I've had a clearout!

Phoenix - Sucraft mentioned Ziffit.

I didn't get rid of hardbacks, including four Terry Pratchett's from the 90s that are in top condition (wonder if my boys ever read them ) so I went on the Ziffit site and it's great. You either download the app and scan the bar code or type in the number under the barcode.

I got off to a great start and was offered £7.95 for one of the books and nothing for the rest! You can also do the same with CDs, DVDs & Games.

I'm hoping GS(11) will want the Pratchett's, one of which is signed.

Those who have said they have actually got money for books, please PM me with details, I regularly take bags of books to the charity shops, but they have started to say they have too many already!

Our local hospice charity shop takes tatty books as well as good quality ones. As long as they know if there are pages missing or yellowing at the edges they sell them for recycling. The manageress said every penny counts. They also take bags of rags eg odd socks, clothes with holes, broken zips and the like and sell them on for ragging. I hate anything to go to the landfill site that can raise a few pence to help others.

Marieeliz Try Freecycle or Freegle or "Trash nothing" which are all essentially the same organisations.
You can post your offers of stuff you don't need and look for things you do need .

The most recent offer we have taken is, probably now, about 4cu mtrs of garden soil to fill our raised beds from a nearby house whose owners are trying to get rid of it to build a drive . A great arrangement on both sides.

I have just given the Charity shop an expensive pair of Celtic slippers by mistake. Not the first time I have done something like this. Just go mad all of a sudden and get carried away. Been back to shop next day and no sign of them.

Does anyone know who takes computers and netbooks, I have two they belonged to my brother who died some years ago now. Just do not want to throw them away.

This is what I've been meaning to do for some time now, but it never seems to be the right time, and there is always something more interesting or more pressing to do. I really WILL have a giant clear out before, dare I say it, Christmas.

I don't hoard so don't need to declutter but I love moving things around.
Today I've moved all my CDs to bookshelves and put out the nasty MDF CD unit. That necessitated piling up the books and putting a lot to go to the charity shop. Then I got son in law to move the piano along so the davenport could be moved so the sofas could be moved so the side tables had to be moved. And the telephone and 4 lamps and lots of ornaments and the radio.
Then I didn't like the books and CDs piled up so I got the CD unit back in only in a new position and put all the books and CDs back where they'd started.
Very satisfying but my back hurts!

Your heirs will thank you for this, believe me! I have recently had to clear the house of a deceased elderly relative who seems to have been reluctant to part with any books, clothes, CDs, cassette tapes, VHS tapes, bric-a-brac, etc, etc for many years. When there's a whole house think clear in a hurry, you end up throwing out lots of useable items simply because no one has the time or energy to do otherwise. It has made me determined not to leave so much clutter for my daughters to clear up one day.

Love the feeling after a good clear out, feel you've got a spring in your step.

I have used Ibuybooks and Ziffit but they turn away far more books than they ever take and sometimes it's pennies I find it a lot of work for a very little gain
Nextdoor is horrible and I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole
Selling sites on fb eBay charity shop and freegle are my releases

Yes imperfect 27 I know staff in our charity shop very well now we always have a good catch up each time we take stuff in. As you easy think we must be counted as friends now.
Ff

I felt the same, when we downsized from a four bedroom house to a two bedroom flat. The HF actually sends back an email to tell you how much they made and so far it has totalled to £1000 and I'm still getting emails, even though the last lot went over two months ago.
The only thing I was disappointed about was the piano had to be sold as scrap as none of the charity shops would take it and we had to pay for the privilege.

I am a big fan of decluttering. At the moment I have three bags on the go. Once they're full they'll go to the charity shop. I have a magazine subscription to an expensive knitting magazine. Once I've finished with the magazines I give them to the charity shop and they resell them. I also can't resist buying in charity shops. This morning it was five books for £1, so I bought five. I also bought an ABC poster for the wall in our playroom for 50p. I've bought lots of wool in these shops and knit my grandchildren sweaters for next to nothing.

This thread has given me some inspiration to have a good sort out, I was thinking about it before but now I am going to get cracking at the weekend, I find it's good for the soul too!!

It really is liberating ! I have regular clear outs and it always makes me feel good letting go of " stuff". When we lose my Mum my sister and I have discussed just how long it will take to sort out her home as she will never throw anything away " just in case". She is 87 and still has clothes 40 years old not worn for years ! And ornaments, don't even go there ! It has made me determined not to do that to my 3 so I am very minimalistic ( except for my shoes of course) ......

In my area we have a clothing bank.. think food bank but for clothes and household items. And they collect! It's a wonderful service. I often find the local charity shops are very expensive, sometimes more expensive than shops like Primark! As for disposing of VHS cassettes, some groups for the elderly or hospitals may take them. I have seen people on Facebook looking for them too. See if youve a local free page on your Facebook. I don't like things going to waste ?

Freecycle is called Freegle now in most areas, and the good news is that it recently also started a 'members chat' area which is like the old Streetlife.
Can't stand Nextdoor. Not just cos of the address sharing (you can remove your door number but not the street) but because the area is so limited you miss out on loads of info within your area but not in your direct neighbourhood.

Well done, but you know what happens in my house? It all starts to breed again so I'll never be totally clutter free.

river I am so impressed! but sad to see that Junk Monkey only operates in London. Does anyone know of anythink comparable in Oxfordshire?

I gave all my old VHS tapes to the care for the elderly ward at our local hospital,a lot were old B/W movies they would have known from the 40's and 50's and they were very much appreciated.If you hava player and get it checked out they would likely take it too.Although our hospital has a guy to pat? checks small electricals including patients own TV's

Could you put a list of companies that buy books ect from you please.
We are having a clear out and was hoping to do a bootfair, but now autumn is here, I don't fancy it.

Well done you! Keeping things you don't use is very depressing and clogs up your mind. Getting rid of unused and unwanted stuff should be available on prescription. Much better than any medication!

I still use VHS tapes, I prefer them to DVDs and some charity shops still sell them. I bring them back to re-sell as I know there are a few still like them too from the staff. I search for them most days I am in town.

CD's can be physically recycled - they're ground up and made into some other material, or something like that. Can only assume that it's not cost-effective/possible to do this with VHS tapes.

No one wants VHS tapes anymore. It's a shame.
I ended up taking mine to the local tip ages ago.

As for Cd's, have just chucked a load of them out as well.
Charity shops don't want them either.

As for Nextdoor. I think it's very good.
Have sold , bought and had recommendations for tradespeople. I find it very helpful. Depending on what you want.