So much STUFF!!
Jun 25th 2009, 9:42 pm
#1
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2009
Location: Montreal
Posts: 139
So much STUFF!!
Did anyone else here get rid of the majority of their posessions before moving??
I am finding it so difficult to be ruthless right now... because we are renting out our place here we are leaving furniture, but it's the fiddly bits such as paperwork stuff, keepsakes or stuff which family/friends have bought us, clothes which we are umm'ing and ahhh'ing about taking... grrrr!
I have packed up all of my photos and they are being stored at my Mum's. Thats as far as I have got!!
Anyone got any top tips? (other thank giving self a good shake?)
I am finding it so difficult to be ruthless right now... because we are renting out our place here we are leaving furniture, but it's the fiddly bits such as paperwork stuff, keepsakes or stuff which family/friends have bought us, clothes which we are umm'ing and ahhh'ing about taking... grrrr!
I have packed up all of my photos and they are being stored at my Mum's. Thats as far as I have got!!
Anyone got any top tips? (other thank giving self a good shake?)
Jun 25th 2009, 9:57 pm
#2
Wellington NS
Joined: Apr 2007
Location: Nova Scotia
Posts: 596
Re: So much STUFF!!
Ruthless is the way to go.We're shipping a container over for furniture, personals etc, but still having a mass clearout.
Loads of trips to charity shops, skips and Ebay is good for selling small items.
We've been lucky and managed to flog most of our electrics through local ads, friends etc.
It seems a huge task, but you get through it
Good luck and happy clearing
Loads of trips to charity shops, skips and Ebay is good for selling small items.
We've been lucky and managed to flog most of our electrics through local ads, friends etc.
It seems a huge task, but you get through it
Good luck and happy clearing
Jun 25th 2009, 10:15 pm
#3
Born to be wild....
Joined: Mar 2005
Location: Northants to Brisbane.
Posts: 5,450
Re: So much STUFF!!
Did anyone else here get rid of the majority of their posessions before moving??
I am finding it so difficult to be ruthless right now... because we are renting out our place here we are leaving furniture, but it's the fiddly bits such as paperwork stuff, keepsakes or stuff which family/friends have bought us, clothes which we are umm'ing and ahhh'ing about taking... grrrr!
I have packed up all of my photos and they are being stored at my Mum's. Thats as far as I have got!!
Anyone got any top tips? (other thank giving self a good shake?)
I am finding it so difficult to be ruthless right now... because we are renting out our place here we are leaving furniture, but it's the fiddly bits such as paperwork stuff, keepsakes or stuff which family/friends have bought us, clothes which we are umm'ing and ahhh'ing about taking... grrrr!
I have packed up all of my photos and they are being stored at my Mum's. Thats as far as I have got!!
Anyone got any top tips? (other thank giving self a good shake?)
The rest went in the bin or was given away.
Think to yourself will you really need it ?
If not then get rid.
Out with the old in with the new !
Jun 25th 2009, 11:30 pm
#4
Just Joined
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: California
Posts: 28
Re: So much STUFF!!
There's a 20 minute video on the internet called The Story of Stuff - watching it might help you as you go through the process of deciding what belongings to discard.
Best of luck!
Best of luck!
Jun 26th 2009, 7:23 am
#5
Forum Regular
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Petawawa, ON
Posts: 257
Re: So much STUFF!!
Our shippers come on Tuesday and I haven't stopped clearing out for the past two weeks 
Let's just say we are on friendly terms with the guys at the local dump!
We are taking about half of our stuff with us - sentimental stuff, books, kids toys, computer etc. Furniture wise we are just taking our dining room table and chairs, sofas, bureau, a few wall units, a few wardrobes, chest of drawers etc. We are going to buy new beds in Canada plus anything else we need.
I don't know about anyone else getting ready for the removal guys to come but I am EXHAUSTED!
Let's just say we are on friendly terms with the guys at the local dump!
We are taking about half of our stuff with us - sentimental stuff, books, kids toys, computer etc. Furniture wise we are just taking our dining room table and chairs, sofas, bureau, a few wall units, a few wardrobes, chest of drawers etc. We are going to buy new beds in Canada plus anything else we need.
