We Only Need One Dresser

by FrugalBabe on June 23, 2010

Last year when we moved to our new home, we essentially made four trips with a 14 foot truck (actually, I think the first trip was in a 17 foot truck…)  When moving day arrived, the 26 foot U-Haul that we had reserved wasn’t available, so we had to improvise with a tiny little truck, and only got it for half a day rather than the three days we had reserved.  So we crammed stuff into it as fast as we could and made three trips.  Good thing we were only moving an hour away!

I am thrilled with all the de-cluttering that has been going on around here lately, but I sure wish I had done it a year ago.  Maybe then we wouldn’t have had to make so many trips with our tiny little truck, and we could have saved a lot of time that we spent packing random crap into boxes.  Our little family of three people, one cat, and one dog sure did have a lot of boxes.

In our old house, we had a built-in shelving unit in our bedroom, and one dresser.  When we moved, we still had the dresser, but no shelving unit.  So I immediately began looking for a new dresser on Craigs List.  I found a great big one for $100, and we promptly hooked up our wagon and went to pick it up.  I offered $80, we settled on $90, and it’s been in our bedroom ever since.  It’s a nice dresser with a huge mirror on top, but it is a very large piece of furniture.  And now that I’ve been getting rid of so much stuff lately, I’ve realized that we don’t need two dressers in our bedroom at all.  My husband and I can share one dresser for socks and underwear, and all the rest of our clothes fit nicely in the closet.

So we are getting rid of the gigantic dresser.  And apparently I was a golden opportunity for the lady who was selling it last summer, because I’ve dropped the price all the way to $40 (I finally have someone coming over tonight… fingers crossed!) and it’s still here.  Bummer, but a good lesson learned:  Before shopping for things to store our stuff, we should take a long hard look at the stuff and see if it’s worth storing.

I don’t mind selling the dresser at a loss, because I’ve come to terms with the idea that I need to forget about sunk costs if I’m going to get rid of all the extra stuff we have sitting around.  We no longer need the dresser, so hanging onto it is completely counter-productive.  I’d much rather have the empty floor space in our bedroom.  And since the $90 we spent on the dresser is long gone, the $40 I can get from selling it now is a bonus.

So here’s my challenge for you… if you’re thinking about buying anything to store stuff – dresser, shelves, containers, etc – see if you can figure out a way to get rid of the stuff instead so that you don’t need the storage item after all.  I promise it will feel good!

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Tagged as: Craigs List, minimalism, storage

  • Bert K. Badrinath

    I have no dresser. I use shoe boxes for my socks and underwear. My clothes go under my mattress to flatten them and so no one will take them.

  • http://www.pigsdontknow.blogspot.com Carrie

    We moved from a 2250 sq ft house, to a 1500 sq ft house, to a 1000 sq ft house – all over a span of 6 months – and got rid of TONS of stuff. Realized we didn’t need – or even want – any of it anymore. But with three kids and two adults with two bedrooms, it still feels like we are overrun with stuff. It is a continual process to pare down, but one we attack with gusto! You’re doing a great job simplifying.
    On another note – I’d love to see some overall pictures of your garden & orchard. Thanks!

  • http://www.paisleypenguin.blogspot.com Karen

    We just sold a couch we bought three years ago at $900 for $150 after dropping the price three times. We bought a couch that better fit our needs for $30. Yes the money is gone but we could have utilized that $900 better three years ago. At least it wasn’t on a credit card!

  • http://onpurposeliving.blogspot.com Alissa

    Hey Frugal Babe,

    This is a great lesson for me right now. I have a few things listed on Kijiji (including a crib, which co-sleeping has eliminated the need for), and have had two offers on things in the past couple of days. I refused both offers because they were substantially below my asking price, and I thought the items were worth more than the potential buyers were offering. I’m beginning to see, though, that they are only “worth” whatever someone is willing to pay for them! And the most valuable thing is having them out of my home… so I think I will seriously consider whatever offer comes my way next.

  • Jenn

    Before you “give away” the dresser for virtually nothing, can you repurpose it? Can it go in your basement or garage to store tools, craft supplies, gifts bought in advance, overflow pantry supplies, party gear (platters, napkins, seasonal decorating items etc.) It’s likely a good solid clean piece of furniture and rather than buying or building storage shelves for another part of the house it might just be ready for a new career. I use an old Ikea dresser to store my sewing patterns and fabrics in my craft room.

  • FrugalBabe

    Jenn,
    That would be a great idea if we didn’t already have so much furniture! We have a set of shelves that we dismantled at our old house, and they are hanging out in the basement waiting for us to finish the basement and put them up. I already have a huge table for scrapbooking, a big set of shelves to hold all my scrapbook stuff, and a desk with drawers that my sewing machine sits on. And I’m trying to eliminate a lot of things that we use to have to store. I’ve emptied three big storage tubs in the last couple days, and I have no intention of refilling them.
    I got rid of a desk last week, and hopefully the dresser will go soon. I’m not planning to get rid of any more furniture soon, but nothing is safe from my de-cluttering eye around here these days! :)

  • http://liveloveworkout.blogspot.com/ Kay

    Way to go, FB!

