Moving House / Country - getting rid of "stuff"

[MartynJC (UK)]

For the last month we have been sorting / listing "stuff" in our house. Gathered over 2 lifetimes (and more - since I have "stuff" from parents too). We have consolidated all our worldly possessions down to 3 sheets of A4. We are moving to Portugal and to avoid having to pay 23% tax and 8% duty on personal possessions we have to provide a complete list to the Portuguese Consulate - else we will have to pay tax and duty on import.

My point is - it has been quite liberating to throw out / sell / give away all the "stuff" we didn't need. We've made over £1K selling "stuff" on Ebay that we didn't want.

Also we can't take any food / plants or booze in the shipment - so we've been trying to eat / drink our way through our wine and freezer food before we go.

We added up all our possession values - 2nd hand and it was perhaps a few £K (not including my watches) - bit sad really. One of the cars in going on SC soon..

We are surrounded by boxes, keep loosing "stuff", have a lot to do. But it is very exciting.

Martyn

[Qatar-wol]

Well done.

Scan photos. Save them in the cloud, and share them.
Think - is this difficult to replace? If so, take a pause, and come back to it the next day.
Books (my weakness) can usually be replaced.

But honestly, the rest of the stuff? Get it sold.

I'm in a similar position, if the mirror of you - we moved back to the UK two months ago after 21 years abroad. I'm set up in my new house now, and am bracing myself for the delivery of a 40' container of our belongings from Qatar. And I know that I will open half of the boxes, and wonder to myself - why did I keep this?

[Mark020]

How strict are the customs?

[sish101]

Enjoy the de-cluttering therapy, I'm sure when you get to Portugal it'll probably start all over again!

If you find you have any bottles of decent scotch, I'm willing to help you out with emptying them

Sent through the ether by diddling with radio waves

[MartynJC (UK)]

How strict are the customs?

I'm not sure. The shippers have a bonded warehouse in Portugal and have customs check shipping on import weekly - I hope there are not too interested in specifics.

- - - Updated - - -

If you find you have any bottles of decent scotch, I'm willing to help you out with emptying them

We do have one!

[Tokyo Tokei]

Nice one.

[catflem]

We've done it several times, and as you so rightly say it can be liberating.......... but the wife still whinges about certain items she has parted with (even though I parted with far more than she has).

It does pay to be ruthless, as an example do you really need to take the washing machine ?, it'll take up 2/3rds of a cubic metre of space, which obviously costs. If you flog it you could probably buy a replacement for a similar price when you arrive at your new home, or treat the wife to a new one.

[learningtofly]

Who's taking the bees/hives, Martyn?

[magirus]

Having recently decluttered the challenge is to desist from doing it all over again. This is where real resolve is needed! ;-)

[demonloop]

I/we do this constantly. Don't use it? Throw it out / sell it / donate to charity as appropriate -- I find it so liberating

We're moving again in 1.5/2 years and it's another chance for a massive declutter

[subseastu]

We could possibly be moving in a couple of months and this interests me. The issue is I worked hard for what we have and I try to but quality items so the idea of getting rid doesn't sit well. I suppose it's more applicable to smaller items, niknaks, clothes etc

[Scepticalist]

Our move abroad is probably 4-5years away but I'm slimming down our posessions already on the basis that it's easier to sell stuff if you're not in a hurry to do so. Next on the list is my CD and vinyl collections.

We've decided not to take the furniture (bar a couple of quality/sentimental pieces) TV or any large appliances - they cost money to ship, new plugs needed, some will inevitably break or not last long after shipping (quite apart from much of the furniture probably not suiting the climate or modern building type) - we've budgeted for all new when we get there.

[adrianw]

It's amazing how much stuff we amass, even when we are sure that we aren't, a few years ago we decided to adopt a 1 year rule, with some obvious exceptions, watches, jewellery, tools, if we hadn't used it for over a year we don't need it, it's ruthless and take a long time, we have done it a few times since, would love to get down to six months, it would make it so easy to move.

