Reducing the amount of stuff question?

[Joe13]

I've only sold guns when I was sick and could not either work or find work.

Since then I don't sell anything unless a massive life change demands it.


Tools and other things... I've sold a few but mostly because they weee construction grade and there are some trades I just am not going to do anymore.

If I do i can borrow or rent them.



As far a house clutter - every few years we get a min to breath and toss stuff that is sitting in corners.

 

[Wayne]

About 3 years ago my health took a real dive, could not handle wood dust anymore so I decided to sell of my shop. I sold my lathe and planer and that's it. I have not hardly been to the range so have given thought to selling off my guns and reloading stuff but then again I just renewed my range membership, positive thinking. At this point I have decided just leave it to my daughter and her husband. I told her when I die just take what she wants and hire someone to take the rest. List the house empty the bank accounts, cash in the CD's and the IRA. I bought this house in 1981, it is 4 bedrooms ,daylight basement and everyone is full of cpap. It is overwhelming .

 

[bbbass]

Yes, I know this thread is not for everyone, so please try to refrain from trying to shift the subject towards something else.

Buzzkill!!!

Well, if it's moving that is a concern, you might want to decide what stuff is worth packing up and hauling.

Sports equipment is a good example of use it or lose it. If positively never ever going to need it again, it could go. Most of my examples are from age related restrictions, but then there was that nasty divorce in 1983 and I had to sell about 30 firearms, every one that I owned, to pay for lawyers.

Items sold in the last decade or so:
Backpacking gear
Some camping gear
Some fishing poles, reels, and lures.

Many items I gave away because I didn't want to sell it or wanted it to stay in the family:
Sporterized M1 Carbine
Ruger Bearcat
Glock 19 (a relative needed it)
Highly customized Para P14.45 (took me many years to cut loose that one!!!)
Fishing poles, including custom steelhead rods that I built
Expensive level wind reels
Golf clubs

Many tools, power tools, and shop tools (router, drill press, 12" disc sander, table saw, etc) that I sold because I wasn't using, I wound up buying later when new projects arose. Now I think I am done due to physical limitations, but there's still a worry that someday.... I still have a mitre saw with table and extensions, a scroll saw, another drill press, a router and table, a sawzall, a framing nailer, 2 finish nailers, a Rotozip, and a band saw (for wood). But if we had to move those, they would probably go, and definitely go if we were moving into a condo, assisted living, etc. But hey that's not you.

I won't ever sell any more guns... they will go to family when it's time. the dozen or so that I have left are ones that I like a lot and I have uses for them. Mostly. My .308 is mostly a range rifle now, won't be hunting game with it... maybe if SHTF it could get used... I have an AR pistol that could go, but it makes a dandy house gun, as if I don't already have 8 here and there...

I have a gem collection that wouldn't bring in what it is actually worth. So that will he handed down. I do enjoy taking the big duffle bag of gems in display cases out of the safe and looking at them. It's pleasant. But if you have silver coinage, it would be good to hold on to it as an investment.

 

[Medic!]

I can't sell my stuff...………...











You guys don't have the money.

 

[teflon6string]

Me: "Look dear, the Discovery Channel camera van is here. I bet it's American Pickers!"

Mrs. Teflon: "Ummm... no. They're filming Hoarders."

 

[nammac]

Divorce a POS vindictive %*@#, you'll reduce.

You
Met my ex too, huh???

 

[Member 34319]

I fortunately have an amazing wife of going on 11 years this month. So I don't have the drop the wife problem thankfully.

I think once I get the opportunity to join TCGC my woes will become less annoying. I've enjoyed speed steel monthly since I started going and might look at getting back into other forms of competition. I think not having a range membership is bugging me since moving here from NV six years ago.

I've been going through the guns again, and I like the advice given here, if I don't use it, it should go. I'm probably going to list up some for sale shortly. Ammo and stuff I'll look into getting rid of some as well. The tools and such I'll either give away to folks that show interest or donate them to a local shop or school.

The yard thing is pretty depressing honestly as posted above, I didn't mind it before the kid. Now it's become an obvious downside to our home. The kid needs an outdoor play area. Which our house and neighborhood really doesn't have. We have a "park" right across from our house that is essentially a concrete platform. It's a water park with jets, which is great for a hot day, but little grass and no play place or anything for kids to play with other than running around in the water in the summer months.

Reno

 

[GOG]

I don't know your circumstances so it's hard to offer advice, but if it's for the advancement of your family, cut it loose.
Stuff comes and goes and there's no trailers following hearses. Listen to your heart and talk it over with your wife if circumstances permit.

