decluttering.....VHS tapes, stuffed animals

[Rock'n Robin]

I just put aside a boxful of VHS tapes. It includes all the Disney VHS that I have upgraded to DVD, plus some "Pooh" tapes (the kids don't care about Pooh at this point, sorry Pooh fans) and things like Blue's Clues, Elmo, etc. The youngest is 10 so it's time! But does anyone know where these can find a home? I am going to leave them out for Easter Seals when they do a collection next Thursday, and I've EMailed some people I know with little kids, but I feel like I'm trying to pawn off 8 track tapes or something.
On a related note, my girls have whittled down their stuffed animal collections...there are some old, barely touched stuffed animals but the resale place won't touch them. Since I watched "Toy Story" I can't just throw them out ! And I have 2 boxes of Beanie Babies. Any suggestions?
Robin M.

 

[WDWLVR]

Why not do a search for children's charities in your area. I bet there are places that would love to have them.

 

[Michelle67]

Ugh, VHS tapes and stuffed animals drive me bonkers. My kids have way too many of both! I keep getting rid of them, but I swear they breed when you aren't looking or something. My oldest daughter's boyfriend (actually his mom) thought they would be "nice" and gave my kids all their old videos. Naturally they didn't call and ask. The things just showed up at my house. Two big boxes of vhs tapes for me to have to find a place to put away. And of course my kids freaked out at the idea that they might not get to keep them all.

For the vids, try calling (or visiting) local hospitals, clinics, and doctor's offices. Not everybody is doing dvd quite yet, especially older established places that may still be using the same vcr they bought 15 years ago for the office. Personally, I pawned them all (or as many as I could smuggle out of the house) off on a friend who was having a garage sale. You could also watch for fundraising garage sales and donate them. The church across the street from our old house had them often, and the Safeway that my best friend works for has them a few times a year as part of their fundraising week for breast cancer, etc.

Call your local police department and the state patrol if the beanies are in good shape. Ours here carry a stuffed animal or two in every patrol car to give to small, frightened children at accident scenes, domestic violence scenes, etc.

 

[NAB]

All ours go to Good Will or Salvation Army stores. I have a ton of old paperback books I will have to get rid of this way too.

Couldn't even sell they at the garage sale last weekend. And the stuff animals, i tried doing the police thing ours wouldn't take them. They have a sponsor that gives them their bears.

 

[Rella Bella]

We donate my son's usable toys to a daycare for under privileged kids.
Before Christmas we gather up all the random unused or new condition Happy Meal toys, mini balls and small toys from various arcades and donate to them for stocking stuffers.

As for the videos... I would call your local children's hospital. When my godson was in every room had a vcr... and I would imagine they will be long switching to DVD than most of us.

 

[matthew&haleysmom]

I am glad I am not the only one with these problems. We will be going through DDs room tomorrow. I have prewarned her that we will be getting rid of some stuffed animals. She told me they are part of her family and I am killing her. We always donate them to our local children's hospital.

 

[christiane]

I would donate them to a Women's or Family Shelter.

 

[yeartolate]

I am having a garage sale tommorrow.

What doesn't sell (in terms of beanies and dvd/vhs) will be split between the hospital where I work and the Children's hospital. I am pricing them "high" so I think the hospitals will get a sizable donation.

 

[clh2]

I am having a garage sale tommorrow.

What doesn't sell (in terms of beanies and dvd/vhs) will be split between the hospital where I work and the Children's hospital. I am pricing them "high" so I think the hospitals will get a sizable donation.

I sold a bunch of vhs movies at a rummage sale last year. I sold them for $1.00 each, these were all our Disney movies, and other "regular" movies . My goal was to get rid of them. I quite honestly was surprised how many people still have a VCR. I confused though - why price them so high that they won't sell? Then you have to go through the work of boxing them up and taking them somewhere.

 

[yeartolate]

I sold a bunch of vhs movies at a rummage sale last year. I sold them for $1.00 each, these were all our Disney movies, and other "regular" movies . My goal was to get rid of them. I quite honestly was surprised how many people still have a VCR. I confused though - why price them so high that they won't sell? Then you have to go through the work of boxing them up and taking them somewhere.

I wanna donate and I wanna make money. Win/win.

A dollar each (I consder hgh for obsolete technology) will leave me left overs. I have some hold backs that are definte donate - the patients will appreciate the gesture.

The beanies will be $2 (3 for $5). I think the going garage sale price is $1.

The DVD's will be priced differently.

 

[JR6ooo4]

I am having a garage sale tommorrow.

What doesn't sell (in terms of beanies and dvd/vhs) will be split between the hospital where I work and the Children's hospital. I am pricing them "high" so I think the hospitals will get a sizable donation.

I think our library still rents VHS. I'm not sure...
We pawned ours off on the sisters family. Hehehehehee

Mikeeee

 

[overlyspoiled4sure]

I like the idea of VCR tapes to a hospital. As for as the stuffed animals go, here we can't donate them to the fire station or police station because of the possiblility of allergies. If your toys come from a pet free/smoke free environment you should be OK there.

A local women's shelter might not be so strict so that's a good idea too. The personnel can ask if a family coming into the shelter has allergies & if not I'd be willing to bet the kids would be very happy with your toys.

 

[ctinct]

Check with some local schools, particularly pre-k and spec. ed classrooms. We still use vhs tapes. Also, as I think someone suggested already, daycares, along with after school programs, YMCAs, nursery schools, scout camps, church groups, etc. Good luck! I'm sure someone will be thrilled to get them.

 

[java]

Freecycle is a great place to unload them. People want the strangest things.

But I do like the idea of the hospital = or do you have a local ronald mcdonald house? They might want the tapes.

 

[KarenB]

I have been putting my DSs Beanie Babies in my Prize Barrel in my classroom. Not sure if high schoolers would enjoy them but fourth graders sure do!!
Karen

Oh-I LOVE to declutter

 

[Michelle67]

Bummer, I didn't know the police didn't want them. I was told once that they were a good place to donate like-new stuffed animals!

I love some of your other ideas, though. Ronald McDonald house is a great idea. The prize barrel is a great one, too. I might have to suggest that to my 18 year old that is getting ready to move out. I think she wants to keep her beanie bears but get rid of the rest. Maybe the younger kids' teachers would like to have them. Also, I was just thinking today that at our old library they had a prize chest that they let kids pick prizes out of every time they got to a milestone on the summer reading program, but our library out here doesn't. I wonder if the library might take them for summer reading prizes? Maybe not, though, also due to the possibility of allergies.

 

[Handbag Lady]

Check eBay for the Disney VHS tapes. Some are rarer than you'd think due to Disney completists out there. If you have a good one, you can make some money to give to charity.