Cleaning my school shelves - sniff, sniff

[mlktwins]

So...my boys are going into 9th grade and we are going to continue homeschooling.  I am cleaning out my school room to make way for a neat and tidy (decluttered) space to make a fresh start for high school.  I kind of feel we are starting from scratch - a clean slate.  This is how it should be correct?  I only have the twins so I won't be homeschooling any younger children.  I'm getting rid of a lot of their old work too!  Really, nothing before high school matters (our only high school work in 8th grade was Alg 1), correct?

I am a little sad to be getting rid of all the great books and curriculum I've collected and we've used (or not used in some cases ).  We are having a co-op curriculum sale tomorrow so it is time to let it go...sniff, sniff!!  

[Lori D.]

Well, I always vote for saving a box of favorite books for when you have grandkids, and to keep a 3-ring binder of samples of work from elementary/middle school just in case it is ever needed, must mostly to hand to your DSs or their children for them to enjoy what "daddy did when he was a kid". (:D

[Roadrunner]

My kids won’t let me get rid of anything. Over the past couple of years I gave away about 5-6 boxes of things, but I still have 6 shelves full of books and can’t seem to part with anything. So much of it is literature.

[mlktwins]

12 hours ago, Lori D. said:

Well, I always vote for saving a box of favorite books for when you have grandkids, and to keep a 3-ring binder of samples of work from elementary/middle school just in case it is ever needed, must mostly to hand to your DSs or their children for them to enjoy what "daddy did when he was a kid". (:D

Actually, I do have a box of baby to about 3rd grade books that were favorites.  Those are in my basement in a plastic bin.  And...so far I have kept a lot of work, but have been scanning and saving most of their middle school work.  I will look through that carefully before I get rid of anything :-).  I have a hard time getting rid of any of this -- LOL.

Edited May 21, 2019 by mlktwins

[mlktwins]

12 hours ago, Roadrunner said:

My kids won’t let me get rid of anything. Over the past couple of years I gave away about 5-6 boxes of things, but I still have 6 shelves full of books and can’t seem to part with anything. So much of it is literature.

Mine want me to get rid of all the school stuff -- LOL.  We've enjoyed a lot of things, but they don't care to keep them.  I am keeping Lapbooks and other fun things though - for me.

Mine don't like to read a book more than once 😞, with the exception of Harry Potter, Hunger Games, and The Mysterious Benedict Society.  I have found that the covers of paperbacks don't hold up well.

Edited May 21, 2019 by mlktwins

[mlktwins]

I do have a binder with all NOI's, test results, middle school transcripts (I will update when we are done with 8th grade), a list of what we did/used for each grade, and a book list for each grade.  They don't care about that though -- LOL.

[CAJinBE]

I've kept records from sixth grade through high school with work samples, book lists, and such. I still have some of the books, but have given a lot away too. I've kept all the math and science books which have come in handy for tutoring and co-op. It's hard, but there is only so much space. I don't do big purges, just wait until someone I know needs something that I have. We are overseas and its hard for people to get good resources. 

[2_girls_mommy]

My youngest is now five and starting k this fall. I threw a few decent preschool books into a consignment sale like Before Five in A Row. Even that is hard for me, and I've never actually used it besides reading through it for ideas and books. It will make me cry to get rid of curriculum I've actually used and loved with multiple kiddos too. 

I pulled out my storage tub labeled K and 1st grade to go through. I saved all of the homemade flashcards I made to go with our curriculum, and it's been ten years since I last used them, lol. My family was here and shocked I had stored all of it. 🙂 But I was too sentimental to purge it back then. 

[mom2scouts]

I still have two homeschoolers, but I'm clearing out much of the elementary stuff. *Sniff, sniff* here too. I'm going to a curriculum sale and I have no idea how to price the Sonlight/Tapestry books. Most are in new condition. Do people expect to get them at dirt cheap garage sale prices or can a put a couple of bucks on them?

[Lori D.]

2 hours ago, mom2scouts said:

...I'm going to a curriculum sale and I have no idea how to price the Sonlight/Tapestry books. Most are in new condition. Do people expect to get them at dirt cheap garage sale prices or can a put a couple of bucks on them?

At our homeschool group's annual curriculum sale, individual books don't sell unless they are priced at about 25-50 cents. I have sometimes managed to get $1 a book if I package 6-12 books as a "box lot" that all go with a specific Sonlight core (or other program).

Just as a general trend, over the years, I've seen homeschoolers who buy used expect to pay next to nothing for curriculum that is still the current edition and that you kept in new condition -- and act offended if you won't sell for just 10-20% of the new cost. When I first started homeschooling, I could re-sell at 1/2 to 2/3 the original price -- no longer! I so hate people trying to talk me down from my already bargain prices that I just prefer to give away to new homeschoolers or those on very tight budgets.

Hopefully, your group/area will be more generous and appreciative of getting a good deal! Warmest regards, Lori D.