Then just do what's next. Easy peasy.

 

[GOG]

I missed your last post. I'm delighted it's not due to problems.

My advice still holds true and if you do the downsizing now, it's less stuff to move later.

(I'm also lazy.)

 

[nammac]

I don't know your circumstances so it's hard to offer advice, but if it's for the advancement of your family, cut it loose.
Stuff comes and goes and there's no trailers following hearses. Listen to your heart and talk it over with your wife if circumstances permit.

Then just do what's next. Easy peasy.

Great advice right here. Doing what's right long term, knowing most material things in life can be replaced. You only get one crack at raising your children...

 

[bbbass]

The yard thing is pretty depressing honestly as posted above, I didn't mind it before the kid. Now it's become an obvious downside to our home. The kid needs an outdoor play area. Which our house and neighborhood really doesn't have. We have a "park" right across from our house that is essentially a concrete platform. It's a water park with jets, which is great for a hot day, but little grass and no play place or anything for kids to play with other than running around in the water in the summer months.

IMO, having a yard (esp a "back" yard) for kids is VERY important. Those lil people need fresh air, sunshine, and exercise in order to be healthy and behave. Wearing them out is good. Vit D, K, etc from sunshine is good. Dirt builds up the immune system. Also a dog. A kid needs a dog. A medium to big dog. (Little dogs are for old people.) A companion. Somebody to talk to... and to tell their woes when mom & dad are seen as mean. Brings more exercise (chasing the dog) and more dirt for a better immune system. No, I'm not kidding!!!

 

[Member 34319]

IMO, having a yard (esp a "back" yard) for kids is VERY important. Those lil people need fresh air, sunshine, and exercise in order to be healthy and behave. Wearing them out is good. Vit D, K, etc from sunshine is good. Dirt builds up the immune system. Also a dog. A kid needs a dog. A medium to big dog. (Little dogs are for old people.) A companion. Somebody to talk to... and to tell their woes when mom & dad are seen as mean. Brings more exercise (chasing the dog) and more dirt for a better immune system. No, I'm not kidding!!!

Very true. I thought it wouldn't be a big deal, but I'm learning to dislike the home entirely because of the micro lot it resides on. My son is like me, active as F! So I'm thinking this house is great, but the plot sucks. We are going to meet up with our realtor friends soon I hope to start the "WTF" times. In other words if we have already accrued a quite a bit of equity, I'm terrified to see what is out there at our affordability, or what isn't.

My main driving component will be a yard. I need one for this kid.

So I've been looking at all my stuff lately and thinking, I really don't need this stuff.

I need a freaking yard!

 

[titsonritz]

You
Met my ex too, huh???

There seems to be plenty to go around.

 

[CLT65]

I've gone through that, to a small degree. I've had stuff I've held onto for decades, always with the thought "What if I need that some day?"

I had old reloading gear and surplus ammo that I'd been carting around with me for literally decades. The company I've put in so many years with recently decided to screw us over in a really bad way so I got on a kick of selling off stuff I'll never use and putting away a rainy day fund. I was surprised at how valuable some types of surplus ammo are. I learned Gunbroker and Ebay a few years ago, and slowly but surely cleaned out a lot of stuff. You know what? It feels really good to have it gone! That, and the rainy day fund grew very nicely, better than I expected.

I don't have any arbitrary rules for when to get rid of something, myself. I have rifles in the back of the safe that I haven't used in decades. They're not heirlooms or anything but they're not hurting anything sitting there. I'd sell them off if I needed to, but so far haven't needed to.

You don't necessarily need to blow everything out at fire sale prices, unless you're in a hurry. It depends on what it is. Things like common tools go cheap, but if it's a bit unusual or has much value, and is easy to ship, Ebay and Gunbroker work pretty well.

Some days I really think life would be so much easier if I got rid of 90% of everything I have. It's only gotten worse with a wife and house full of kids, but I wouldn't trade them for the world! My wife's craft room is far more cluttered than my little gun room, but that just means she's very tolerant of my stuff, because I don't complain about hers!

 

[CLT65]

I need a freaking yard!

I hear that! We chose a house with a nice big back yard, and my kids are always out there playing. They have animals, a rope swing, trees to climb. They set up the tent and camped out there a couple nights ago. We don't even have to kick them off the video games to get them out there, most of the time.

I grew up on a farm, with tons of room to roam, ride a bike (and motorcycle), shoot a BB gun, play in the woods, hike over the mountain, fish in the stream, etc.. I feel bad that my kids won't have that experience like I did, but at least a nice big back yard is better than being cooped up in an apartment watching TV all day.

