Let’s talk, have you ever considered selling it all?

[YadaYadaYada]

I’m not a clothes or shoe person either, these are clothes from when I had lost a bunch of weight, probably around 2012-2013. There is no way I’ll be wearing these clothes again as they are way too small now but for some reason I’ve hung on to them. Maybe with the hope I would be that size again but ten years on and it’s not looking hopeful

@vintageinjune, I love the idea of CZ rings to test out different styles, that is really smart and something I wish I had thought of in the beginning.

@LilAlex, I think the overwhelming feeling of owning too much jewelry for me is related to having been robbed and losing all my jewelry in the past. There is always that fear that it could happen again. Of course we are in a different town, in a house (vs a condo) and we have a dog now (actually three). So logically it shouldn’t be a thought but it is.

 

[Cerulean]

I think I don’t really want a whole collection! It took me a while to figure that out. I want a few really incredible pieces, like my wedding set, a watch, and diamond studs, some hoops to rotate in.

And maybe one special ring or pair of earrings for date nights. And I have those already. My Akoya pearls and moonstone diamond cluster.

I had bought a few things thinking I needed to build variety into a collection, but then I reach for the same things everyday.

So, I’m selling what I don’t wear..not that it’s much, but I don’t want it anymore. It sort of haunts me when I don’t wear things.

I’m extremely purpose-driven, and when something no longer serves a function for me, I’m ruthlessly decisive about purging it. I’m not a “collector” and never have been. I’d rather put the limited jewelry budget I have into a small number of very nice things I wear all the time.

In the spirit of this thread, I decided to sell one of my most treasured (and least worn rings) along side my e-ring, to buy a single e-ring. It’s obviously not the same as selling it all, but it’s being strategic about where I spend in the first place. Including not wasting any more money on d**n resets, because if I have an itch to do it, it means I’m not happy with the stone for whatever reason! Learned the expensive way!

 

[Dandi]

I did exactly this a few years ago, not because I felt my collection was excessive, but because my tastes had completely changed. I always wore chunky yellow gold jewellery and lots of it.

I needed a plain wedding band to wear to work, and bought a rose gold one for fun and for a change. I found I loved it so much, I only ever wore it with my white gold diamond eternity band, diamond studs, and little else. My focus then moved to a much smaller collection with far fewer, but higher quality and better made pieces, and I wanted them all in rose gold. So, I sold my entire yellow gold collection, with the exception of a few sentimental pieces that live in my jewellery box and are never worn (they are no longer my style, nor fit in with my current collection, but there is a lot of emotion attached to them).

I also reset my 3 stone e-ring for our 10th wedding anniversary, in the exact same style, but rose gold, and two more diamonds added to make a 5 stone. I find I wear everything now, and really don't want for anything.

 

[YadaYadaYada]

@Cerulean, ah those pieces you have listed for sale are amazing, I imagine that whatever you end up with will be very well thought out and spectacular. I can also relate to:

“I’d rather put the limited jewelry budget I have into a small number of very nice things I wear all the time.”

This sums up how I feel too, I don’t necessarily need a lot of jewelry but the things I do have I want to wear a lot. Much like my house, every room is used daily because or house is small but that seems smarter than having a bigger house with rooms that are used more occasionally.

@Dandi, I absolutely love your five stone and avatar ring. I also agree that I would rather own a few high quality pieces than a lot of lesser quality items, that is very smart perspective, especially if it leaves you not wanting for anything.

 

[winnietucker]

All the time. I’m starting to think I like browsing for jewelry more than I like wearing it. I very rarely wear my rings now. Part of that is having to wash my hands constantly. And before I wouldn’t wear my rings during growing season cause I loved to garden.

Sometimes I stop and really think about the fact that I have thousands of dollars sitting in my house in the form of diamonds and that they get so little wear.

 

[Cerulean]

@Cerulean, ah those pieces you have listed for sale are amazing, I imagine that whatever you end up with will be very well thought out and spectacular. I can also relate to:

“I’d rather put the limited jewelry budget I have into a small number of very nice things I wear all the time.”

This sums up how I feel too, I don’t necessarily need a lot of jewelry but the things I do have I want to wear a lot. Much like my house, every room is used daily because or house is small but that seems smarter than having a bigger house with rooms that are used more occasionally.

@Dandi, I absolutely love your five stone and avatar ring. I also agree that I would rather own a few high quality pieces than a lot of lesser quality items, that is very smart perspective, especially if it leaves you not wanting for anything.

I'm the same way with my home too...I just moved into a home that's less than 2,000 sq ft and much larger than I'm used to. I detest that a future "baby room" sits empty

I honestly don't know how people fill homes much larger, but maybe it's just that I MUST use all of the space...

 

[Cerulean]

All the time. I’m starting to think I like browsing for jewelry more than I like wearing it. I very rarely wear my rings now. Part of that is having to wash my hands constantly. And before I wouldn’t wear my rings during growing season cause I loved to garden.

