I told my adult sons that when I die, to donate whatever they don’t want to women’s shelters and or anyone who is in need. I will do the same with my mother’s things. I do not want them to go through this. I told them to please do not feel guilty getting rid of my things because I already enjoyed them. Hope this helps anyone who is going through this. ❤

💡Just a thought…Maybe a therapy session or two will help? An objective voice on the matter may help to drown out the “old tapes” that keep playing in your head. Wishing you some well-deserved Peace & Comfort soon. 👍🏼

I wish you wouldn't question yourself so much. You really are doing the absolute best that you can, and in the end, you will be glad that you tried to get as much monetary value from your mother's possessions as possible. I see it as your way of respecting your mother. You could just throw everything away, but you have chosen to be respectful. I hope you eventually give yourself lots of credit for your efforts. I continue to wish you the very best.

Is donating items difficult for you to do? You are in a position that allows you to give to others … that is a true blessing. I don’t know how growing up in a hoarding situation has affected you but I wish you healing and peace in your journey.

Oh my gosh, the amount of fabric is overwhelming! Maybe just sell it by the bin. $20 for each plastic container. I know it’s probably worth more than that but at least it would move it out quickly.

Ultimately the house is your gift from your mom, not the stuff. The sooner the house ready for renting, the sooner you start making income. You are doing a good job cleaning out from a difficult situation.

Just a warm reminder that donating items in good condition isn’t throwing away money. Your mother already spent the money and got satisfaction from the purchase. It sounds like you are working through the process of balancing getting money for the items and getting your time back from emptying your mother’s home. You’re doing great.

I understand your feelings about your moms things. Try to stay grounded to the fact that she sure doesn’t need it, and if you don’t, you will be helping someone else out. I know I’m going to be in the same position you are. I really appreciate you recording your journey.

You know Mindy. you are doing so much and you are doing it all by yourself while grieving your recently passed Mom. Have you considered seeing a therapist? what you are doing is nearly impossible and it's taking a toll on you. A therapist would really help you process everything and make you feel a lot better!!

I wonder if there is a community center that would host your fabric sale? Go to where the quilt guilds meet maybe? I am a crafter and am bummed I don’t live by you. The quilters will go nuts over all that you have to offer. You’re doing better every week that passes.

You are doing so well!!! Anyone would feel overwhelmed by this task. Be encouraged that you are making the right decisions and still honouring your mom.

Also another thought, maybe try posting the quilting and doll making sales at the local library? Those hobbies may appeal to an older crowd! I wish you the best of luck❤

This is the first time I’ve heard you discuss hoarding tendencies - stay strong you know your mom does not expect you to keep it all 😢❤

Remember even if progress is slow, it's still progress. Do too much before you're ready and you'll still feel overwhelmed and anxious. You're doing great.

Sell the fabric by the box. Honestly I would go $30/box. You have more than a fabric store worth of fabric there.

Others have suggested sell the fabric by the bin.... I highly recommend this. If you sell by the pound, people might start going through the bins and picking out only what they want. You will end up with piles of the fabric that no one wanted, leaving you with a bigger mess to deal with in the end. You have done an amazing job so far and I look forward to the day you can say "I'm done!" If you were near Green Valley, AZ you could donate truckloads to the White Elephant and it would all be gone in a week.

Thank you for sharing your journey. My friend went thru the same thing a couple of years ago whenever her aunt - who also lived in Arizona - passed away and left my friend the house and all her belongings. She was a hoarder too. My friend spent 5 months in the house doing garage sales every day and still brought back a moving truck with the things she wasn't able to sell. I don't say this to discourage you but to let you know it's going to take time. My friend was trying to sell items that were still in the box brand new (9 vacuum cleaners?!?!) and people wanted to pay pennies on the dollar. It was hard, she cried many days out of fatigue and frustration. Like you, she had no one to help her (and she was 76 years old at the time). Give yourself lots and lots of grace. Don't look at the darkness around you; focus on the light at the end of the tunnel instead. God bless you. Arlene

Have a bag sale for the crafts lay it all out and have bags and let people fill up a bag for $10 just to get rid of it a lot of little stuff in crafting will drive you crazy trying to price it

