Destash 2023 Use it or lose it

[comicguy]

Time to get the 2023 destash thread started! I did not hit my goal last year but I am determined to hit it this year!

My goal is to simply reduce things here by 500 items. It can be from trashing unusable items, using up items, dontaing/selling unneeded/unwanted items, etc... Stuff just needs to go!

0/500 items

 

[goofytinkerbell]

1

 

[LiDa]

I'm new here & sort of relieved to see this thread. Thought it was just me who had too much STUFF.

Yes, I am trying to use up what I have before I get more -- the only thing that will cause a problem of running out is my migraine meds & it's not like I live in the outback & can't go out to get something if I need it. Besides, I'm tired of digging into the back of my cabinet to find that I now have something like FIVE boxes of dental floss, which I can no longer use since my dentist packed my mouth full of artificial crowns lol

I like this support!

 

[teamagic]

Going to try to hit my goal this year! My goal is 2023 items! I have so much in the basement and around the house. I just need to keep after if EVERY month and not slow down. A little every week and it makes a huge difference. I had my son start in his room - he was so thrilled. He managed to get his desk done today.

Total 15/2023

 

[Skywalker3]

Thanks for this thread. I do check it frequently, and find inspiration. Good luck w all of the destashing this year

Currently have a stack of about 15 books to donate/give away. It's VERY hard for me to get rid of books. (former librarian.) and most bring me happiness looking at them, and often I've supplied my kids with whatever their teachers would requiring for required reading. However, some must go....

Also have a bag of kids' clothes to give to the neighbor across the street, just keep putting off walking over. so silly.

DH cleaned out the shed, and threw out a lOT of old cardboard, old above ground pool stuff we don't plan to use, etc.

Goals to address soon: kids' boxes of old dress up clothes, stuffed animals. hard to get rid of sentimental things like that sometimes.
Also, the boxes of crayons, pencils, colored pencils,etc. hate to toss, as many are barely used

My goals are to attack/purge/destash certain areas, types of items, etc.

 

[bellylaugh]

I really need this thread! Going to take it month by month. My goal for January is to remove (donate/sell/trash) 10 items per day. Large or small, I don’t care!

 

[Keeblerelf928]

I have 7 donate boxes ready for pick up on Tuesday, 4 boxes of books ready to go to the used book store for credit (to buy more books lol) and I paired my christmas boxes from 12 down to 6 by purging anything that I haven't put out in the past 3 years. We finished our basement and only gave ourselves one small storage room. I have off 2 days next week and the plan is to tackle toy land... toy land scares me. I have spent the past year purging so much but we still have a lot to go. This years goal is to just stop accumulating too much stuff in general.

 

[lockets]

Yay! I'm excited that my post is on page 1 this year vs. page 10 last year. I'm already doing better at acknowledging the importance of this.

Here's my goal tracker with a target of 500 items total from Sold, Donated, Gave, Threw, Lost categories:

Listed Online: 0 items (74 items are still listed from prior years)

To List Online: 432 items (may increase as year continues)

Sold: 0 items. Made $0 after all expenses including listing fees, shipping fees, packaging materials, etc.

Donated: 0 items

Gave to Someone: 0 items

Threw Away: 0 items

Lost: 0 items (hey sometimes things get lost in the shuffle!)

Added to Clutter: 0 items
This is a gentle reminder to myself not to:
1. Purchase or bring anything into my home that needs to be fixed.
2. Purchase anything w/ the intent of selling it. I have enough already. Goal is zero physical inventory!
3. Keep new clutter (i.e. product boxes, product manuals, non-nostalgic children's clothing).
4. Accept things from others that are valued at under $20 that I "may use in the future."

As a reference, last year I "destashed" 291 items with 216 of the 291 donated. I don't foresee having as many donations so I need to push my number up in the "list online" category and price accordingly to move items out, out, out!

I also have "e-clutter." Photos, videos, etc on drives w/ no direction or purpose. Keeping in mind for future destash.

 

[goofytinkerbell]

1

 

[lockets]

To List Online: 432 items (may increase as year continues)

With 52 weeks in the year, I have to post ~10 items weekly to meet the goal, and it's already the second week of the year so I'm 10 items behind. I'm trying something different with my time management this year by earmarking specific days to do specific tasks no matter what. Wednesdays are listing days! Need to get serious about this because we've moved around a lot and I just cannot anymore with all these boxes. I spent more time today than I thought I would to find a photo editing app that can clean up photos with batch edits and background removal, and also re-orienting myself with how the listing sites work. However I did find a really good photo editor so it was time well spent. I did list one item on four sites to get my feet wet.

