Guilty about how much I am throwing away

[Ottakee]

I am in the process..,again, still, never ending....of downsizing, de-junking, etc.

I kinda feel bad though about how much I am adding to a landfill.  We recycle what we can, donate the good, usable stuff, etc but there is still a lot of broken, old, yucky, random stuff that just needs to be gone out of my house.

I am trying to reduce what is coming INTO the house but right now so much needs to leave.

[scholastica]

Just now, Ottakee said:

I am in the process..,again, still, never ending....of downsizing, de-junking, etc.

I kinda feel bad though about how much I am adding to a landfill.  We recycle what we can, donate the good, usable stuff, etc but there is still a lot of broken, old, yucky, random stuff that just needs to be gone out of my house.

I am trying to reduce what is coming INTO the house but right now so much needs to leave.

You can’t change the fact that it came in and now it’s going out, you’re trying to do better in the present and the future. Cut yourself some slack. You’re doing great to give yourself and those you love a lovely environment to live in. Guilt over the past is a waste of time, especially if you’ve resolved to make changes and are making good on those.

[Carol in Cal.]

If you're not throwing away reusable stuff, don't feel guilty.  You're saving someone else from having to do this later on.  Might as well get it over with.

[beaners]

Try not to feel bad. Keeping junk won't make it go anywhere different in the end. It will just be in your way longer. 

[prairiewindmomma]

I think this is a normal emotion—especially deeper into the downsizing process. I honestly think it’s a really important thing to feel and own...it helps when you are tempted to buy the bright and shiny new thing later on.

We are five years into our journey. When I must buy something new to replace a worn out item, I often buy something “organic”—not plastic based—so that when that item is done it’s impact will be less where I can. It’s super frustrating that items do become worn out, though. Two of my kids had earbuds break again this week. We are going through them every 6 months. 😞 

[marbel]

Don't feel guilty. Based on what I know of you from these boards, you are not going about mindlessly buying worthless junk and throwing it out equally mindlessly. I sometimes get angry at all the guilt tossed at people about throwing stuff away, and I wouldn't be surprised if that adds to the burden charities are facing with receiving unsellable/unusable stuff, because people feel like they shouldn't throw things in the trash. 

Some things just have to go to the landfill. Be thoughtful, of course (as I am sure you are) and then let the stuff go. Holding on to junk doesn't do anyone any good. 

Edited February 21, 2020 by marbel

[sweet2ndchance]

5 minutes ago, Ottakee said:

donate the good, usable stuff,

Make sure you don't make the "good, usable stuff" category too narrow. Dh and I both have dual monitor setups on our computers because we were able to find what other people considered to be "broken" monitors. Dh was able to replace a few capacitors and they work like new, so he is always looking for "broken" electronics he can either fix or scavenge for parts to fix other electronics.

We have purchased broken or heavily damage furniture and used to to make reclaimed furniture. We have also purchased various things that would not function for their intended use but work perfectly for a reclaimed project we have in mind. For example we have a couple of old VHS tape organizers that we use for storing craft supplies.

Our area has a Spring Clean-up week where you can put anything on the curb in the city limits and the city trash will take it no matter what. Dh and I, along with a lot of other people around here, drive around during this week looking for stuff that people put out that might not be the prettiest, or may need some cleaning up but we can use it. I've gotten a lot of planting containers that were chipped or broken but still completely usable during Spring Clean-Up week

Of course there are some things that are just plain trash but if you are unsure about whether or not someone else could use the item, even if not for its intended purpose, put it out on your curb or near the road somewhere with a sign that says "free" or put an curb alert ad on Craigslist or some other platform in your area. Someone might take it. Your trash might be someone else's treasure.

[sweet2ndchance]

2 minutes ago, happysmileylady said:

With electronics in particular, selling or offering for free on CL or other selling sites/apps is probably better than donating anyway.  Goodwill and thrift stores are not likely to be able to sell broken tvs, monitors, etc, and are likely to trash them.  But, people who are willing to fix stuff up know this and will be looking for that stuff on the selling sites.  We once sold a broken 50in big screen for $50.  We knew someone could fix it, but we couldn't.  And we also knew Goodwill wasn't going to fix it or be able to sell it broken. 