[Mr Curta]

We've moved country every four years or so, and it's been a great excuse to pass stuff we no longer use on to others rather than shift it half way across the globe. We have our personal interests and sentimental items which we do cart around, it all has to fit in a couple of suitcases that travel with us. The heavy baggage is almost all kid's stuff, kitchen/dining stuff, a couple of A/V items and books. We've never shipped white goods or furniture but have occasionally left some stuff in various attics for our future return.

[Devonian]

You've a wonderful watch collection Martyn, are you taking/keeping them all?

[thieuster]

When we bought our previous house, back in '03, we figured that it would be big enough for the 4 of us and our stuff. Between '03 and '20 (last year, when we moved) we did some 'major' clean-ups. At least that's what we bought... When moving to a smaller house last year, it was time for one 'mother of all clean-ups'... We ended up throwing away tons of stuff.

And guess what, our current house has an old chicken coop. And that's getting cluttered with stuff again! *) So, next weekend, I'll order a skip and start throwing stuff away - again.


*) We have a lot of storage space: a 40ft x 10ft chicken coop and a 75ft x 30ft workshop with a massive attic with room for endless amounts of clutter. I had numerous people asking: "Can I use your space to store things. because..." I started off being polite and saying "no" with all sorts of reasons why not. Over the months, I've shortened my answer into a simple but firm "No!"

[Neil.C]

Barring anything weird happening I guess my wife and I will live in our house for the foreseeable future.

It's a large house and my youngest is moving out this weekend so there is really no need to declutter - in fact I am always on the lookout for more stuff!

[Mark020]

I'm not sure. The shippers have a bonded warehouse in Portugal and have customs check shipping on import weekly - I hope there are not too interested in specifics.

We pray for you :-)

[hogthrob]

Barring anything weird happening I guess my wife and I will live in our house for the foreseeable future.

It's a large house and my youngest is moving out this weekend so there is really no need to declutter - in fact I am always on the lookout for more stuff!

I've got plenty of stuff, free if you collect it.

[GraniteQuarry]

My great theory is your entire stock of moveable possessions - minus the car, house, couch, mistress, etc - should all fit in a single suitcase.

Oddly, never seem to manage it.

[MartynJC (UK)]

Who's taking the bees/hives, Martyn?

A local beekeeper is buying my 3 hives off me. And they are going to be housed at local schools to teach the kids about the birds and the bees. (she’s a technician at the school).

You've a wonderful watch collection Martyn, are you taking/keeping them all?

The small collection is going with me. Only 7 now so all fit in a watch box that will be going in personal luggage. Not in the shipping - so informed that should be ok. (Phew).

[MartynJC (UK)]

Nice one.

Superb!

[j17ykp]

Not moving country but the aim is to move house in the next 12 months so slowly been trying to discard “stuff”

It’s amazing how many items I have amassed especially clothing / jackets which don’t get worn so is just wasted cash that could have been used on something else like day trips with the family.

[Wolfie]

One of my favourite quotes and was a good rule of thumb when we moved recently

'Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be beautiful or believe to be useful' - William Morris

The amount of ‘stuff’ I got rid of was truly worrying…. Our ability to consume and accumulate is really quite ridiculous…. I try hard to keep ownership of ‘stuff’ low, but, I’m currently in my study surrounded my boxes of random ‘stuff’ that I don’t know if I’ll ever need or not once the renovation is finally complete

Be harsh!

[Mr Curta]

Indeed - you don't need much stuff to have enough stuff.

[Owren]

When we bought our previous house, back in '03, we figured that it would be big enough for the 4 of us and our stuff. Between '03 and '20 (last year, when we moved) we did some 'major' clean-ups. At least that's what we bought... When moving to a smaller house last year, it was time for one 'mother of all clean-ups'... We ended up throwing away tons of stuff. These guys did a great assistance btw :)

And guess what, our current house has an old chicken coop. And that's getting cluttered with stuff again! *) So, next weekend, I'll order a skip and start throwing stuff away - again.


*) We have a lot of storage space: a 40ft x 10ft chicken coop and a 75ft x 30ft workshop with a massive attic with room for endless amounts of clutter. I had numerous people asking: "Can I use your space to store things. because..." I started off being polite and saying "no" with all sorts of reasons why not. Over the months, I've shortened my answer into a simple but firm "No!"