I don't know about anyone else getting ready for the removal guys to come but I am EXHAUSTED!
Jun 26th 2009, 7:38 am
#6
In limbo!
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 329
Re: So much STUFF!!
I've been doing it for months, I have found the best way is to get rid of stuff in phases - so for me the real cr*p went at the beginning, then I did the excercise again and again, shedding more and more stuff as it didn't feel as severe doing it that way. In fact I did the kids rooms again last weekend and it is amazing how detached I have become and how much stuff had already gone there really wasn't much left last time.
Jun 26th 2009, 8:22 am
#7
Forum Regular
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Petawawa, ON
Posts: 257
Re: So much STUFF!!
We've had several "de-cluttering" sessions over the past year! Genereally going through the house has been easy. It's when we hit the loft that I thought "Why have we got all of this stuff?" 
There was just box after box full of junk!
There was just box after box full of junk!
Jun 26th 2009, 9:12 am
#8
Just Joined
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 16
Re: So much STUFF!!
The removal company is clearing my stuff into the lorry as I type, I got rid of all big things that cost more to ship that it would to buy new and just kept personal stuff although that came to alot more than I thought it would. I imagine my quote for 30 boxes is going to practically double now.
As we have been going through the PR process I have held off on replacing furniture so it wasnt really worth taking by now anyway. Most of my stuff was flogged to family and stuck the rest on gumtree.
As we have been going through the PR process I have held off on replacing furniture so it wasnt really worth taking by now anyway. Most of my stuff was flogged to family and stuck the rest on gumtree.
Jun 26th 2009, 10:05 pm
#9
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2009
Location: Montreal
Posts: 139
Re: So much STUFF!!
Oy vey!
I think tomorrow will be a better day
I had to take big cat back to vets today as the first blood sample to check immunity to rabies was "insufficient" and needed repeated under sedation 
Luckily I wasn't charged but it's been a lil hectic and I just generally feel shattered.
A good nights sleep and I'll be ready to tackle the "stuff" again I think!
I think tomorrow will be a better day
I had to take big cat back to vets today as the first blood sample to check immunity to rabies was "insufficient" and needed repeated under sedation Luckily I wasn't charged but it's been a lil hectic and I just generally feel shattered.A good nights sleep and I'll be ready to tackle the "stuff" again I think!
Jun 27th 2009, 3:16 am
#10
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2007
Location: Chilliwack BC
Posts: 559
Re: So much STUFF!!
I went through all our stuff in phases, selling stuff off to family & friends. Gave lots of stuff away on the local FREECYCLE website (better than taking it to the tip), lots to charity, and all the crap went to the tip. We brought about 20+ boxes of stuff over with us then wondered why we'd even kept half of the stuff we brought over
Jun 27th 2009, 12:34 pm
#11
Sawdust making harpy
Joined: Sep 2007
Location: Alberta
Posts: 11,291
Re: So much STUFF!!
I agree with the above - do it in phases.
The crunch comes as I remember posting at the time - when you come to that drawer in the kitchen that everyone has, that contains paperclips, coaster, sellotape, pens, fuses, string, stanley blade, old birthday card, 25p worth of pennies, laggy bands, permanent marker, random paperwork, tape measure,3 keys that you have no idea what they fit, drawing pins not in the box............................... you get the picture.
This drawer you always keep because you know theres a day when you will need something in it - and if that fails its somewhere to put what was left "on the side" last night that doesn't otherwise have a home!!!!!
Do you take any of it with you? Hell no, but throwing it away in a bin liner is just mortifying - makes the whole thing very real!!!!
The crunch comes as I remember posting at the time - when you come to that drawer in the kitchen that everyone has, that contains paperclips, coaster, sellotape, pens, fuses, string, stanley blade, old birthday card, 25p worth of pennies, laggy bands, permanent marker, random paperwork, tape measure,3 keys that you have no idea what they fit, drawing pins not in the box............................... you get the picture.
This drawer you always keep because you know theres a day when you will need something in it - and if that fails its somewhere to put what was left "on the side" last night that doesn't otherwise have a home!!!!!
