Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with goodwill

Anyone had regrets about a massive decluttering of their lives?

studentbaker — Wed, 28 May 2008 13:16:03 -0800

Anyone had regrets about a massive decluttering of their lives? I want to seriously declutter my life in terms of the items I have in storage and those that sit unused around my home.

I have a lot of stuff. Electronics, iPods, comic books, books, DVDs, clothes, doodads, doohickeys, baubles, etc. all of which are unused in storage or just taking up space in my home. I’d like to declutter. I’ve researched it quite a bit and considered it for a while now.

I plan to do this through Goodwill, Freecycle and a good old-fashioned Yard Sale.

I think I’m ready.

However, I want to know from those who have gone through an extreme purging of stuff, do you have regrets? Is there stuff you wish that you would have kept? Did you go through a post decluttering depression? Did you turn around a buy more junk?

SpringCleanFilter: Help me get rid of old clothes when Goodwill won't take 'em

potsmokinghippieoverlord — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 11:26:29 -0800

I have loads of old clothes I want to discard responsibly, but my local charities are quite picky about what they will accept. I'd rather not add to the landfill. Hope me! Now that I have married Mr. Psho, I need to get rid of loads of old clothes I have that either no longer fit, look silly, or just need to go to Clothes Heaven.

Now, here's the issue: when I wear clothes, I wear them unto death. I have t-shirts that are older than most of you, and are frayed and stained from, well, wear. My local charities seem only interested in clothing that have some resale value -- I don't have many clothes in that category. I also have old undies, socks that have broken elastic and holes -- no one wants those, surely? (I live in Oakland, CA.) I was excited a few years ago when I discovered those green GAIA bins, but I did some research and I really don't want to support something quite so... controversial.

So -- what can I do with my misfit clothes?

In Search of the Lost Sword

Soliloquy — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 15:45:56 -0800

I know this is a long shot, but... does anyone out there know the whereabouts of my grandfather's (Marine) sword? It was given to Goodwill in California around 1963 or so. My mother's father was a Marine aviator shot down over Korea when she was only three. Her mother eventually remarried and decided to get rid of many of her late husband's possessions, including the sword, and though my mom requested the sword it was given to Goodwill or the Salvation Army over her objections. She has few things of her father's and still laments the loss of the sword, so I thought I'd see if the hive mind could find it. Maybe some collector or theater group got it.

My mom doesn't remember what it looks like, just that there was a lot of silver. After looking at pictures she thinks it was a NCO sword, but it might have been an officer's sword. The blade was engraved with the name "Van Housen".

Good Fences Make Good Neighbors?

boomchicka — Mon, 14 Jun 2004 08:00:12 -0800

I would like to fence in my back yard, but my neighbors would prefer that I didn't. (more inside) My husband and I recently moved into a new house and would like to enclose our back yard with a charming (and dog-corralling) picket fence. However, we've just learned from a neighbor that years ago, a group of residents (our house's past owners included) made an informal "no fence" pact to preserve the views of the wooded landscape.

We know we're not officially prevented from putting in the fence --- there's no homeowner's association, and our town doesn't require us to seek our neighbors' approval --- but our sense of neighborly good will is telling us to think twice. We definitely don't want to come off as the nature-hating, unwritten-rule-breaking jerk neighbors; we just want a safe, enclosed area where our dog (and future children) can run and play. I'm not really asking for factual information here as much as experience-based opinions and/or advice. What would you do if you were in this situation -- defer to the neighbors, or go ahead and build the fence?