Sometimes I stop and really think about the fact that I have thousands of dollars sitting in my house in the form of diamonds and that they get so little wear.

It's a tough pill to swallow...especially if you don't have a particular sentimental attachment. I feel sentimental about wearing something on my wedding ring finger, but have no attachment to what I wear. It could be a plain gold band I randomly bought and it wouldn't matter to me. It's the symbolic meaning of wearing it that counts (to me)

 

[YadaYadaYada]

@Cerulean, same about the house! When we first moved here it was just the two of us and we had a front sitting room, a back livingroom, a dining room and a computer room. The sitting room was just a pass through room and the dining room was hardly used, we did use the livingroom and the computer room became the cat room because we had four cats and each had its own litter box. Well now we have four people and only two cats, so we had to rearrange all the rooms and put the cat boxes in the bathroom but we use every inch of space and it feels a lot less wasteful!

@winnietucker, sometimes I swear the most fun part of jewelry is the thrill of the hunt, then the thrill of waiting for it to be delivered, then the anticipation of opening the box. Rinse and repeat and before you know it, you’re looking around wondering how you now have so much

 

[springerspaniel]

In the spirit of this thread - I filled several large bags with clothes. Lost track of how many still had tags But I was ruthless: If I haven’t worn it and I can’t see an occasion to wear it off it goes!

It was so much easier than thinking about selling jewellery. And I’m very happy to see the empty closet space But I don’t get attached to clothes. The shoes will be harder…

I was definitely thinking about this thread as I was doing it

My hat is off to you @yssie! Regardless of your attachment, it is not easy to get rid of all of these things.

 

[springerspaniel]

I really appreciate this thread; thank you all for writing so many interesting and thought provoking ideas and thoughts.

 

[MeowMeow]

Yes and no? Definitely not all of it but a good chunk of it for sure. I have some stuff that once it's in my possession again I probably will take to my jeweller and ask for scrap store credit. I don't like having too much junk after having had to move 5x in 5 years and that includes my jewellery. The rest is presents from my grandmother that while i do not care for them visually. I just can't bring myself to dump either because she honestly worked so hard and really thought I would love them. So those few items will get to live. But tbh I don't buy tons of stuff either. Thanks not having money! Lmao.

Eventually when it's hopefully less tight. I would like to have something of a couple of capsule sets like people have already done here. I don't want a crazy amount of jewelry for my daughter or myself to have to sort someday. Just a couple sets of basics since occasionally I do have to not schlub around in pajamas and athletic wear xD

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

I'm the same way with my home too...I just moved into a home that's less than 2,000 sq ft and much larger than I'm used to. I detest that a future "baby room" sits empty

I honestly don't know how people fill homes much larger, but maybe it's just that I MUST use all of the space...

we moved from a one bedroom flat to a 4 bedroom house
we had to go bed shopping !
i never even had a book case in the old place

 

[YadaYadaYada]

@MeowMeow, I think it’s great that you have some of your grandmother’s treasures, even if they aren’t your taste, just to be able to pass them along someday is very special.

@Daisys and Diamonds, if we didn’t have kids, I would love a one bedroom flat. Less to maintain and take care of…all about that life!

 

[MamaBee]

@AllAboardTheBlingTrain, do you mind me asking if most of your jewelry is gifted to you or do you buy your own jewelry for special occasions?

I think I would have a harder time selling things if I didn’t buy them myself. DH never buys me jewelry, he is too afraid!

@YadaYadaYada That’s a good thing that your husband is afraid to buy you jewelry! My husband bought me some doozies!

 

[YadaYadaYada]

@MamaBee, I put the fear in him LOL! Just kidding. He has a toy collection and I wouldn’t dream of trying to buy him anything, so it goes both ways

 

[Cerulean]

we moved from a one bedroom flat to a 4 bedroom house
we had to go bed shopping !
i never even had a book case in the old place

We moved from a 1 bedroom to a 5 bed house! The house sounds more lavish than it is...4 of the bedrooms are veeery small! but im not complaining, large bedrooms always seemed like a waste of space...

we did also go bed shopping. we splurged on a king bed...with 3 cats and 1 huge dog who all like to sleep with us, it was a godsend!

 

[MeowMeow]

@MeowMeow, I think it’s great that you have some of your grandmother’s treasures, even if they aren’t your taste, just to be able to pass them along someday is very special.

I agree! I'm hoping the old grandma stuff is more fashionable and interesting than mom's thing holds up later on lol. At least as far as her jewellery is concerned!

 

[winnietucker]

Had to come back to this because this thread really got me thinking maybe I should sell off the collection. And clear out the house of our excess clothing/ items like @yssie did. Especially while my friend is visiting and helping me with my son, giving me some free time. I feel so silly having so much money in jewelry.