Not necessarily. Goodwill and other thrift store around here put an orange stick on electronics that work perfectly, a yellow sticker on electronics that mostly work but maybe a light or something on it doesn't work that doesn't affect the rest of it working and a red sticker on electronics that did not work at all when they tested it. The red sticker items are usually $5 or less. We have bought them before when it was an item that we knew dh could fix it and we could make a profit on the item. Or if it had a piece that he needed to scavenge that wasn't likely to be the part that was broken. Maybe that's just a thing they do around here but it's not uncommon to see red sticker items around here in thrift stores meaning that they tested it and it didn't work. And they do sell around here for $5 or less.

[sweet2ndchance]

16 minutes ago, happysmileylady said:

every single tv was plugged in

Yeah see, I've never seen that around here. The TVs are never plugged in or anything on the shelf but you can ask them to plug it in at the checkout to verify that it works or not. I had never seen the coding system either until we moved into this area (south central US) but it really is helpful and like I said people around here will buy a broken item if it is priced cheap enough. They may only want it for parts.

[73349]

The harm was built into the items' production. You're just putting things where they go. Your home is not a landfill.

 

💚

[katilac]

Nodding along with those who say you might be surprised at what people want. We've gotten rid of tons of oddball and/or junky stuff over the years by putting it on the curb with a 'free' sign. 

[Ottakee]

Believe me, when we lived at out old house on a busier road, it was amazing what went.  Sometimes my kids would bring things down to the end of the long drive and by the time they came up to the house and brought the next load down, much of the first stuff was gone.

This house I list anything usable (but too big to take to Goodwill) on FB for free and it goes.  I just live on a private cul de sac now with 5 houses so no traffic 

This is stuff like packaging, broken pieces of plastic, dead ink pens, markers that won't write, dried up white out, shoes with holes in them, and on and on.  All stuff that needs to go, just weird seeing the bags full up.

[mom2scouts]

3 hours ago, sweet2ndchance said:

Make sure you don't make the "good, usable stuff" category too narrow. Dh and I both have dual monitor setups on our computers because we were able to find what other people considered to be "broken" monitors. Dh was able to replace a few capacitors and they work like new, so he is always looking for "broken" electronics he can either fix or scavenge for parts to fix other electronics.

We have purchased broken or heavily damage furniture and used to to make reclaimed furniture. We have also purchased various things that would not function for their intended use but work perfectly for a reclaimed project we have in mind. For example we have a couple of old VHS tape organizers that we use for storing craft supplies.

Our area has a Spring Clean-up week where you can put anything on the curb in the city limits and the city trash will take it no matter what. Dh and I, along with a lot of other people around here, drive around during this week looking for stuff that people put out that might not be the prettiest, or may need some cleaning up but we can use it. I've gotten a lot of planting containers that were chipped or broken but still completely usable during Spring Clean-Up week

Of course there are some things that are just plain trash but if you are unsure about whether or not someone else could use the item, even if not for its intended purpose, put it out on your curb or near the road somewhere with a sign that says "free" or put an curb alert ad on Craigslist or some other platform in your area. Someone might take it. Your trash might be someone else's treasure.

Our community does this too and I can't believe some of the things people take. The metal scrappers are out and they take every single bit of metal they can find for recycling. Usually, the only stuff left is truly junk.

[Ottakee]

17 minutes ago, mom2scouts said:

Our community does this too and I can't believe some of the things people take. The metal scrappers are out and they take every single bit of metal they can find for recycling. Usually, the only stuff left is truly junk.

This is a great way to clean up the community, share unneeded things and recycle as much as possible.

We had that in my old community but now that I am closer to town they don't do that. Great idea though.

[PeterPan]

1 hour ago, Ottakee said:

This is stuff like packaging, broken pieces of plastic, dead ink pens, markers that won't write, dried up white out, shoes with holes in them, and on and on.  All stuff that needs to go, just weird seeing the bags full up.

So what are you doing after you finish this weight loss?   

Just think how wonderful your house is going to feel after it's freed. You'll have more time to do other things.

[Ottakee]

9 minutes ago, PeterPan said:

So what are you doing after you finish this weight loss?   

Just think how wonderful your house is going to feel after it's freed. You'll have more time to do other things.

My house will be sinking under the stuff my DD is buying and collecting.  Slow and steady....one pen cap and piece of paper at a time.

[prairiewindmomma]

Can you limit her collection to one tub/bin? It took a few years, but dd now has one Kallax bin for Her Precious.

[leahtalbot96]

Do not feel bad. 

Think of it as good for the soul. In other words, it is cathartic and therapeutic and relaxing too.  Too much clutter is not good. 

[Ausmumof3]

I 100pc relate!   I did Konmari but I get so bogged down in save the planet guilt.  I think one place to start is trying to buy stuff that’s less harmful when it does break down.