[mom2scouts]

16 minutes ago, Lori D. said:

At our homeschool group's annual curriculum sale, individual books don't sell unless they are priced at about 25-50 cents. I have sometimes managed to get $1 a book if I package 6-12 books as a "box lot" that all go with a specific Sonlight core (or other program).

Just as a general trend, over the years, I've seen homeschoolers who buy used expect to pay next to nothing for curriculum that is still the current edition and that you kept in new condition -- and act offended if you won't sell for just 10-20% of the new cost. When I first started homeschooling, I could re-sell at 1/2 to 2/3 the original price -- no longer! I so hate people trying to talk me down from my already bargain prices that I just prefer to give away to new homeschoolers or those on very tight budgets.

Hopefully, your group/area will be more generous and appreciative of getting a good deal! Warmest regards, Lori D.

Another friend just told me to try to sell Sonlight stuff as a lot too. I'm up to my ears in books and educational stuff right now and I'm starting to wish I just donated instead of signing up for a curriculum sale. When I look online at new and even used prices on Amazon and Homeschool Classifieds, the prices are far higher than I expect to get around here. I totally understand trying to homeschool on a budget, but it would be nice to get something for like new curriculum so I can buy next year's stuff for my own kids. I really don't want to go to all this work to just give it away...or I'd just give it away!

[mlktwins]

38 minutes ago, Lori D. said:

At our homeschool group's annual curriculum sale, individual books don't sell unless they are priced at about 25-50 cents. I have sometimes managed to get $1 a book if I package 6-12 books as a "box lot" that all go with a specific Sonlight core (or other program).

Just as a general trend, over the years, I've seen homeschoolers who buy used expect to pay next to nothing for curriculum that is still the current edition and that you kept in new condition -- and act offended if you won't sell for just 10-20% of the new cost. When I first started homeschooling, I could re-sell at 1/2 to 2/3 the original price -- no longer! I so hate people trying to talk me down from my already bargain prices that I just prefer to give away to new homeschoolers or those on very tight budgets.

Hopefully, your group/area will be more generous and appreciative of getting a good deal! Warmest regards, Lori D.

Yes, I went to a decent sized annual curriculum sale a couple of week ago.  I wasn't looking for Sonlight, but people had boxed up a Sonlight core (or other program).  It was wrapped tightly so no one could take the individual books out of the box.  They printed out a label with what was in the box and priced it.  I'm not sure of condition or how they were priced (I was looking for other things), but they seemed to sell fairly quickly.

I had brand new stuff in packaging yesterday that I took $10 off (AAS that I paid $39.95 for that I was trying to sell for $29.95) and none of it sold.  No one asked to haggle either.  I'm going to try and sell it on my local homeschooling FB page.  I have always kept my new books/curriculum nice and like new (for selling purposes), but not anymore.  Just going to use them and enjoy.

I had individual books (like new - my boys only like to read books once) for a $1 that no one bought.  Books like Wonder and Wednesday Wars.  I'm taking them to my local used book store for trade in.  I'm not lugging them to another sale -- LOL.

11 minutes ago, mom2scouts said:

Another friend just told me to try to sell Sonlight stuff as a lot too. I'm up to my ears in books and educational stuff right now and I'm starting to wish I just donated instead of signing up for a curriculum sale. When I look online at new and even used prices on Amazon and Homeschool Classifieds, the prices are far higher than I expect to get around here. I totally understand trying to homeschool on a budget, but it would be nice to get something for like new curriculum so I can buy next year's stuff for my own kids. I really don't want to go to all this work to just give it away...or I'd just give it away!

Do you have any local homeschool sites you could maybe post on for sale or local FB used curriculum sites?  It is a lot of work.  If you do this sale, at least you will know how you priced things and what sold and see if you want to make changes to pricing at next year's sale.  The sale I did yesterday was where everyone had their own space and sold their own stuff.  Good luck!!!  

[mom2scouts]

1 hour ago, mlktwins said:

 

Do you have any local homeschool sites you could maybe post on for sale or local FB used curriculum sites?  It is a lot of work.  If you do this sale, at least you will know how you priced things and what sold and see if you want to make changes to pricing at next year's sale.  The sale I did yesterday was where everyone had their own space and sold their own stuff.  Good luck!!!  

No, I won't be doing next year's sale. I haven't sold at a curriculum sale before and I'd have to make some decent money to ever do this again. I hate having sales (garage, yard, whatever) and after a certain number of years go by I forget how much I hate it and try to sell stuff again. I have a bunch of other stuff I was going to try to sell on local FB sites, but this has reminded me again that I hate being a used salesperson and I think I'll just donate them.

[HollyDay]

Oh do I understand the trauma of cleaning out.  Oldest dd is a rising senior....in college.  I just went through her 3 ring binders and saved boxes.  She didn't want any of it and wanted me to shred or pitch all of it.  I kept some of her artwork and papers she had written. 

Youngest has been at CC for a year and will now transition away to her 4 year.  i'm keeping much more of her things for the time being. 

