My closet, here we go -- Downsizing Step 4

I finally took the courage to face my closet.  It took half a day to go through because I had to try out everything!  Now that I have lost weight I am not too sure of my size but this exercise proved that I am back to the size I used to be "most recently".   However,  because the sky is the limit,  I saved a couple of  aspirational items (a size smaller) to see if I can fit in at a later date -- not a good downsizing decision but a great motivational decision!

Some items are hard to give away because of the cost although any good accountant would say - the heck with the sunk costs!   Nevertheless, I have a pair of nice Brazilian leather pants (too small) and an Austrian wool jacket (too big) that should have some residual value.    Would a concession store work? I have never used one though I know there's one in town.

So 3 giant trash bags of clothes & a box of recyclable hangers to give away later,  the closet still looks full!   How is that possible?

To Craigslist or not to Craigslist - Downsizing Step 3

People are asking me how I am getting rid of things...well the answer is not yet.  I am systematically going through rooms and separating stuff to be sold or given away.    That wonderful pile of stuff is starting to fill up the side of the garage where I used to park our car.  I figure that would be good training for  getting used to a life with no garage - at least I have a driveway and no need to look for street parking!

So, the stuff to sell I figured I would try craigslist and/or the Rye Moms Sale facebook page.  I even tried ebay but I have to say that craigslist has been the most effective, while the Rye Moms facebook page has been a hit or miss - although today I sold a 6-person camping tent (a disastrous wedding shower gift)  in less than 2 hours from posting!

Craigslist is a digital classified ad.  Pretty simple but you have to post and re-post to stay on top of the running list.  I sort of forget and repost every 4 days or so - but it works because people search and all matches come up so as long as you are on the top 25 or so items you are ok.    For a list of my "active" items on sale on craigslist please click here.  

So why wouldn't you sell on craigslist?   Some people are afraid of dealing with strangers - especially because it's a known fact that scammers are everywhere.  But with paypal & cash sale, this sort of goes away.   I have to say that (knock on wood) I have not had any bad experiences with craigslist buyers.   On the contrary it's been fun to meet all sorts of people - like the Chinese family from Queens who bought the ping pong table for their 7 year old to follow the mother's steps.  They spoke in Chinese as they struggled to get the table on top of a minivan ill equipped to secure the table.  

And today, I was able to sell my 8 yr old elliptical to a gym equipment retailer who will refurbish it and make a profit in the resale.  Its a win-win although I wish I didn't have to give such a huge discount to get rid of it!    But it went and with it, a cooler that was sitting in the pile of things to sell or give away.  I mention it to the delivery guy who picked up the elliptical and he quickly asked about a few things and walked away with a new cooler for $10.  He was happy - and also let me know of the sofa he would buy when I am ready  -- there he goes!

So little by little stuff is starting to move.  The strategy is - bigger things try to sell online --- smaller stuff wait for a Tag Sale before we move in the Summer.      Welcome any other ideas! 

Bicycles - Downsizing Step 2.

As I think of the next possible low hanging fruit in my downsizing saga  - the bicycles & many accessories came quickly to mind.

I remember the day in 2003 when we moved back to the U.S. and  I paid extra at the car dealership for a fancy boating hitch in the mini-van JUST to be able to use a 5-bike rack for family excursions.   The kids were little (10, 8, and 5 yrs old)  and amenable to biking trips - the 15 mile ride in the Everglades  being the most memorable.  But the truth is that we didn't use that rack that often, then, let alone now. We only use our 2-bike rack.  So the 5-bike rack has to go - craigslist here we go.

But what about the bikes?  My objective is to have 2 bikes max when we move to NYC.  Last count, we had  7 bikes in the garage!  How is that possible? We are only 5 people and 2 of the kids don't even have their own bikes in our house.  Well, I discovered that one of the bikes was left behind by my son's friend 3+ years ago - and never claimed!  Is that ours by default? If this kid doesn't claim it as soon as he comes home from college  it's out the door.

Then there are the other 6 bikes: 3 of them are mine and these days I only use my Trek hybrid.  So time to get rid of my oldies!   The first one was easy to dispose of.    I responded to a wanted ad on the Moms Sale facebook page and within a week was able to sell this nice Brazilian aluminum bike to a young woman who needed transportation to her nanny job.   But,  oh,  with my second bike I am having a hard time  parting.  I love my Peugeot mountain bike - its been with me 25 years - and I keep refurbishing it!   It went on many biking "dates" with Alain's old Bianchi but we know they have to go.

Fortunately, at the bikeshop near us I stumbled upon the Westchester Cycling Club program "Bikes4Kids" which collects bikes for foster children.  Well today we loaded the car and there they went. They told me I could get a tax deduction but I told the guy that there was not price for sentimental value - was that corny or what?

We are now down to 3 bikes,  our 2 bikes and our son's who will take his to college next year....   on to the next chapter!