Glad you are taking your moms sofa and making a loveseat out of it for your home. I am sure your mom would be happy about that. Best of luck moving forward with all your sales. You are putting your heart and soul into all the work you are doing. Hello to Mr. Cat. Glad he can keep you completely. 🌻

Hang in there! If you grew up raised w a scarcity mindset it’s completely understandable why it’s so hard to let things go. All you can do is give yourself grace and know that growth and change is damn hard, especially when you are an adult. Generosity begets generosity. When you focus less on making money, the world will reward you more. Even if you tried BOGO w the items you’ll more likely get stuff sold and make more money faster. It might help to shift your focus onto the big picture- like making several hundreds of thousands of dollars selling or renting your mom’s home vs these time consuming garage sales. You deserve peace of mind- you are worth it!! Good luck-we are rooting for you!

I kind of like the color the couch is, I think its cute. Love Mr. Kitty! He's a hungry boy!

If the weather gets better you need to drag alot of stuff outside bc like you've mentioned with multiple weeks listing people aren't going to keep coming but alot stop by on a whim if they see stuff.

I’d say to just sell the fabric in bins by the bin. That way you get rid of the fabric and the bin at the same time. Everything seems pretty organized already by fabric type.

This might be to late. Make sure you put something (ad) at your local quilt shops.

I wonder how many neighbours Mr. Cat visits for meals every day!

If you find that having it reupholstered is way out of your budget, there are many companies that make sofa covers that can cover the love seat instead of doing upholstery.

I worked for Jo-Ann’s across the US over an extended period of time. I think it would take me 4 years to sell all of your fabric and craft supplies if I was working on it full time… 40 hours a week. That’s a lot of stuff!!!

As a crafter, all that fabric and doll making supplies makes me feel overwhelmed. From a crafty perspective I can understand the potential attached to those items and recognise the investment of time and money to collect and organise them but never in a single lifetime could one person complete all those projects. Yet I recognise in myself the want to do the same. Crafting is one hobby and collecting and organising craft supplies are entirely their own complementary hobbies.

There are different versions of hoarding. I only recently made the discovery! I have had hoarding tendencies for a while and I grew up in a family that had mild hoarding problems. We never threw things away and it became a habit even when our finances weren't in a bad state. Speaking for myself, I was unable to get rid of things unless I got some money for them, even a little bit, that was the only way I could let go. I used Amazon for that and I was selling for years. In the last few years, after an unbelievable increase in shipping costs in my country (and amazon changing the rules all the time), I started donating. Even donating it hard because I try not to give my stuff to just anybody who asks for them. It's all about control, I guess. Some people buy a lot and never want to get rid of anything. Others are ready to get rid of stuff but they need to try and get some money back. Others care about rehoming their things to good homes. For me, my things are like a pet that I have to rehome and I have to make sure it goes to a good home. So all that is hoarding or some type of it. It's about having those connections to items and having to control the siuation. But when you have too much, it's really hard. I feel like I can spend my whole life rehoming my stuff at this pace. It's a struggle. I almost feel I wouldn't mind a natural disaster taking everything away. I feel ashamed for saying that and I would be devestated if something like that actually happened but it's how I feel sometimes.. ps I love your videos, they mean a lot to me. I can relate more than I can tell you. I wish all the success in your journey. I think in the end, the lesson is going to be learning the value of letting go of control..

This is backbreaking and heartbreaking. This is why I declutter constantly. I only want what I need to run my life.

You can also buy slip covers for the couch. It will be cheaper. You're doing great dear. Rome wasn't built in one day.

You can try and call quilt guilds in the area. They may have some ideas on what to do with the fabric. They usually have members that sew for charities. I can feel your distress over cleaning out the house. Can you get some help on days you have large sales? You may have better luck on eBay with the dollmaking stuff. I just want to tell you that you are doing a good job and we are all here to support you.

You are doing so well so far. You are very courageous tackling everything in such an orderly manner. Maybe you could sell the containers of fabric for a set amount each. And the books/magazine like 5 for $1 just to move things. Good Luck!