I do have a few book boxes of favorite elementary, middle school, and high school books.  In fact, I have a box of favorite board and cloth books from preschool.  I will save these for memory sake or for grandkids.  Some of the books are curently out of print so I don't want to lose those. 

I've sold some books in years past at a homeschool book sale run by a local group.  First year, nearly everything sold.  Second year, about half.  The local used homeschool bookstore will only take recent editions.  They say most folks want online resources rather than books (hmmmm........I guess I am from a different homeschool era).  The "regular" used boostore offered me about $15 dollars for 2 boxes worth of books.  I donated or gave away many.  Made me sad really.  Great books I paid good money for, no one wants anymore.

[Lori D.]

23 hours ago, mlktwins said:

Yes, I went to a decent sized annual curriculum sale a couple of week ago.  I wasn't looking for Sonlight, but people had boxed up a Sonlight core (or other program).  It was wrapped tightly so no one could take the individual books out of the box.  They printed out a label with what was in the box and priced it.  I'm not sure of condition or how they were priced (I was looking for other things), but they seemed to sell fairly quickly...

Yes, when it's a complete core, or a nearly-complete core, I can see doing that, so people don't rummage through your box and keep asking you "can't you just sell me this one book?"

I just rubber-banded together the 6-10 books that all went with the same Sonlight core, so people could unbundle and look at the books. And of course, they kept asking if I'd sell any books separately. Usually I'd say: "Yes, I can sell individual books for half the cover price. But I prefer to sell the books together at a deep discount box lot price." Since a lot of paperbacks run $8-15 a book, quite often that bundle of multiple books ended up being almost the same price as the 1 book they wanted! (:D
 

I had brand new stuff in packaging yesterday that I took $10 off (AAS that I paid $39.95 for that I was trying to sell for $29.95) and none of it sold.  No one asked to haggle either.  I'm going to try and sell it on my local homeschooling FB page.  I have always kept my new books/curriculum nice and like new (for selling purposes), but not anymore.  Just going to use them and enjoy.

I know. Around here, since it was in new condition, you might have been able to sell that for $15-20. Frustrating, isn't it.

[mom2scouts]

OK,  remind me not to do that again. We boxed everything up and came home early. I sold Apologia Zoology, WriteShop, and Real Science 4 Kids, all in like-new condition and dirt cheap, and the only other thing people bought were 25 cent books. Being on a budget is one thing, but seriously! 

[mlktwins]

19 hours ago, Lori D. said:

I know. Around here, since it was in new condition, you might have been able to sell that for $15-20. Frustrating, isn't it.

It is and I just want them gone -- LOL.  I will list for cheaper so they are out of my house.  With AAS, I was so excited about the program and then ended up having very natural spellers and it wasn't needed.  I bought too much at once.  Now, I am going to be VERY CAREFUL what I buy for high school.  I'm great at finding all these wonderful supplements that I never have time to use.  Then I have to sell or give away.  Not doing that for the next 4 years -- LOL.

[mlktwins]

16 hours ago, mom2scouts said:

OK,  remind me not to do that again. We boxed everything up and came home early. I sold Apologia Zoology, WriteShop, and Real Science 4 Kids, all in like-new condition and dirt cheap, and the only other thing people bought were 25 cent books. Being on a budget is one thing, but seriously! 

I'm so sorry!!!  Yes, around here it seems to have changed in the last 3 years maybe.  I did great at the first sale I did.  This one I made $115 and came home with so many boxes still full.  DH said the $115 wasn't worth all the effort of tagging, loading the van (DH did), setting up for the sale, doing the sale, loading the van back up, unloading the van at home (DH did), and still having to deal with all the stuff.  I agree!

I do a multiples group yard sale too (or I used to anyway).  I got rid of a lot of my boys' stuff as they outgrew it (toys, baby gear, clothes) and was usually one of the top sellers.  Now, people don't want to pay for nice things.  I did one of these sales a year ago and it was not worth the time and effort.  For example, Gap jeans bought new and worn once or twice (for Christmas and pictures) and people wouldn't pay $5 for them.  Seriously, like new.  And the multiples groups takes 30% of that so I wasn't going lower.  I was told I priced too high -- LOL.  I would rather give them away -- LOL.

 

[cintinative]

Most of my friends and I have had no success with local homeschool sales. There just isn't enough traffic. I have had success selling on FB groups and homeschool classifieds and occasionally Ebay.  Usually I can get about 50% of the new price on those if the item is in good condition.  

ETA:  I have been thinking lately of whether I should hold onto things that are out of print. For example, the Dolciani math I have.  I will keep it for awhile anyway since it is high school level (the Alg 1) but since it will be hard to replace, i might keep it for a long time.  The other thing I am thinking of holding onto is our AAS. I have all seven and all the tiles. I don't know why but a part of me doesn't want to part with it. I found myself wondering if my grandkids could benefit from it one day. Who knows what they will do for spelling then though? I am so awful about purging things for which I perceive a possible benefit. 

Edited June 3, 2019 by cintinative