Ever purged your collection in pursuit of one bag? How did it go?

[Loquita]

I agree about your username! I told dh about it last night and he cracked up. He doesn't typically get too many laughs out of tPF!

Lo - your new bag is perfect! Still hoping for the mod shots!

You have really inspired so many here! And that is a tough thing to do with all of the enabling that goes on! In the past 2 weeks I have sold 8 bags! And I have 8 listed for sale currently. So it is out with the old and in with just a few selectively chosen. I am still hoping to let more go. My little sister was so happy today when I offered her favorite of all of my bags, a pewter BE.

Thank you for the much needed inspiration!

Wow, Sandy, that's incredibly impressive!! You go!!!

You know, if we really sit down and take a breath and think about it, it's actually relatively simple to figure out what works for each of us in terms of handbags and what doesn't. I think that after a certain amount of experience with bags, this became clear for me at least...yet why was I continuing to buy bags that didn't work for me?

That's the question I stil haven't really answered, but at least I am aware that tendency in myself.

At the moment I have some extra money in my pocket from handbag sales and it is burning a hole there...my normal tendency would be to run out and buy the first bag that strikes my fancy, but I am fighting that urge mightily. I really want to think about my next purchase/move, so that I get it right like I did with my YSL bag.

It's kinda like playing chess, but with my debit card.

 

[Loquita]

Thanks for enjoying my nickname, girls. It's kind of "inspired by a true story", and...of course with...heavy sarcasm

Ok, I just counted my bag collection (I don't count my backpacks and laptop bags cause those are HARDLY for fashion and completely for work/school). 27 bags. More purging to do, but there are several I got as gifts that I want to get rid of but don't have the heart to...Darn it. Maybe I can send out some kind of memo to tell people to not buy me bags...It's rare I end up liking them anyway.

Yes, Lo. You've inspired many! It's so awesome. I always thought I could just add to my collection...and I like your new mantra. Do you mind telling me how much your bag was and where you bought it? I tried sifting through the thread, but my attention span kept me from finding it...

sandys, great job! 8 bags is a lot. I only sold 2 bags, 2 coin purses, and one wallet. (some others I donated or gave away). I'm working to get rid of some more. Lucky for me, I don't really even own many mid-level designer bags, so my bag collection is relatively cheap still. 2 bags are gonna give out any second now, but I want to use them to their last breath.

I have an MbyMJ bag coming, which was what forced me to purge in the first place

Sure thing! I got the bag NWT from *bay, for $850. It was originally $1,595 or thereabouts. They had the bag on sale as low as $630 right after the holidays at some major US department stores like Saks and Nordstrom's and I tried to get it then, but I missed out...and went nuts searching for it, until a very kind PFer told me about one on *bay. I would have loved to have gotten the lower price, but I am still happy with the price I ended up paying. Nope, it's not a cheap bag by any means, but I was spending just as much on multiple bags that I didn't like nearly as much before.

And I MbMJ!!! I have owned some of them and they are great bags, Give me a Faridah anyday...the leather is lovely.

 

[sexycombover]

Lo. Wow. $630 for a YSL?!?! If only I knew! Hahaha. Oh well. That's fine. What you paid is a very fair price too imo. And gosh, isn't the feeling so much better when you save up for something you REALLY REALLY REALLY want instead of just getting 2nd or 3rd bests?

Actually, the purging does feel good. I have more cash from things I don't want or use anymore (even though you're bound to take a loss from what they originally cost), and my room suddenly has a slight bit more space. I also feel less guilty about collecting so much junk too!

I'll share the result of my purge (plus a lot of supplementary payment) when it comes, but Nordstrom is taking a lifetime to ship, so I have no idea when it'll arrive. I think I will purge more of my jewelry collection now that I don't have any more brand name bags I am willing to let go.

And as for my nickname, since sandy was curious I was shopping with my sister a while back, and when we were in the parking lot, we saw this man fixing his 'do (or lack thereof) in front of a sideview mirror of a random car (not his), and he had REALLY LONG strands of what's left on his head and he kept twirling them on top to cover everything else. This was in BROAD DAYLIGHT in the MIDDLE OF A BUSY PARKING LOT. My sister and I walked as fast as possible away from that location and burst out laughing, and I was saying how sexy his combover was...and hence, sexycombover!

 

[thithi]

^ hahah... how cute!! i'll always think of that now when i see your screenname. poor guy...

that's what i love about purging too.... the extra space!! it's wonderful!! I feel like i'm always fighting to stay organized. Who knew all I needed to do was get rid of extra stuff!! And it's nice having a little extra spending money as well.

 

[Babydoll Chanel]

Does Bonanzle have the same exposure as ebay though?

 

[thithi]

Thanks everyone!!! I am uploading the Photobucket pics as we speak!!!

And to answer your question, TejasMama, in the last month or so I have sold 17 items (bags & small leather goods), and returned 3 for a full refund. I also am selling 3 bags (2 very low priced, but very nice one that will be up for sale later on) for my mother. She has asked me to sell the bags for her and is generously requesting that I keep the funds as my upcoming birthday present. Very sweet, no?

I still have some more to go, though.

I currently own exactly one handbag and two wallets (one small and one large - both from Hayden-Harnett's Holiday Sale), which you shall see soon.