Wow you sold a lot of things! Great job! Love Mr. Cat♥️

However you are feeling is the right way to feel. Whatever you choose to do is the right thing to do. Grief is a heck of a journey and you are navigating it wisely. Trust that you are being thoughtful and making correct decisions. I know your next step will be the right one for you. ❤

I feel really bad for you because I understand the emotional attachment versus the need to get everything out of there as soon as possible. It disturbs me that you don’t have people there that can help you. Moving all that stuff all around while I know it’s necessary it all just seems so, overwhelming. I hope that you get through all this sooner than later.

I'm sorry that you are struggling with letting go of your mom's belongings. I think that sometimes it is hard to break away from what we have been taught at a young age. That is awesome that you are keeping the sofa and ottoman and having them recovered. That was such a great idea from one of your followers. It will be a lovely piece to have and smart to hang onto a good quality piece since a lot of furniture isn't made as well these days. Good luck with the craft sale!

My heart goes out to you. Keep up the good work.

Do have a friend who would help you? Having someone there with you would be a great help physically, mentally and emotionally.

Don’t get discouraged. You’re doing a great job and taking your time to process things. I think when you sell the crafting/quilting items, you will see more progress in the home and easier sales. Don’t feel pressure to get rid of or donate items if you’re not ready for that, it will come.

Wonderful you made $2000 plus on the sale of items. Great work. Your are doing a good job with all the work needed to get done..slow progress is better than no progress in the clean out of items.

I cleaned out my parents house, who were not hoarders, and I had siblings to help, and it was overwhelming. You’re doing an outstanding job!

Just looking in the craft room was overwhelming! I guess it’s like the saying goes: How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. You really are doing a great job with such a monumental task! It’s very difficult to do this and grieve at the same time. I wish you had a friend nearby to help. We’re all rooting for you, but it’d be nice to have someone there.

You don’t need to take the fabric out of the boxes just open them and let people go through the boxes. I think a price per pound is a great idea. Some might just buy entire totes and you could make a price per full tote. You are doing a great job!! Hang in there!

You are doing a great job! Perhaps what doesn't sell could be donated to local nursing homes in your mother's name as a way to honor her and bless others. For som, having these supples and a purpose again in their lives thru crafting these dolls, could mean the world to them! Hugs!

Three helpful questions to ask yourself when you’re going through your stuff: 1) Do you love it? 2) Do you need it? 3) Will you use it? If anything is a no it’s gotta go ❤ Also love the Mr Cat asmr when he is eating his food 😊 I would think for fabric just stack in up by color. Hope that helps!

You are amazing and are doing a really hard thing and I am thankful that you have been able to share your process with others! It’s something a lot of us will struggle with or have already. You have a lot to process and it’s bound to be emotional, I hope you can continue to work with a grief consular and give yourself the time you need but we can see you lighten as you process and clean your moms stuff and bring life back into her home you can see some of its beauty as well as some weight lifted from you! Get help when you can and maybe ask a friend or hire someone who can come work with you a couple hours here and there… I am oddly passionate about organizing and systems and decluttering so videos like this find their way to me. But there are more of me’s out there… I think that you are on the right track and maybe you need two (or more) sales do it in stages, keep some rooms locked display what you can in the living room and kitchen and garage have that sale donate what’s left then repeat with the rooms you’ll be able to move around… Highly recommend watching the Space saver she has a channel and is amazing at dehoarding.

I sought out KZfaq to help declutter my mom's things. It helped to do things in layers - it gave me time to lose attachment to the insignificant stuff. Also, it's the first Mother's Day without your mom and that's rough as hell. It's okay if you don't meet every goal this day/week/month. Hugs to you! ❤

When my mother passed away, I held onto a lot of her belongings just because I wanted to keep part of her. I missed her so much. i didn't have room for it so I stored it under my house, it ended up getting all moldy and gross so then I had to throw it all in the trash.

HI You have worked so hard & have done such a great job. Be easy on yourself & understand it's normal for you to have all these feels. Have you talked with a grief Therapist or joined a group setting? It might help you & all the different emotions. Losing your Mom is very stressful. Look what you have accomplished already. You should be proud of yourself!! Are there any craft & quilting stores near your Mom's house? Maybe call and ask if they have any suggestions on selling the doll & craft quilting items. Maybe the have a board you can post your sale dates on. Or if any rummages sales going on near you maybe they can direct people to your sale. Even make up flyers they can hand out. Good Luck & hang in there. ☮️ & 💜 from Wisconsin

If you want to get rid of a lot of stuff, you could have a bag sale. As many items as you can get in a bag (like a grocery store or Walmart bag) for $5. I have seen that done before. That might help with the fabric.

