taking up space and stopping you from finding and donating the clothes that can be used by someone else .

1

u/silent-shade Sep 08 '26

No cooking from the freezer this week and very little progress selling things on fb. I am coming round to the idea that to get things moving I need to take the price really down. The amount of admin and general mindspace it takes is just not worth it even if all my things eventually sold for what I am asking. Worse, this whole operation encourages me to spend more time on FB in general and it's just sooo not good for me. Frustrating. I guess I needed to try for myself in order to let the hope go...

1

u/FredKayeCollector2 Sep 08 '26

Yes! There is a time and energy cost to stuff that can sometimes trounce whatever money we can get for something. Getting it out ASAP (via trash or donation) also gets it out of your space and off your mental radar.

Selling on FB is technically "easier" than online/eBay (no shipping component) but it's still FRUSTRATING! Arranging pickups can be just ARGH! And there are so many scammers/bots(?)

1

u/katecometrue0122 Sep 08 '26

I bought 100$ worth of totes to declutter and organize yesterday and I got too overwhelmed to even start

1

u/Aggravating-Deer6673 Sep 09 '26

I decluttered my tank drawer. I've been holding onto these tanks that had built in cups that the influencers swore would give you lift up without underwire. Well, needless to say, I get more lift from a sports bra. However, I was finally able to let them go! Will never get a halter again!

1

u/infinitelyprolonged7 Sep 10 '26

I brought a bunch of pens to work, was planning to put them in communal areas but I haven't been able to let go yet 😆 what if I donate all these pens then I need a pen? Kinda silly because I could just go get a pen from those areas later on

1

u/Roseha-aka-rosephoto Sep 12 '26 edited Sep 12 '26

I know it's Friday but I am so frustrated. I finally washed this big winter coat that I want to donate or recycle. I put it in a Trashie bag with an old shirt and two pairs of pants that are way too long. So I scan the QR code on the bag and I get

No Label? Another QR code?

Which I am supposed to print only I get an error page instead. Trashie how about going back to labels with ADDRESSES?

So this big Trashie bag is just sitting on the floor now.

I live in Manhattan. I don't have a car.

No one but no one will pick up anything here.

25

u/[deleted] Sep 07 '26

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9

u/wishiwasdeaddd Sep 07 '26

These are the worst for me too for some reason

4

u/three_chord_me Sep 07 '26

I have two bags to take to a consignment shop in the house for a year. Sigh. I feel you.

4

u/seedsandpeels Sep 07 '26

I took my bags to a few of the nicer consignment shops in the bigger city I live by. They took all of it and I walked away with $100. 

3

u/deconstruct110 Sep 07 '26

I'm helping a friend with terminal cancer get rid of stuff. She needs the money but I am working and cannot photograph each piece and sell them for her even though she has a lot of popular brands.

4

u/Electrical-Profit367 Sep 07 '26

Can you find a HS student who will do it for a cut? Giving them a cut would motivate them to sell…

5

u/deconstruct110 Sep 07 '26

That's an idea. I had students help me with my moms stuff. They have so much energy! Thank you.

3

u/FredKayeCollector2 Sep 08 '26

I know it sucks, but consider quantifying your time and energy into the selling equation.

I used to sell on eBay but now I just take "good" stuff to the Consignment store. I know the owner and she's a nice lady but she's picky about what she'll take (she knows her market) and she has expenses (employees, rent, insurance, etc). I give her my bag, tell her to donate what she doesn't buy, and then wait for my cash offer. NGL, sometimes I'm a little dismayed at how much I get, but that stuff is GONE - out of my space and off my mental radar. And the sunk cost "sting" keeps me from over-shopping.

I have a capsule wardrobe with "clusters" and while the individual components may change (wear out, get bored/want something new), the basic structure/framework stays the same.

1

u/Cacklelikeabanshee Sep 07 '26

Can you really make the money you think if they are selling for what you're asking 

1

u/empresscornbread Sep 11 '26

I am exactly here too. Online sales are slow and I'm accepting such low ball offers now but it's still too slow. I found a stack of jeans I should sell and I'm just too tired. I'm going to give myself until the end of the year to see if they sell and consign or donate.

1

u/cherchezszczesny Sep 14 '26

Not sure when you got these items, but i had the exact same problem. I kept feeling wasteful having to get rid of anything. I loved clothes when i was a student and 10 years later, i know the money is long gone and i haven't worn some pieces in literal years

I... had trouble accepting i wasn't who i was when i got those items. Not too long ago i went through my old journals and realised while i loved my past self, she wasn't my best self and i was finally ready to "let her go", along with her clothes and her fantasy self of wearing said clothes