Added to Clutter: 0 items
This is a gentle reminder to myself not to:
1. Purchase or bring anything into my home that needs to be fixed.
2. Purchase anything w/ the intent of selling it. I have enough already. Goal is zero physical inventory!
3. Keep new clutter (i.e. product boxes, product manuals, non-nostalgic children's clothing).
4. Accept things from others that are valued at under $20 that I "may use in the future."

Almost accepted roughly 10 items last week that I ""may use in the future"" lol. It's funny. When I make goals I notice they are quickly tested by reality like the universe is calling my bluff. After keeping them for five minutes, I put the items out on the curb.

I also have "e-clutter." Photos, videos, etc on drives w/ no direction or purpose. Keeping in mind for future destash.

Phone broke. Was forced to move text messages and photos from 2017-2022 (which is thousands and thousands of items) to hard drive. The good news is they are organized in folders because I moved it in a meticulous manner, and I'm starting fresh with a new phone. Still have tons of e-clutter on that drive though, and need to unsubscribe to a bunch of vendors to simplify my email.

 

[Tygerlilly]

I'm kind of going to approach this in a one room per month way instead of quantity. So here's my plan of action:
Jan: Laundry room/pantry
Feb: Garage
March: Dining room
April: Living room
May: Hall closets
June: Girls room
July: Bubs room/play room
August: Our room
September: Bathrooms
October: Kitchen
November and December: All room review before Christmas

So far I've gotten hold of the laundry room cabinet and threw away a lot of stuff. Like pull ups from 2019? Why were we keeping those? Lol. I have some organizers ordered that will be here today and tomorrow to start working on the pantry.

 

[goofytinkerbell]

1

 

[lockets]

Goal Tracker:

26 of 500 items were either sold, donated, thrown away, given away, or lost.

Sold: 1 item; Donated: 20 items; Threw Away: 5 items; Gave to Someone: 0 items; Lost: 0 items

Listing Progress:

Listed Online: 15 items

To List Online: 514 items

Reality Check:

Added to Clutter: 0 items

 

[goofytinkerbell]

1

 

[weewuvvdisney]

Oh, the things we have to pass on. We are trying to downsize before we really need to downsize. Last year I was able to pass on 8 boxes of books, toys, educational things to a group which helps underprivileged children in our area. Held it over the pandemic and finally, all gone.

Right now I have three large bags of clothing and boots for a Women's Shelter which hubby and I will drop off next weekend. Then we have about 4 boxes of items to take to a store that resells them. The monies raised from this store is used to hire and train people who haven't been able to find work or have certain skills to help them.

Just a start. Will count out the items just so we can have a number for the year. Curious to see.

Guess I will start with the same number as most people...... 500

Thanks for this group.




000/500

 

[luvmarypoppins]

Slowly starting off the new year
8 books to a friend
1 bag of papers- recycled
1 sheet - trashed

 

[Twilghtsprkle]

Oh, the things we have to pass on. We are trying to downsize before we really need to downsize. Last year I was able to pass on 8 boxes of books, toys, educational things to a group which helps underprivileged children in our area. Held it over the pandemic and finally, all gone.

Right now I have three large bags of clothing and boots for a Women's Shelter which hubby and I will drop off next weekend. Then we have about 4 boxes of items to take to a store that resells them. The monies raised from this store is used to hire and train people who haven't been able to find work or have certain skills to help them.

I have a load of Lego Duplo that I would love to get into the hands of kids that would actually play with them. I just don’t know how to find a place that would use them, not just sell them.

I’ve got a bunch of My little pony figures that I also need to unload. Going to try and sort through them and list on Mercari I think.

 

[lockets]

Hope everyone is having a great week! We are going to Disney World in March. Yay!

Goal Tracker:

29 of 500 items were either sold, donated, thrown away, given away, or lost.

Sold: 3

Donated: 21

Threw Away: 5

Gave to Someone: 0

Lost: 0

Listing Progress:

Listed Online: 19 items

To List Online: 500 items

Reality Check:
Added to Clutter: 0 items (but I had a dream last night that I accepted a tub of items from someone that I had to account for here haha! Too funny.)

 

[goofytinkerbell]

1

 

[comicguy]

January was moderately successful. Almost 1 items per day left the house on average! Not to mention we have been trying to use up as much fro the pantry and freezer as possible so they can both get a nice declutter and cleaning this spring!

1 bag of misc paperwork - shredded and recycled

4 strings of non working xmas lights - trashed
1 pair of pajamas - trashed
2 non working pens - trashed
1 surgical stomach band - trashed
3 freezer burned packages of English Muffins - trashed

5 Cardboard boxes - recycled

1 Gift Card - used up and recycled
1 partial roll of packing tape - used up
1 Frame - used to put a new art print in

4 food items - donated
1 pair of shoes - donated
1 shirt - donated

1 qt of primer - sent to DS for his project
1 qt of joint compound - sent to DS for his project

28 items total this month left the house
28 of 500 total or 5.6% of goal