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Progress on the Home Front, Choosing to Donate

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Just popped in to say that I am still hard at work emptying the house to ready it for sale.  After the garage was filled I was lying awake one night and wondering why it was I felt I needed to have a yard sale.  Previously when I decluttered all of the goodies were given to charity shops, the church, and thrift stores.  It felt good to unload and know that other people would get some benefit from my donations.

So why did I want to have a yard sale this time?  I guess it was feeling that in making this next move, a little extra cash would come in handy.  Or maybe I was trying to hold onto the past. Changes, even ones I initiate, can be hard to accept.

That's when I realized that all of the extra stressors were making me feel a little "less than."   So I decided to can the yard sale idea and go back to giving all the stuff away.

It's hard to let go, but time is in short supply and more valuable than using it to organize yard sales that might not draw in the cash buyers. Private sales through Craigslist are another option, but around here the site is crowded in that it's hard to get noticed once you are 8 or more pages deep in the day's listings and more often than not, the person never shows up.  In the end, the scales were weighed and donating it all was the verdict.

When it's all over and done with I hope to look back at this stressful time and chalk it up to experience. It's not easier to give it all away, especially with the sadness over the years of memories invested in the stuff. There are items from my Mom and her Mom that I'd rather keep if I had the space and the will to dust, but they aren't precious to me in the way the people are precious.  It's all stuff and it could be gone in an instant if a fire or tornado had struck.  Still, it's the person's spirit which endures after all the china, books, knick knacks, and so on have disappeared.  I'd trade it all for more time with them.

It's almost not funny, but the employees at the Goodwill drop off center recognize me.  They are happy to get the boxes and bags and have a little chat.  Later this week Habitat for Humanity is coming to pick up furniture, tools, and appliances.  I'll have more for them to pick up as the time to move gets closer.  

One of the tips I read somewhere was to photograph the item and then give it away.  I might try that. You could never call me a hoarder, that's for sure!  It's going to be so Zen around here when it's all neat and tidy once again.  Ommmmmm

See you soon...

6 comments :

Linda said...

yes, you are very busy, but it all will be worth it. When it is all over and done with you will take a big sigh of relief and a well deserved pat on the back. Good for you...

Magic Love Crow said...

Good for you Gloria! I am proud of you! We've had a couple of garage sales, but sometimes I wonder if it's all worth it? Some people can be nasty! I love to give to Goodwill too! The people there appreciate it and your mom and grandmom are smiling, because you are helping people out ;O) Hugs ;o)

Miss Val's Creations said...

Good for you Gloria. It really does feel good to give things away to charities. I love the idea of taking photos of a cherished item before donating it. I will remember that one!

My dad volunteers at the local Habitat restore so I will have him go through my things to see what they could use when that time comes for me. That charity is amazing. My brother is a foreman for them and works on homes every Saturday.

Lucy said...

It is so hard to move and declutter I can only imagine how daunting the idea of a sale was to you.
As far as letting go, yeah, it is hard,even if you are not a hoarder. I tend to think I am good at keeping things to a minimum and yet I still find I have more than I need AND memories attached AND so hard to let it slide out of my home. I totally understand your emotions. So glad to hear you are continuing to make forward progress, I know you have some hiccups on the way.

Lucy from Lucy's Reality

Robin said...

Good for you Gloria. Nothing is worse than hanging onto "things" that will just move and move in boxes to a location where the box cannot be emptied. I have not had a "permanent" home in two years. In the beginning downsizing was easy, thought of a garage sale, but charity came and that was a good choice. You are making so much progress, and I know how hard it can be. Once you settle in and have your necessities you can just move in, leave the past behind and make YOUR new life. Then each new thing that comes into YOUR new home will really mean something special to you. You've been in my thoughts and I just wanted to come by and check on you, not leave a novel :)) Big big hugs!

AntiquityTravelers said...

oh good for you! I have held on to only a few items .... but I donate regularly, and I admit it feels great! something that will only just gather dust for me, might actually go to some good use for someone else.