When I moved into my first apartment everything I loved fit into the back of my Chevy, lol. My last move took a large moving van and two burly men. When my kids are out and settled and I sell this house, I hope to fit what I need in the back of whatever car I have. Well, maybe a few car trips.
Once you realize how much stuff you have and go through it, and keep what's important, necessary, and sentimental, what you keep becomes more cherishable and the rest ends up being plain old stuff.
I too, put things out for free. Amazing how they disappear. Last summer I put out an old child's desk, a wooden microwave cart, and an old but working gas grill, with gas in the tank. My kids thought I was nuts - "Mom, no one is going to take that!" Wrong. Each at separate times and gone within two days. Love it!