Need some advice please.

[Brian Dentino]

All, tonight I realized that I have accumulated way to much "stuff"! I won't call most of it junk, but most of it are $5-$20 items that my wife has picked up at garage sales or people have just given me that I didn't want to see just tossed in the garbage. I am talking about such things as late 50's - 60's USAF enlisted uniform/pants/overcoat, a few random plain Ike jackets, a few Marine misc. uniforms that are plain, etc, etc.

While I don't want to make much $ on these things I also don't just want to toss them as someone out there may find them interesting or maybe spark their interest in collecting and preserving the history of our military. What I don't want to do is take a loss of cash on them though. Some of these items quite literally will cost as much to ship as a collector like you or I would pay for the item itself. I am hoping that someone out there may have an idea or two on how to divest myself of these items which have just wandered into the collection over the years and help me put a small amount in my pocket but send them on to a good new home. I have also decided to sell off a few uniforms that I will list here that are nicer patched/more complete items that are just taking up valuable space.

 

Thoughts and comments are welcome!

Thanks in advance..........Brian

 

[pathfinder505]

I have stuff like that too. It just creeps in

[copper252]

I have the same problem as well. Mostly more modern things or cold war era.

[MT247]

As a uniform collector, I feel your pain on the shipping costs. I have a ton of uniforms that others would like to have but double in price when shipped. I try to save things I find for sale sometimes in the hope that I will just break even and it will go to a collector. I do however keep in mind that I may lose money or give stuff away before I let it get thrown away. The best advice I could give is to keep that in mind when acquiring new items.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Blacksmith]

Whenever they start in your area, maybe get a table at a flea market or antique show - maybe gun show. Dual benefit there, as you can get rid of some of the stuff, and maybe pick up more. . Also, toss a few freebies to kids who show interest, as they are they are to be the new caretakers of all of our stuff anyway.

[JasonT]

I think a lot of us come across this problem - you get something that doesn't fit your collection and can barely give it away with shipping costs, but can't bring yourself to throw it out either. There is always someone out there looking for a plain Ike or whatnot for a project, but like you said, the shipping is more than the jacket itself is worth. I think your best bet is what Blacksmith suggested, if that's possible. You could also donate them to goodwill if you just want to clear space and not throw them out

[gwb123]

I have gotten to an age where time is as valuable or more so than money.

 

For lower value stuff I agree with the suggestion to send it to Goodwill. Let it be someone else's lucky find. Inventory it, and take a tax deduction.

 

Vintage clothing shops or even a military surplus shop are another thought if you have any in your area.

 

Also, if you have a community theater that has charitable organization status, they may appreciate your items for their costume department. High school drama departments are another idea.

[Brian Dentino]

Thanks everyone for the ideas. I guess I realized last night that I really need to FOCUS my collection, even if it means passing over that 1950-70's something stripped uniform. Just so hard for me in the past to let the $5 orphan end up in the dump, only to end up in one of several totes that I forgot I even had to be rediscovered! Amazing how much cash has just been "nickle and dimed" away over the years on this sort of stuff that I knew didn't have a place in my collection. Now I know how the crazy cat lady ends up with 30 strays in her house over time! I think I will just post them up on here and if anyone knows a young collector that would like them then they could just have them for the cost of shipping. If I don't have any takers then off to Goodwill they will go! Thanks again for the comments, and I am glad to see that I am not the only one that has ended up with some "strays" in their stuff over the years.

[collectsmedals]

I would not give to Goodwill or places like that as things they cannot sell they usually just throw away. I would consider combining things in groups so you have enough value to make shipping worthwhile. I also give things to young collectors I know or at shows just to help someone become more interested in the hobby.

[gwb123]

Goodwill recycles the clothing that they cannot sell. At least the ones in Omaha do. Most likely that means being shipped off to a rag mill, and who knows where from there.

[Kurt Barickman]

I agree with my Nebraskan friend, Goodwill, Salvation Army, etc. Let someone else have fun and time is for sure more important than a few bucks and take the tax deduction.

 

Kurt

[ASMIC2971]

I would not give to Goodwill or places like that as things they cannot sell they usually just throw away. I would consider combining things in groups so you have enough value to make shipping worthwhile. I also give things to young collectors I know or at shows just to help someone become more interested in the hobby.

Most Goodwills operate like this. People bring in their donated goods, they get dumped in a bin of either hardliners or softlines depending on what it is. Once the bins are full they go inside and are either sent right to a outlet facility or sorted for saleable items to put on the floor. Often times military items; as well as jerseys, other uniforms, vintage clothing and anything else interesting are kept for Halloween. If items make it to the outlet theyre either sold by the pound or sent to other Goodwills across the state/region that dont get as many donations or need stock for the sales floor.

 

Now if anything is deemed non-saleable for clothing it ends up in a bin at the sorting table marked for a bail, in turn sold to a rag mill or turned into shop rags, etc. Its all up to the individual sorter at each location on what they deem worthy of putting on the store floor, sent to the outlet or tossed in the bail bin. The sorting of headlines is where things get messy, if its breakable or cannot be sold on the floor it is trashed, but thats not clothing so no need to worry.

[917601]

Have you thought about donating or loaning to the local Legion VFW? Most posts do not have the little odds and ends that would look interesting hung on a wall.