4. Shuttle to Goodwill.
We have a Goodwill store near us; others have the
Salvation Army or some other thrift shop. They
accept free donations of clothes, books, CDs and
small household items. My Goodwill does not
accept rugs. We had three rugs that I had to cut
up into strips and throw away.
5. Find a pickers store.
There’s a second-hand store in the next town
over from us. There’s probably one near you, too.
I called the owner and made an appointment.
Then I loaded up the back of our small SUV with
tools, framed prints and a few knickknacks, and
the woman there picked through my pieces, took
what she wanted and gave me $140. I made a
second trip a few weeks later, and she gave me
another $60 for the lot.
6. Trash, trash & more trash.
Some towns offer bulk pickup a few times a year.
Our town does not. We have a limit of two full
garbage cans, twice a week. So we didn’t miss
a trick. We filled two garbage cans to the brim,
twice a week, for six months straight. Plus, we
sneaked in a few extra items when we thought we
could get away with it.
7. Call the junk man.
There are people who will come and haul the last of
your stuff away, for a fee. They advertise on community
bulletin boards, or leave their business cards in local
shops. I found a card at the second-hand store.
Fortunately, using all the other methods, we never had
to call the junk man. But it’s good to know he’s there,
if and when you need him.
8. Have a heart-to-heart with your partner.
None of this works if you are furiously disposing of
things while your partner is agonizing over whether
to throw away a Christmas card from 1985. Most
relationships, it seems, consist of one hoarder who has
piles of possessions, and one simplifier who owns one
coat, one book and one photo. To avoid working at
cross purposes, you need to sit down and talk things
out. The hoarder must realize that many things (VHS
tapes, a record player, old sports equipment) are
outdated or can easily be replaced. The simplifier has
to appreciate that some things have sentimental value
and can’t be replaced, and if you get too enthusiastic
about downsizing you might end up regretting what
you’ve lost. So don’t be like our dysfunctional politicians.
Respect your partner’s point of view, realize there are
deep emotional issues embedded in this whole process
and be ready to compromise.
45