😊

Hi Mindy I hope your Dollmaking & fabric/quilting sales are going well. I have an idea for you if you decide to donate some or all of the fabric later on. Depending on where in AZ you live, the schools for Fashion Design in your area may be able to use it for their projects. My mom and I had a huge volume of my grandma's old sheet music years ago and.donated it to the community college I had attended as they had a music library They were happy to receive it. If there is a school thaat wants the fabric, let them know that you will need help with transporting the boxes once you are there at their location. You dont have to do it all yourself. 💜

You are doing an amazing job!!

I feel your dilemma. I hate to throw things away, but if I know that they can find a new home and someone else can appreciate it I find it easier. I understand how you feel about trying to make some money back because a lot of money has been spent on everything, but it's already been spent it's already gone and it wasn't your money. Try not to beat yourself up about it. I know it's easier said than done 😊

If you have a portable clothing rack and some skirt hangers with clips you can display pieces of fabric that way. People can see the patterns better when they are not piled up.

Hola, creo muchas personas pasamos x lo mismo compramos y acumulamos , realmente son cosas tan lindas las que tienes y no esta mal en pensar obtener algo economicamente, incluso en las tiendas de antiguedades tal vez te comprarían algo o en los mercados de pulgas, ahora puedes tener varias opciones para donar ya sea algun lugar donde ayuden a niños, refugio de animalitos etc. Yo veo a varios youtubers que van a comprar cosas en las ventas de garage de sus ciudades para revender, te deseo lo mejor, mucho animo y el sr gato es realmente bello

I think you’re doing just fine. I commend your hard work. That’s what it takes to get things gone. Just keep going. Do things YOUR way so that you have peace. The key might be with the ads you post. All the best to you, Mindy! I’m in your corner.

Wow, you’ve been working so hard! Your mom really does have a lot of nice things.If the doll sale doesn’t work out I think eBay would be a great place to try to sell the dolls. Keeping my fingers crossed for the doll sale!🙏

Mindy, I find when doing a sale it is better to just bring it out in a driveway and just group everything out there. I think people like going to sales with a big variety. You could then schedule a donation pickup at the end of the day for the things that haven't sold. If I have 3 sales and the items do not sell I donate.

There are a lot of articles online about how to get rid of your parents' stuff after they've died, including hoarder parents. Maybe reading some of them will help give you ideas on how to deal with your feelings/struggles.

Hope everything works out

As far as the fabric sale - leave the clear boxes in tact and sell them for a set price but not too high and be willing to negotiate. The colors and patterns are visible through the box so there isn't a need for people to sort through. If you lay out the fabrics, I would be concerned there would be a huge rumble tumble mess in short order. It looks like doll making was another craft your Mother dreamt about but didn't actualize. Sad but it is a lesson for sure. The conflicting thoughts in your head are understandable and healthy in that you are facing them.

You are doing great! Hang in there! I would sell the fabric by the bin. Too much work to take it out and sort.

Maybe Google doll hospitals. We have one in our community. There maybe one near your mom’s home. Also, some churches make quilts for the sick. They would love donations of fabric. It’s like paying it forward for someone else’s benefit.

I love your idea for the couch! I have a small sectional in my family room with a chaise on one end. You are going to love the chaise part! It would be a pain, but could you create a larger sale area by opening up some i.e. hallways, room, and block the doorways of non entry rooms (i.e. kitchen with shelving also loaded with material, craft supplies?

Group the fabric by colour in piles. That’s how it’s done at a lot of fabric places. They’re just piles. You got this!

I hope the cat gets to go home with you when you are done w the house. 😊

I think your parents like many people got stuck somewhere & that is where they stayed on deciding what to do with the amount of items they had & your mom liked to buy that made her feel good at the time. But you have a different life then they did & they are in a happier place & would not want you to feel pain or burden so do what you can. I think it will become easier. There is a lot you are doing by yourself & it would very overwhelming for anyone. I am downsizing my own house now hoping to move next year & I am glad I started so much junk I don't want or my taste changed & I won't leave this mess for my daughter. The younger generation does now want our stuff & we need to be ok with that.

