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0 pointsarp2422y ago0 comments

Few years ago I moved to another country and had to get rid of everything I had minus ~25kg.

It's bloody hard to get rid of a lot of stuff. I had a great leather sofa, about 15-20 years old (inherited from my grandparents) still in great condition, but I couldn't get rid of it at any price and none of the charity shops took it because it was missing some fire hazard label (sigh...). Same with almost everything: I sold my 2-year old £1,200 mattress for £50 (and I had to practically beg to guy to take it, because it would have been a complete shame to chuck it). Washing machine, fridge, all the "little stuff" (cutlery, books, DVDs, what-have-you). I ended up putting a lot outside "free stuff" and that got rid of a lot.

Actually the only things I managed to sell was an IKEA sleeping sofa and an IKEA dinner table set.

That said, since then I found that actually finding good stuff isn't always easy.

0 comments

freddie_mercury2y ago

I've moved countries three times and that's been my experience each time.

What's more, actually selling stuff is often such a time consuming hassle (posting, dealing with replies, scheduling pick ups, dealing with flakes) that in a lot of cases you're better off just paying trash hauling service to just come pick it all up in a single go.

thrdbndndn2y ago

I ended up having to discard a perfectly good desktop computer and a high-end scanner because nobody wanted them, not even for free. It's really frustrating, not because I missed out on making some money, but because of how wasteful it feels.

However, monitors seem to sell immediately every time.

TylerE2y ago

The mattress one is a bit of an interesting one.

It's actually illegal to sell a used mattress in the US - and there are very legitimate public health reasons for the being the case. You can't really clean one - that's especially true of foam, and they can be riddled with lice, bedbugs, and all kinds of creepy crawlies.

arp242OP2y ago

People sleep in hotels, at friends, and whatnot. It's really not that big of an issue with basic due diligence, just like any second-hand goods.

neuah2y ago

Regulations vary by state, but it is not in general illegal to sell a used mattress.

singleshot_2y ago

That is not correct.

caligula19892y ago

Once upon a time when moving countries people would pay for a shipping container... another unfortunate side effect of everything becoming shit - it's not even worth taking stuff with you.

coopierez2y ago

I found it very freeing when I moved country to leave almost everything behind. It really helps put into perspective what is valuable and what you know you would miss, and to reduce dependence and attachment on possessions. I think it has helped me become generally more minimalist in my life too.

testingParisGPE2y ago

What I find helpful with buying IKEA items second hand, I know the exact measurements and can find more infos online. With other furniture items, it much harder. And their names are distinct so I can just search for it.

gilfoy2y ago

I've looked around for some quality used furniture at a decent price, it's very hard to find. Just gave up and bought some stuff on article.com which has been pretty ok bang for the buck for me in the past.

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