Downsizing - giving thngs away.

[Jess from VA]

Being a pack-rat has it's advantages, and disadvantages.

You never know when these things may be needed, but remembering where it is can be difficult, and eventually you run out of room, and finally you look at things and say, I'm never going to use that stuff again.

I had a pile of nice camping gear (tent, sleeping bags, Coleman stove and lantern, coolers, 2 good aluminum frame backpacks, canteens, ponchos, and more).  Some of it was still wrapped in the packing from when I separated from USAF in 1990.  LOL   My days of camping and backpacking are over. (no offer here, as I wasn't going to pack and ship all this stuff)

So I asked around and no one wanted it.  I did get thanked for a good laugh, several times.

So I google up local Boy Scout troops, and discover one sponsored by a big church right close by, log on the Scout website and make the offer, and they want it all.  My contact is a retired Army Col 2 miles from my home.  I delivered it to his home yesterday, and had a nice conversation about military service.

I had 2 garment bags stuffed full of nice used, freshly laundered clothing hanging in my van (which no one else wanted either), and he took that for his church too.  (there's more where that came from)

I'm not trying to blow my own horn here, just suggesting a way to help out others.

I also discovered that if you give to Salvation Army, they sell for what they can get for it, but if you give to St Vincent de Paul, they give it away to the needy.

I was a Boy Scout in the 60's and lucky to be sponsored by the local Naval Air Station on my MI island.  We got the use of a full size gymnasium the equal of a small Jr Hi/HS gym for weekly meetings and sports, and a double olympic indoor pool (that at the time was the 3d largest indoor pool in the world).  Got every swimming merit badge there was, and jr/sr lifesaving and my mile swim there.  It was a small Air Station that could only take prop planes (and also a small Coast Guard station with a cutter and light aircraft).  So it was eventually closed and turned into an industrial park for Island revenue. 

This is why I remembered to call the Scouts for my gear. 

[Valkorado]

Good ideas.  I also have too much "stuff", and tend to hang on to unneeded items for too long.  I'm kinda partial to my camping/survival gear for the time being.  Having lost some weight and being a packrat myself, I also have a ton (literally?) of nice clothing I need to donate.  I must not be the only one, as the local non-profit evaluation and training center that usually takes donations has not been accepting them for quite some time now.  Landfills frown on throwing away clothes as they are not biodegradable and some fabrics hang around for eons.

I may just check with the local churches.

[0leman]

Jess, For the last several years we have been donating stuff to the Salvation Army, Goodwill, etc.  We are trying to get rid of stuff we have plus stuff my Mom had.  It takes time to do so, but lots of stuff has gone to new homes.  Still have a lot to go thru.  

Yeah, we have a nice tent plus a lot of comping equipment.  We need to take a look at it.  We are not going to be sleeping on the ground anymore.  

We are doing it now, so our Kids won't have to later on.

[Jess from VA]

I lost about 25lbs myself (all belly), so in going through these things, I added some nice baggy ass pants to my pile of work clothes.  Some nice pants to wear in the mud, but I'm not wearing them in public anymore.  I look old enough without walking around in public with belted in 36-7s in my new 32-3.   

Had a bunch of nice leather belts that I had to add new tighter holes to as well.  And some of my old pack-rat belts I couldn't wear for years, are now a perfect fit.   

[old2soon]

      We have a place here in town called Munch. These folks give away food to the needy and I purchase good used shirts for 50 cent apiece all day! Munch sells "stuff" but NOT high priced at all. Wife and Girls split I had so much Christmas "stuff" took a couple trips in the cage to git rid of it all!  My Church is about 11 miles from home here but the Church most generally has plenty of "stuff" to give away as needed. And as noted by others Still got "STUFF" I need out from under!  RIDE SAFE.

[DDT (12)]

Jess,

A very nice thing you are doing... With the added benefit of being good for you, as well! It's so easy to just fill up the trash or build a burn pile, but going out of the way to lend a hand to others in need... Well done!

DDT (12)

[Jess from VA]

Thank you Bruce.

If I start up a burn pile where I live, the county/police will give me a court appearance misdemeanor, a hefty fine (and a stern talking to).  

I take my junk that won't fit in my trash barrels to the local dump.  I used to use the local 7/11 dumpster, but they don't like it so I quit. 

[carolinarider09]

Jess, Thank you for being thoughtful and kind.   Donations to "respected" groups is the best most of us can do.

I have a bunch of stuff, not like you but still stuff, that I have wondered where it will all go when I go on my final "ride".   My only concern is that it, like your goods, would go to a reasonable good group who would have a need and make use of the things. 

 

[Jess from VA]

My only concern is that it, like your goods, would go to a reasonable good group who would have a need and make use of the things. 

Yeah Bill, I wasn't going to call the local 'old folks home' to donate my camping gear.   

It was leaving my own 'old guy home.'

It can take a little thinking and some phone calls or emails.   

[Rams]

Having just moved from MS to TN, we intended to downsize in homes.   Two don't need a home that will house six or seven folks.   I knew before hand we needed to rid ourselves of a great deal of things we were never gonna need.   I started offering things to folks that had previously helped me.   A lot of stuff left our place to hopefully be used at another friend's home (most were Valk friends).  When all my friends got what we no longer wanted and they did, a lot more stuff went to Goodwill, I was running out of time and didn't think of the Boy Scouts.   Some things went to a church via another friend.

One thing for sure, although moving physically sucks, doing it eliminates a whole lot of stuff you thought you might need in the future but it just sits there gathering dust.   Most folks of my generation have a closet, attic, out building or garage full of a stuff they really don't need.

After getting moved, I'm still finding stuff in boxes that I wonder why it got kept but, I know better than to ask the wife.  

Rams