 

[YadaYadaYada]

@winnietucker, I’m starting with those old clothes because I won’t possibly miss the size 8 clothes that don’t fit but I will miss the size 8 rings that do

Actually I think it’s great that this thread inspired anyone to downsize, whether that is clothes, jewelry or anything else.

 

[winnietucker]

@winnietucker, I’m starting with those old clothes because I won’t possibly miss the size 8 clothes that don’t fit but I will miss the size 8 rings that do

Actually I think it’s great that this thread inspired anyone to downsize, whether that is clothes, jewelry or anything else.

I’m rushing to get all our clothing together to donate before my friend starts work and I have to take the baby back. I have a lot of things I’ve kept because I thought I was going to lose a bunch of weight and fit in it again… those are going first

 

[luckygreen317]

I did a jewelry clean out last year letting go of pieces I haven’t worn.
I sold the 14 kt gold chains and bracelets on e-Bay. I have 2 outdated rings that will be melted down and repurposed into jewelry I will wear. I listed one on Loupe Troop and there was no interest.

 

[YadaYadaYada]

@luckygreen317, what a great idea to repurpose the outdated rings sure beats having them go unworn or dealing with the hassle of selling them.

 

[nala]

The way I see it, since I’m a bargain shopper—I only purge what I absolutely do not like—which oddly enough—I realize within the first 1 month of owning. When regret sets in, I sell It on eBay and take a small loss due to fees, etc. That said, any pieces that I’m on the fence about—get to live rent free in my vault, lol. I already pay for a bank vault, so they aren’t taking up too much space. And because the price of gold has gone up so much since I started collecting, If I ever decide to part with these, I’ll be whole or even make a profit. Hubby reminds me all the time that since I didn’t pay retail, I have quite a chunk of easy scrap money—worst case—but thankfully I do eBay.
I will say that for all my previous upgrades—for my ering—I have sold off a lot of unwanted pieces to make the upgrade happen. No regrets. But would I sell all my pieces to upgrade again? Nope. To consolidate and buy another big stone? Nope. I’ll keep these and enjoy and If I have to one day, sell to recoup, if not profit. But for now, they are sound investments.

 

[YadaYadaYada]

@nala, you are very savvy, I wish I had started collecting earlier because gold was so much cheaper then, old cuts too, before people caught on.

I will say that I would love to play in your bling vault. I bet you have some fun treasures in there.

 

[Ibrakeforpossums]

I have too much crap and not enough guilt. The few nice pieces I have are not best-one-on-the-planet but they all came after a long search and with a story. I would not sell them to upgrade or for anything. Not enough equity, I guess, to feel this kind of pressure.
Not taking the moral high ground, just haven't had the opportunity to get there.
And strangely enough, in saying that I feel blessed.

 

[YadaYadaYada]

@Ibrakeforpossums, I guess I don’t really think of the equity but that makes me think I could find some much needed home improvement.

Who am I kidding? I try to decide what to part with and I end up saying “I can’t part with any of this” putting it all away and then make an ice cream run. Hopeless cause lol!

 

[winnietucker]

I’m back with a little update. Immediately after I was like “I’m so silly for having all this money in jewelry maybe I SHOULD sell it all,” I went out and bought more things… I’m also casually shopping for an OEC to replace my MRB.

I clearly have no intention of actually getting out of the hobby. Finding new things is addictive. I need to have a daughter so I can further justify this. But I’m making an effort to keeping the collection to things I’ll wear regularly.

 

[Mrs_Strizzle]

I haven't genuinely considered selling anything I have except when I've found something I want out of budget. Then I suddenly can part with lots of things ! The mass majority of my collection I have bought pre-loved. I also feel like I've gotten great deals on everything, so that actually adds to the joy for me. I for one am so grateful for all of y'all who are gracious and generous enough to part with your beauties! Maybe one day I will be there too. I have 5 children, but only one daughter. She is a lover of jewelry too, much to her boyfriend's dismay. When she suggested to him I could help him find her a ring his eyes got wide and exclaimed "She will put me in the poor house!" But man was he thrilled with the deals I showed him on LT and knowing she doesn't mind pre-loved either. I do understand others who view it differently, however.

In the mean time I will continue to add to my collection when the opportunity arises, and view it as a blessing for myself and the seller so they can reinvest the money how they see fit. Win, win.

 

[blingmeupscotty]

I didn't sell it all..but I did have most of it melted down and created into one of a kind heirlooms for family members.

 

[springerspaniel]

@Ibrakeforpossums, I guess I don’t really think of the equity but that makes me think I could find some much needed home improvement.

Who am I kidding? I try to decide what to part with and I end up saying “I can’t part with any of this” putting it all away and then make an ice cream run. Hopeless cause lol!

So glad to see someone else gets overwhelmed and seeks the ice cream cure!!