  • http://joywithless.blogspot.com/ Betty Jo

    Awesome article. I haven’t owned a dresser in years. My husband and I used a small shelf in a walk-in closet for things that normally go into a dresser. Now that I’m alone I got rid of the shelf and am using a hanging canvas thingie with six small compartments. It doesn’t take up much closet space and gives me much more room in my bedroom.

  • Tiffany

    Hmm…interesting post. I’m in the opposite dilemma. Of trying to acquire more stuff. Because we need it, not necessarily. Because we just bought a house that is too large for us? Yes. We bought the house for the outdoor space. It is just the two of us, 2200 sf, 4 bedrooms, 1 office, a sitting room, and a den. and it’s practically empty. that being said, we have everything we need. i feel like i need to decorate and buy some pieces to make it look “grown up”, though. i’m currently wondering how to battle this desire to acquire….when i don’t really need any of it?

  • http://mollyonmoney.wordpress.com Molly On Money

    Years ago when my husband and I moved in together I had to get rid of some of my closet items so he would have room for his clothes. I spent 10yrs collecting vintage clothing and accessories which left me needing a ton of space to store it all. I decided to pare down my collection and sold over 40 shoes.
    To this day (eight years later) I will put a dress on and realize I sold the only pair of shoes that go with that particular dress. I than give my husband a really pissy look, go put on a pair of shoes that don’t really go with the dress and come out smiling…..the compromise is worth it (his closet space is still a fraction of mine).

  • FrugalBabe

    Tiffany,
    We bought our house for the outdoor space too, without much regard for the house itself, so I know what you’re talking about. I think it’s great that you’re aware of the situation you’re in. A lot of people buy the house and then just automatically fill it up (often using credit cards or furniture store credit that doesn’t have to be repaid for three years…). Knowing that you don’t need the stuff is a great first step. Take your time – there’s no hurry to fill up the house. Read blogs and other websites devoted to minimalism… my goal right now is to have as little stuff as possible in each room of our house, and you might find that a minimalist aesthetic appeals to you if you see some well-done examples.
    Or, you might decide that you really want some more stuff. As long as you don’t get yourself into debt acquiring some stuff for your home (Craigs List is awesome!), there’s nothing wrong with adding a few pieces of furniture or decorative stuff. Just make sure you’re doing it because you really want them, and not because of what you think other peoples’ perceptions will be if you have or don’t have the stuff. Good luck, and have fun with the new place!

  • Meg

    I started reading your blog less than 2 weeks ago. You really are inspiring me to get rid of the clutter!

    This weekend, I am going to start going through my closet. I buy alot of my clothes from thrift stores at $2.00/shirt! I work in a business casual setting, so they are all really nice shirts that I can wear with my jeans as well. Some dont fit right (I have a big chest). It is time to let them go.

    Clothes are not the only things I need to purge, but also paperwork (mail) & knick – knacks that we receive from our parents. When they dont want something, WE aquire it! No more!

    Thanks again~

    ~M

  • Tiffany

    Thanks Frugal Babe. I actually hadn’t thought about looking at minimalist design. I come from a LONG line of knick-knackers, collectors, and people who fill every corner of their house with stuff. I think I fall more into the moderate minimalist. With a FEW items on display, used for decoration, but not too many.

    My fiancee and I made a list of things we want for the house last night, and decided that we can only buy those items used…craigslist, thrift stores, etc. Lucky for me I happen to love refinishing furniture. I think this will be a nice way to balance the pressure I feel (because I’m worried about the opinion of others) to decorate, with our desire to keep our house minimal and eco-friendly.

    And…as you know…there are so many great deals on Craigslist!

  • FrugalBabe

    Tiffany,
    Have fun shopping for furniture for your new home! Some of my favorite pieces of furniture are the ones I got for a few dollars at a thrift store and completely refinished. They looked terrible when I got them, but I could tell they were solid and well-made, and it’s amazing what a little sanding can do!

  • ginny

    Great ideas here!! Just located your blog. Last year I was going to buy a library cabinet and thought and thought and decided I don’t want another THING that needs to be moved around and dusted, and for me to remember where stuff is in all the little drawers. I’m pretending that we are moving and unloading LOTS of stuff. It feels so good to get rid of it. Like a huge weight is gone. Making wheel chair bags for Wheels to the World to get rid of left-over fabric from many projects. Emptied 2 drawers doing that. Now I need to get busy sewing!

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