Do you take any of it with you? Hell no, but throwing it away in a bin liner is just mortifying - makes the whole thing very real!!!!
Jun 27th 2009, 12:55 pm
#12
In limbo!
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 329
Re: So much STUFF!!
I agree with the above - do it in phases.
The crunch comes as I remember posting at the time - when you come to that drawer in the kitchen that everyone has, that contains paperclips, coaster, sellotape, pens, fuses, string, stanley blade, old birthday card, 25p worth of pennies, laggy bands, permanent marker, random paperwork, tape measure,3 keys that you have no idea what they fit, drawing pins not in the box............................... you get the picture.
This drawer you always keep because you know theres a day when you will need something in it - and if that fails its somewhere to put what was left "on the side" last night that doesn't otherwise have a home!!!!!
Do you take any of it with you? Hell no, but throwing it away in a bin liner is just mortifying - makes the whole thing very real!!!!
The crunch comes as I remember posting at the time - when you come to that drawer in the kitchen that everyone has, that contains paperclips, coaster, sellotape, pens, fuses, string, stanley blade, old birthday card, 25p worth of pennies, laggy bands, permanent marker, random paperwork, tape measure,3 keys that you have no idea what they fit, drawing pins not in the box............................... you get the picture.
This drawer you always keep because you know theres a day when you will need something in it - and if that fails its somewhere to put what was left "on the side" last night that doesn't otherwise have a home!!!!!
Do you take any of it with you? Hell no, but throwing it away in a bin liner is just mortifying - makes the whole thing very real!!!!
Jun 27th 2009, 3:15 pm
#13
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2007
Location: Chilliwack BC
Posts: 559
Re: So much STUFF!!
I agree with the above - do it in phases.
The crunch comes as I remember posting at the time - when you come to that drawer in the kitchen that everyone has, that contains paperclips, coaster, sellotape, pens, fuses, string, stanley blade, old birthday card, 25p worth of pennies, laggy bands, permanent marker, random paperwork, tape measure,3 keys that you have no idea what they fit, drawing pins not in the box............................... you get the picture.
This drawer you always keep because you know theres a day when you will need something in it - and if that fails its somewhere to put what was left "on the side" last night that doesn't otherwise have a home!!!!!
Do you take any of it with you? Hell no, but throwing it away in a bin liner is just mortifying - makes the whole thing very real!!!!
The crunch comes as I remember posting at the time - when you come to that drawer in the kitchen that everyone has, that contains paperclips, coaster, sellotape, pens, fuses, string, stanley blade, old birthday card, 25p worth of pennies, laggy bands, permanent marker, random paperwork, tape measure,3 keys that you have no idea what they fit, drawing pins not in the box............................... you get the picture.
This drawer you always keep because you know theres a day when you will need something in it - and if that fails its somewhere to put what was left "on the side" last night that doesn't otherwise have a home!!!!!
Do you take any of it with you? Hell no, but throwing it away in a bin liner is just mortifying - makes the whole thing very real!!!!
Sooooooooooooooo true!
Jun 27th 2009, 3:54 pm
#14
Forum Regular
Joined: Mar 2008
Location: Calgary NW
Posts: 191
Re: So much STUFF!!
Movers arrive Wednesday, we have been steadily sorting stuff for months now, OH is on first name terms with guys at the recycling centre, today has been the wardrobes, from what we have seen most houses in Canada have closets built in therefore no need for them. We also sent some clothes by Parcelforce, 49 Kg of them in three boxes as we are putting our household stuff into store for a number of weeks here in the UK while we search for a house.
Jun 27th 2009, 6:46 pm
#15
Forum Regular
Joined: Jun 2009
Location: Dundas, Ontario
Posts: 176
Re: So much STUFF!!
We were pretty ruthless, it really forced us to think about what things were really important/sentimental to us. It's amazing what you can sell if you need to, as well as what people will buy if they think they're getting a good deal!
Certainly makes everything seem 'real' all of a sudden too! Quite scary but liberating too.
Good luck, you'll be ok in the end
Certainly makes everything seem 'real' all of a sudden too! Quite scary but liberating too.
Good luck, you'll be ok in the end