I have moved several times while studying at university and every single time it was really tiresome to pack and unpack all those tons of stuff. I may be mistaken but the late Steve Jobs was a fan of minimalism in everything including home stuff like furniture and after the first moving I fully understood why :)

[Michael27]

A friend of mine moved house and put some of his "stuff" in sealed cardboard boxes in his new cellar. Two years on and he's on the move again and came across the boxes when packing. He threw them straight in the skip without looking in them on the basis that he had n't needed or missed anything in the previous two years so what use could they possibly be. His wife was livid........

[Jimmcb]

Hi Martyn

Our son has FINALLY got his visa to emigrate to USA where he joins his new wife and has moved into their first home.

His ‘stuff’ from up here had been in storage for a couple of years, some of which had been forgotten about until it showed itself in the boxes. He retired from his commission to Her Majesty’s Royal Navy and has memories from many places.

My wife and I have only recently reclaimed his room and are slowly clearing stuff that was left. Some has sentimental memories, even clothes, but needs must. Clearing it out reminds me of clearing my parents home when they passed away. Horrid!!

I wish you every joy and success in Portugal and hope every journey is a happy adventure.

Jim

For the last month we have been sorting / listing "stuff" in our house. Gathered over 2 lifetimes (and more - since I have "stuff" from parents too). We have consolidated all our worldly possessions down to 3 sheets of A4. We are moving to Portugal and to avoid having to pay 23% tax and 8% duty on personal possessions we have to provide a complete list to the Portuguese Consulate - else we will have to pay tax and duty on import.

My point is - it has been quite liberating to throw out / sell / give away all the "stuff" we didn't need. We've made over £1K selling "stuff" on Ebay that we didn't want.

Also we can't take any food / plants or booze in the shipment - so we've been trying to eat / drink our way through our wine and freezer food before we go.

We added up all our possession values - 2nd hand and it was perhaps a few £K (not including my watches) - bit sad really. One of the cars in going on SC soon..

We are surrounded by boxes, keep loosing "stuff", have a lot to do. But it is very exciting.

Martyn

[Carlos.Trejo]

Nice one.

Thanks for this, it's been years without seeing Carlin.

Replying to the tread: I've done that several times in my life while changing and coming back to countries, it's a nice feeling starting from zero in another place.

[joe narvey]

For the last month we have been sorting / listing "stuff" in our house. Gathered over 2 lifetimes (and more - since I have "stuff" from parents too). We have consolidated all our worldly possessions down to 3 sheets of A4. We are moving to Portugal and to avoid having to pay 23% tax and 8% duty on personal possessions we have to provide a complete list to the Portuguese Consulate - else we will have to pay tax and duty on import.

My point is - it has been quite liberating to throw out / sell / give away all the "stuff" we didn't need. We've made over £1K selling "stuff" on Ebay that we didn't want.

Also we can't take any food / plants or booze in the shipment - so we've been trying to eat / drink our way through our wine and freezer food before we go.

We added up all our possession values - 2nd hand and it was perhaps a few £K (not including my watches) - bit sad really. One of the cars in going on SC soon..

We are surrounded by boxes, keep loosing "stuff", have a lot to do. But it is very exciting.

Martyn

Do you have to declare your watches and if so any duty charged?

[Robsmck]

I moved house some 2.5 years ago, a major downsize, and I put a lot of clothes into the roof void in sealed packages. Opening them recently was great, it was like getting a lots of new clothes and shoes for free.
Posted with apologies to those of a minimalist inclination.

Sent from my Nokia 1.4 using Tapatalk

[murkeywaters]

I find it hard to let things go. that aside it does irk me when people just throw stuff out because they are too lazy to deal with it, with some effort you could raise money for yourself, family or charity or just give it to charity.

The amount of good quality items thrown in local recycling tips is incredible, all because the owner is too lazy to do anything other than just throw it out as its the easy option.

[Mr Curta]

The amount of good quality items thrown in local recycling tips is incredible, all because the owner is too lazy to do anything other than just throw it out as its the easy option.

That reminds me of this article that I read about Timewarp Reclaim Reuse, rescuing serviceable items from household recycling waste centres.

https://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/b...-week-3484423?