Another thought about de-cluttering: I'm in the process of organizing my garage. It's really hard to do but I'm just tossing a lot of "good stuff". It's old tools and such that have little or no value, I haven't used in forever, but just can't get over the thought that one day I'll need that particular thing for something. I'm finally to the point now where I can actually just close my eyes and chuck stuff into the garbage. I don't miss it at all, and the freedom of having one less piece of junk to worry about is really nice! Same thing for unfinished projects: If I just don't have any interest anymore or the time to finish a project that's been sitting there for a while, I'm learning to let them go. Life is about people and experiences, not about stuff.

 

[nehalemguy]

I need a thread that is the polar opposite of this one.

E

 

[Flatfish]

Kinda in the same place.

Used to frame houses for a living. Have a bunch of stuff left over from that phase of life (Quit in 2002). Having a very hard time selling any tools, as they once put food on the table.

Gun stuff......The useless stuff that's honestly worth little, and simply takes up space is starting to pile up. Reloading stuff I have no use for. Have not thought about in 10 years. Dies/ammo/etc for arms I no longer own.

The purge is a necessary thing. A couple steps away from having a trail thru the garage. Can't justify the extra $$$ on a house with more space to store excess stuff.

 

[MountainBear]

When I was younger, I had different tastes in firearms. So I bought, sold, traded everything that wasn't nailed down with sentimental value.

When I opened my shop, same thing. Everything not sentimental went on the shelf to boost inventory. Sold guns and items that I never had any intention of getting rid of. Things I'd bought for specific purposes, things that I had built for myself rather than for customers. Closed my retail shop and stopped divesting and started accumulating again.

I'm at a point now where I like everything I have (at least in terms of guns). I've sold a few things here and there, but more often than not start to regret it later. The last time I sold a gun to help buy a car, the car blew up in a week, so I was out a car and an AK.

I keep trying to get guns just to have for trading stock, but the problem is that I then trade them away for something else that I don't want to get rid of.

I should purge parts, but I won't. Not for a while yet. I have a room for my safes and cabinets and books and, well, you get the idea. So there is no longer any overflow to other parts of the house as there has been in the past.

At the moment, I am in need of an organization weekend. At that point, there will probably be an online "garage sale" that I post up here. Half of it will probably just go in the pay it forward thread to find someone else to use it.

I'd start finishing projects, but I'd need another new safe and my wife probably isn't going to let that one slide through the budget. So I'll just keep stockpiling (hoarding?) for now and someday, hopefully my kids will want this stuff. If not, someone will. Someone always wants more stuff...

 

[Jonnyuma]

Divorce a POS vindictive %*@#, you'll reduce.

Man, that is the TRUTH.

(I don't mean to sound boastful, here) I went from a 5bdrm/4ba house w 1100+ sq ft of shop space (that I designed, btw) full of air, power, and hand tools to 0 in a few mos... yep, guns too.

She was selling my goods on Craigslist for pennies on the dollar right under my nose but behind my back... I should have known, but actually thought she was a better person than that.

I thought wrong... she is exactly that kind of person.

FF>, dust settles and I'm in an apartment. The devastation was so complete that I gave up on my former hobby, car restoration/modification and started building ARs... no shop space, 2-stage air compressor, welder, roll-aways full of tools, etc necessary. I also enjoyed furniture restoration/modification cuz I could do it in my limited space and it allowed me to exercise a bit of creativity. I've bought and owned a few older vehicles since then (currently drive a '79 Chrysler Lebaron coupe) but she managed to kill off a 40 yr wrenching habit... w/out my "stuff", it's just not fun.

FF>, I've got way too much stuff. Probably too many guns, too much ammo, and too much AR building apparatus (SB941 took the starch outta that endeavor most ricky-tick) and need to downsize.

I was very careful in rebuilding my small collection NOT to buy any marginal (Taurus, Rossi, "off brand" stuff)... my first post-D acquisition was a SiG P220, which brings the whole thing full circle: I haven't fired it in a couple of years, but do I really want to let it go?

As for other stuff the answer is pretty easy... if it hasn't seen daylight in a year or so, let it go. Goodwill, Salvation Army, St Vinnie's... all helped me rebuild (and rebrand) my life so donations of good, usable merchandise that they can resell strike a chord w me. I'll never dump unusable trash on them to save a trip to the dump.

This post got kinda long, it was a lot of me venting, I guess. If you read the whole bit then thank you.

 

[Mikej]

I need a thread that is the polar opposite of this one.

E

Need more "Stuff"?