OMG, that's amazing!!!! You're my handbag hero! I'm no where near that, but I have four listed now and I think I'm going to l sell another 3 or 4, maybe even more. I've sold some wallets and a clutch as well. It feels really good!

 

[thithi]

Does Bonanzle have the same exposure as ebay though?

Not quite. I usually list first on ebay if I need money quickly, and then if it doesn't sell, I'll let it sit on Bonanzle... I don't always have the patience to wait for bonanzle to sell. The good thing is that a lot of tpfers know about bonanzle, so there's still a good amount of exposure from our community.

 

[Babydoll Chanel]

Aha, that's a good sign then I'd trust a pfer way over an ebay bidder any day. I'd like to price one bag around $500 or $520, and when I calculated ebay's fees, they came to $65 total.

So my profit is only $435 - $455.

 

[Loquita]

^ hahah... how cute!! i'll always think of that now when i see your screenname. poor guy...

that's what i love about purging too.... the extra space!! it's wonderful!! I feel like i'm always fighting to stay organized. Who knew all I needed to do was get rid of extra stuff!! And it's nice having a little extra spending money as well.

Fantastic story, sexycombover!! I it!!!

If the poor dude only knew...

And thithi, I feel the same way. I am actually a hyper-organized person but since I am a writer/professor I fight a constant battle against the piles of paper and books that threaten to take over my home and work offices all the time...I truly feel guilty about all of those dead trees.

Your pics totally inspired me to make the Easy the red bag in my collection. And I am going to go for the leather, which costs a bit more but it will be worth it. Thanks for the push I needed!!

 

[Loquita]

Lo. Wow. $630 for a YSL?!?! If only I knew! Hahaha. Oh well. That's fine. What you paid is a very fair price too imo. And gosh, isn't the feeling so much better when you save up for something you REALLY REALLY REALLY want instead of just getting 2nd or 3rd bests?

Actually, the purging does feel good. I have more cash from things I don't want or use anymore (even though you're bound to take a loss from what they originally cost), and my room suddenly has a slight bit more space. I also feel less guilty about collecting so much junk too!

I'll share the result of my purge (plus a lot of supplementary payment) when it comes, but Nordstrom is taking a lifetime to ship, so I have no idea when it'll arrive. I think I will purge more of my jewelry collection now that I don't have any more brand name bags I am willing to let go.

And as for my nickname, since sandy was curious I was shopping with my sister a while back, and when we were in the parking lot, we saw this man fixing his 'do (or lack thereof) in front of a sideview mirror of a random car (not his), and he had REALLY LONG strands of what's left on his head and he kept twirling them on top to cover everything else. This was in BROAD DAYLIGHT in the MIDDLE OF A BUSY PARKING LOT. My sister and I walked as fast as possible away from that location and burst out laughing, and I was saying how sexy his combover was...and hence, sexycombover!

BTW, which MbMJ did you order? I can't wait to see it!!!

 

[Loquita]

Aha, that's a good sign then I'd trust a pfer way over an ebay bidder any day. I'd like to price one bag around $500 or $520, and when I calculated ebay's fees, they came to $65 total.

So my profit is only $435 - $455.

Yep...stinks, doesn't it? I say take your time and go for the Bonz!

You can also price things a bit lower there since you don't have to pay ridiculous fees, and you still make a bigger profit. Plus dealing with PFers is much nicer any day. I have had nothing but pleasant interactions on the Bonz, and have been selling there for well over a year.

 

[Babydoll Chanel]

^ Checking it out...

 

[TejasMama]

Thanks everyone!!! I am uploading the Photobucket pics as we speak!!!

And to answer your question, TejasMama, in the last month or so I have sold 17 items (bags & small leather goods), and returned 3 for a full refund. I also am selling 3 bags (2 very low priced, but very nice one that will be up for sale later on) for my mother. She has asked me to sell the bags for her and is generously requesting that I keep the funds as my upcoming birthday present. Very sweet, no?

I still have some more to go, though.

I currently own exactly one handbag and two wallets (one small and one large - both from Hayden-Harnett's Holiday Sale), which you shall see soon.

Wow! 17 items? You are just rockin' this program! I'm so impressed with your determination to really scale down and select a few, fantastic bags. Your new YSL is gorgeous. So, what's the next step?

I took a bag out that I LOVE but haven't carried much and now I see why. It's so heavy! I did have it loaded up but my back started to twinge from the weight. I have to say that I've had back issues in the past so what wouldn't bother most people with respect to average bag weight may cause me pain. Part of me was really bummed because I really love the bag but I also realized that this is going to be one of those that I won't be able to carry, and it doesn't make sense to have it sitting in my closet taking up space. On the plus side, it was the push I needed to add it to my 'sell' list so someone else can enjoy it.

Keep us posted on your new YSL!

 

[fashion_mom1]

Hey LO. I got the results of my purge. I turned 4 into 3. But 3 more expensive bags. I got an LV Batignolles new, A Burberry haymarket tote, and a large Fendi patent leather dejour bag. Just thought I would share. Did your bag come?

 

[Odebdo]

Lo...who knew you would start a trend!?!

I just love reading how everyone is thinking about their collections! I know these next 4 months while I am on a ban...i am going to be evaluating what bags I reach for and why...and to purge accordingly!!

I have been back to on your YSL bag to be honest more then a few times...it is gorgeous!! How is she enjoying her first day out and about??