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JSchaaf
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| Posted: March 27 2008 at 10:24am | IP Logged
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I am in the midst of some massive decluttering and simplifying. I have so many books, educational toys and unused curricula to get rid of. My local HS support group is having a curricula sale on June 9th, so my original plan was to haul it all there and sell it. I would probably make at least $250, which is alot of groceries!! But the thought of having to keep it all in my house until then, plus having to find child care for the night of the sale, dragging a table and all the stuff in and out of the van, and what to do with the leftovers? It overwhelms me just to think of it. So I'm leaning toward just giving it away. But to who? Goodwill? I don't have the cash to mail it off to someone. And when I think of all the $$ I spent on this stuff, just to be donating it....
Help me figure out what to do!
Jennifer
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Lisbet
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| Posted: March 27 2008 at 10:26am | IP Logged
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Personally, I would sell it. This way another family gets to use it for a discounted price even, where as it may sit at Goodwill for weeks/years/forever. It's one night out of the year, and you won't walk away empty handed. Whatever you have left over, donate that. Just my thoughts...
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Maddie
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| Posted: March 27 2008 at 10:46am | IP Logged
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Can you list it on ebay? You'll know in a week if it sells (or sooner depending on the time frame you choose) then you can cart off what doesn't sell to my house, I mean Goodwill. 
Maybe even list it here on 4 Real. I know what you mean by keeping it in the house though. I often choose to drop it off at St. Vincent de Paul's.
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Angie Mc
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| Posted: March 27 2008 at 10:47am | IP Logged
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I'm frugal in general, but I have finally accepted that selling my stuff via yard sales and the like is just not how I want to manage my money. I've learned by trial and error that I plain ain't good at it! It was a real relief once I accepted this about myself  .
I've had better luck selling stuff locally to friends. I also donate to friends. Finally, I donate to local thrift shops.
Good luck!
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SuzanneG
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| Posted: March 27 2008 at 10:52am | IP Logged
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Can you give it away to the curricula sale? Send out an email asking for someone to come pick it up for the sale (they would get first dibs on it) and set it out with a free sign? That way, it gets to people who can use it. But you don't have to go through the whole process.
Going to the curricula sale would overwhelm me too....it's a lot of time and effort.
Don't think about the $$$ you originally spent on it....that doesn't matter. The point is you don't need it.
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stefoodie
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My strategy is to sell on Amazon what I can sell there, but only if the books are worth over $5. I Freecycle everything else unless I know someone personally who would like specific things. When the Amazon listing expires, I let the item go.
There are *many* Freecycling homeschoolers in our area that just love being able to get for free books and school supplies that we don't need anymore. It just tickles me pink when I see vans pull into our driveway, filled with kids sometimes, and they get my boxes of "stuff". And they usually come within a day of my posting (you can say something like "I want this picked up ASAP"). I don't have to fuss about pricing, boxing things up neatly, sorting, etc. I just dump it all in there (except of course the "fragile stuff" like unused art papers). Our local Freecycle uses phrases like "take all -- freecycle what you can't use/don't want" -- which works really well for me.
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juststartn
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| Posted: March 27 2008 at 12:05pm | IP Logged
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I'd sell what I could on ebay, then the curriculum sale, and THEN donate it.
Just my thoughts. But it'd definitely get you some extra money you could use on things like food, any new curriculum you DO need to buy....
Unfortunately for me, I am moving before our local children's sales next month, so I can't consign anything--you have to take everything there the night before/the day of the sale, and I won't be here. Don't have anyone who can take it for me, either. 
I'd make what $$ I could out of it, and freecycle/donate the rest.
Rachel
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Mary G
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Another thought re: ebay or Amazon -- postage costs are going up on May 12, 2008 and may preclude selling it that way ... besides I hate the hassle of packaging and shipping.
I usually try to give the specific hs curric stuff to locals ... and donate all other books, etc to library ...but then, I'm lazy and once I've gotten up the gumption to sort and give away I just don't have the energy (or gumption  ) left to sell ... just want to get rid of it by then!
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SuzanneG
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| Posted: March 27 2008 at 2:49pm | IP Logged
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Mary G wrote:
| besides I hate the hassle of packaging and shipping. |
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Me too.
Mary G wrote:
| ...but then, I'm lazy and once I've gotten up the gumption to sort and give away I just don't have the energy (or gumption ) left to sell ... just want to get rid of it by then! |
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That's how I feel too. Purging and simplifying is such a big job to begin with, that there's no way I would do it regularily if I knew that was only HALF the job.
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Lori B
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| Posted: March 27 2008 at 3:36pm | IP Logged
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I send out a "free if you pick up" email to our local support group when I have something to give away, and I *always* find someone willing to take it off my hands
Anything in like-new condition, I post with the price I would like and offer to bring it to the next meeting, but if they want it sooner they are welcome to come pick it up. Again, everything has gone so far, and with very little effort on my part  Most people are willing to come and get an item that they want for a great price/ free.
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MaryatHome
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If your parish has a school, or if you know of one in an urban area, they may appreciate the materials. I know that mine always has been so happy to get donated educational toys and materials. A bonus is that they can easily provide a realistic tax receipt.
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Cheryl
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I would talk with your dh and decide what your family needs more right now - time or money.
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Bridget
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If I have something someone else can use, I much prefer to give it away. We just aren't at the level of charitable contributions that we would like to be at, so I am happy when I can help someone by giving items.
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MarilynW
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I prefer to donate - I love it when I can find someone who needs what I have extra.
You know - there was another thread about decluttering school rooms and what to do with all the extra curricula etc. I wanted to post then - now I cannot find the thread. My point.. there are many on this board who are struggling and may need things that others want to give away - is there a way to link them? I know that I would love to find someone who needs my extra books and curricula that are sitting in plastic totes in my basement.
I have been blessed by people on this board (and this thread ) who have sent me a book that I really wanted.
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JodieLyn
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remember ebay doesn't let you sell teacher's editions (I think it was) so that might not work so well anyway.
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SuzanneG
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MarilynW wrote:
| You know - there was another thread about decluttering school rooms and what to do with all the extra curricula etc. |
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Decluttering Seems to be popular Page 2 has most of the "school stuff" discussion.
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Suzanne in ID
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Maddie
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| Posted: March 27 2008 at 9:32pm | IP Logged
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JodieLyn wrote:
| remember ebay doesn't let you sell teacher's editions (I think it was) so that might not work so well anyway. |
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You can list it as the parent's edition and still sell it.
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mama251ders
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Have you looked into Homeschool Classifieds? I have bought and sold from there and have always had positive experiences. It is a hassle to deal with packaging and shipping, but at least the stuff will be going to a homeschooling family and you will be helping them out by your low prices! HTH!
Blessings,
Betsie
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LucyP
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We can't afford to give much money to church or good causes, but as we progressively de-clutter more and more we find more things to donate and see that as "our bit" in a small and inadequate way. My one sadness is not being able to find a good Catholic (or even another denomination Christian) charity locally to donate goods to.
We did have some new dvds and a new sling to sell and we listed them on ebay - for me, having the stuff sitting about the house while the auction was on, then the time taken to list, package and go to the post - well, we did make money but it was all a big bother. I wish we had just donated them.
That's just my experience.
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JSchaaf
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| Posted: April 03 2008 at 1:38pm | IP Logged
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Thank you, everyone! Part of my problem that all this STUFF was all over our schoolroom/playroom. So I priced it and got it boxed up and out of the way. I'll try to sell it and then find someone to donate it to.
Jennifer
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Topic: Sell or donate?