You are doing a great job! This is a huge task for one person! I wonder if you could tell us what comments are helpful and which ones are not helpful. I know we are throwing out ideas to help but may not always land correctly. Idea - you mentioned that it’s hard for you to get rid of good stuff. Is there any organizations you feel strongly in supporting? Maybe they could use some of these items? I wonder if you could find another way to share these items that you would feel impactful and satisfying to you. Keep it up! You got this 💪🏼

If feels like your trying to hard to sell everything. You must do what's best for youl

You could sell it by the tub. Whatever is in the tub, they buy all of that. Perhaps to move it quicker, have the tubs at a price point that may be more interesting to buy more than one. There are some YT channels that do sewing and quilting, they may have videos where they have bought in a similar format. I'm sure if you reached out they could give suggestions on how to approach the sale. Hope this helps.

You can have just a little bit out and if anyone is interested in looking at more doll stuff you can bring more out or they can go back in a room where there is more stuff.

Maybe keep an envelope with a certain amount of cash (say $500) for if you find you need to buy something that you sold already. An idea I heard on Minimal Mom.

I would sell the fabric by the box unopened one box one price per box. You will never get back what was initially paid for things but you can get something if you don't ask an astronomically amount. Something is better than nothing.

❤

You might want to keep one or two of the dolls out of the doll making crafts and one or two items of a subject group of items. I know it is hard to let go of items when all the emotions of losing a love one come up while you are working.You will be going along working and out of nowhere the emotions will be overwhelming....on that emotional roller-coaster. When I lost my husband I was the only one that had to clean out our house..hard choices as to what to keep and what to donate.

Hello, you have a great deal of Acuquilt dies! I would suggest contacting a fabric shop that carries that system. Perhaps they would buy all of it. I know I would love to have access to it. But, no room and I am a sewing instructor. I hope it gets easier for you. ❤

I can see how this is weighing you down. I hope you can recharge and rest before tackling it all again. You are working so hard at something that isn't moving toward a goal of improving your own life the way the rest of us can approach decluttering. If I could give any advice at all it would be to just throw away the things of lowest value like the bath and body things, most of the candles, and small stationary stuff. Most people already have too many of these and are unlikely to buy them used. That sort of thing is where I start first when I'm trying to cut back because they quickly clear some room and I have no emotional attachment to them. Books and magazines are another thing that can just be recycled. The volume you have is just too much to try and sell them or even donate them. Where I live, most of the places I used to take books to be donated no longer accept them. With the popularity of decluttering, all the usual places are starting to be overwhelmed with inventory. One thought for moving some of the fabric might be to sell by the bin. They could pay you a set amount like $10 and take it bin and all. That might make it move more quickly and free up space at the same time. At some point getting things out of the house will be giving you the biggest reward even if no money changes hands. As someone much older than you are and trying to not leave too much of a burden for my family, I am coming to realize that even my most treasured items only hold meaning for me. When I am gone they will cease to have value to anyone else because only I hold the memories that are attached to them. I love your idea for keeping the couch, you will have a useful item which holds memories for you. Thank you for so generously and honestly allowing us to witness your journey. We are all cheering you on!

🌸

Here's some charities to look at donating the art supplies to that might feel good when the time comes. Free Arts of Arizona. They use arts and crafts to help children removed by DCS process their trauma. It’s tax deductible up to $400 also. Teachers for teachers tempe.

Check and see if there is a doll club in your area and let them know what you’re selling. You have a lot of nice doll pieces and parts. You’re doing a great job.

