Cleaning Out

As I mentioned last time I've been cleaning up.  To be honest, though, the process is trying.
Even before I decide to let go of the item there is a range of agonising that I seem to need to do.

This is a snapshot of what my brain says to me.

The recollection of buying the item
"Oh, I remember buying this!"
"I paid over $200 for it - I got a great deal through a workplace buying group*."

The recollection of using the item, and the reasons why the item isn't currently used.
"Its really too warm for riding but not waterproof. So its not usable by me in Wellington as the weather is generally cold and wet as opposed to cold and crisp."

But I might need it (just in case)!
My brain then tries to invent scenarios where I can use the item, thereby justifying keeping it. In particular, my desire to be "independent" and not need anyone else is challenged every time I let go of things.

I could upcycle/reuse
My brain suggests that instead of using a teapot as a teapot (cos I usually just use a tea basket) I could turn it into a plant pot instead. Yes, really, my brain suggested that.

The resignation - that I never should have bought the item in the first place.
This part usually makes me sad. :( I feel like the dream I had that inspired me to buy it in the first place has died. The dream of sitting around drinking tea out of a pretty tea pot is somehow dying. But really, I do plenty of sitting around drinking tea - just without the prettiness.
I also get gobsmacked by the amount of money I spent on items I don't use. The number (which fortunately I don't track) is gobsmacking.

Then I get an interlude, as it enters the blue plastic bin for re-homing.

Then, the question is : What next?

Is this likely to sell for anything exceeding the hassle factor? 
Frankly, selling something via Trademe or Neighbourly I probably wouldn't do for less than $20. I find managing the process and completing the sale a distraction from life. So thats pretty much the minimum I'll actively sell something for.

Some things I feel should sell for what I list them, but for some reason they don't go which mystifies me. Possibly I haven't found the buyer yet, or the buyer hasn't found me.

Sometimes the things I want to sell have minor issues that I need to resolve before I list them which holds up the whole process.

If it fails to sell in one round, I have to enter into the next step as well.

Can I give this away to Friends and Family?
If I'm going to give it away, I'd far rather friends and family benefitted if the item would add value to their life.

Can I give this away to a charity?
The Salvation Army shop in Karori has benefited from a range of my belongings, but it is not always the right place. For example, cycling equipment and clothing are unlikely to get good new homes this way. So I've been forced to research a number of different options for disposing of specialty items.

Do I have to throw it away?
This really is a last resort. I hate the idea that whole and semi usable items end up in a landfill, yet many modern items are not built to last, nor for maintenance or recycling. This, in my view, should be unacceptable to us as a society.

Its not easy, nor fast. Its distinctly uncomfortable and personally challenging as I examine each item. Despite the necessary emotional shock, I'm already feeling the benefits of emotional clarity - I can find items and I only have items I actively use.

If you have a favourite charitable organisation for receiving goods - I'd love to hear from you!