It's tough stuff, uou are grieving and doing all this alone and doing the best you can. But to help with the emotions and processing all the "stuff" surrounding you and decision making, maybe grief counseling can help you also someone certified in hoarding therapy that can help you work with your parents things ❤❤❤ hang in there. Mr Cat is a great comfort to you❤

GET IN TOUCH WITH AN AUCTION COMPANY,IF YOU GOT A DOLLAR FOR EACH ITEM YOU WOULD BE WELL OFF AND I'M SURE IT WOULD BRING A LOT MORE AND THEY WOULD BE DONE WITH IN A MONTH OR LESS,SOME AUCTION CO. DO ON LINE AUCTIONS

I have no idea if this is a thing or not, but could you advertise the doll making, crafting, and quilting things to online sellers? Your mom's things could be a gold mine for the right Etsy crafters. Another option might be to find an organization that makes blankets for babies or homeless people and donate the fabric there. I think you're doing a great job handling this stuff without anyone else to lighten the load. I'm sure it's incredibly overwhelming! Thank you for taking the time to film the process. I've enjoyed watching the progress you've made!

❤❤❤❤❤

Where are you my dear friend? I hope all is well with you, Coco and Mr. Cat.😘🙏

Have you thought of renting a booth at a vintage store? Might be a great way to sell things while you are not in town

You are meeting this challenge with grace & grit. Have you considered contacting a day care facility for the elderly? Or, nursing homes? Craft projects and books would be welcome at those places.

Logic versus your parents ingrained disorder. That's got to be really hard. Hugs.

I a very much attached to all my sewing stash. When I had to moved I was stuck with wedding dresses to hundreds of sewing patterns. I gave the dresses away to thrift shop after I got 1 dollar a dress on our auction site. I gave patterns to a school. I just kept a dress and few patterns. We loose stuff in this life and my parents were hoarder of stuff. I got nothing and would enjoy selling their stuff. I learn from your videos and make me think how useless stuff we collect. I wonder why your mum never started selling her stuff as she aged.

The struggle is real and there is nothing easy about this task. Is it an option to put stuff out front for free? Just a little at a time as you are working towards the sale of the valuables. TFS❤

I Don’t know if you have a yellow ribbon girls organization in your area, but we do here in My area. My friend belongs, and they make pillowcases for the soldiers serving over seas. I’m thinking that you could donate some of that material to a cause like that. I think that they take single bed sets of sheets also.

It seems overwhelming, but praying for you to get it done to a point you feel okay about donating the rest. You could do quite well selling that fabric online. Stephanie Canada sells fabric and vintage patterns, and earns a good living. You should consider offering it online. Don't sell the fabric by the pound. Seriously, price it by the piece. Only put out what you can price. You will lose so much potential income if you don't!

It seems that the e-bay stuff is selling well. Why don't you make like a lot (for example lot of the candles, frames or other items), I am sure someone will take the whole thing for whatever project they are doing. Also what you could do is to find e-bay resellers/ KZfaqrs for specific items (like books, crafts etc) and contact them directly if they want to take the lot.

💖

Do the auction. Just a thought.

You want it all done in a jiffy,thats harder done than said, getting cross wont get you moved on,just concentrate on shifting it,you know what is sellable and what HAS to be given away,come on ,done ok so far step up to the job ✊✊Lizzie

you don't display the fabric leave it in the tubs with lids under each and sell it by the tub. they can see it just fine through the clear sides. measure the fabric in one tub set a price and that is your gauge for what each one is after that. sell it for 2 dollars a yard. example if a tub holds five yards then set the price at 10 dollars each. let them mix and match all they want but it must fit in the tub and that is the set price. keep the tubs, bag their purchase and use it for the next batch of fabric to set out as those sell. fabric doesn't sell by the pound. advertise it as a fabric sale not just quilters. make sure you have a good assortment and not have too much of one type or color etc. variety is the key. you can also set fabric on kitchen counter, stove and table in kitchen in stacks tied or taped together in set prices as bundles. use shelves for all sewing accessories, fill all the containers and baskets with set prices and let them take it as a bundle deal as a dollar a yard. you can ever use boxes with set prices as bundle deals. good luck. the bigger stacks in the pictures the better. you can even take pictures of the stacked boxes and explain that is what is to sell also. That will draw people in wanting to know what treasures are to be had. everyone loves to treasure hunt and a good mystery. Good luck

Can you put the couch in the garage and bring the craft supplies in the living room and take the stuff in the craft room that you are keeping put it in the garage and use the craft room to display things. Just a thought. I wish I lived closer to you so I could help you.