Sell, Donate, or Trash?

Sell, Donate, or Trash? How to declutter according to The uncluttered Life, Inc

I’ve been working with a friend to help her declutter her home. She has that motivated spirit, and I want to take advantage of it while it lasts. Sometimes people get very exited to declutter, visualizing an uncluttered home, and then the energy fades. I’m helping her from a distance, giving the encouragement she needs to stay focused.

Undoubtedly, the conversion always turns to “Should I sell, donate or throw this thing away?” It’s a very common question and one that saps the declutterer’s energy. My rule of thumb is to make the decision quickly, and don’t look back once you’ve decided to let it go.

One of the most important questions to ask yourself as you’re going through the process is: How do I get rid of something? Generally, you have three options as mentioned above: sell', donate or trash.

Unclutter Your Home: Sell It

One thing to consider is what what will bring the best return. If it’s going to take you all day to post something for sale, and the most you’ll get back from it is 15.00, it’s probably best to let it go. it’s just not worth your time.

Of course, the most profitable way to get rid of things is to sell them. After all, getting something for an item you want to let go is better than getting getting nothing. But really, think about what it takes to make a small sale happen. For example, if you’re selling furniture, it takes a lot of detail to get the furniture out of your home and into someone else’s. You must find the best place to sell it, post pictures, field calls and texts about the item, negotiate a price, and then move it out. Sounds like a lot of work if the item isn’t worth very much. Or, if it’s not a good piece and there is little interest in it from the community in which you live.

One way to help you make this decision is to set a price limit for anything you’re planning to sell. You determine a number, and anything under it is either donated or discarded. Another idea is to bundle items. This can boost your items as a group. For example, instead of one little item, make it more attractive by selling it with other like items. A phone case, office supplies, things that make sense. people may be looking for this type of thing.

Unclutter Your Home: Donate It

If it’s too much trouble to sell an item, think about donating. On a superficial level, you can claim the value of any item you donate to a charitable organization as a deduction on your taxes, provided you itemize. In addition, donating is a generous act of kindness. For example, maybe a young couple is just starting out and they need furniture. Donating it to them, or gifting it, may win for both of you. This also keeps things out of landfills, which is a gift to the world.

There are some organizations that will come to do pickups of a lot of clothing and household items. I use these organizations a lot, especially ones that are community specific. It makes me feel good to know that it helps others in the area who may need a helping hand. Give the organization a call to see what they’re willing to take. I love Habitat for Humanity for my excess home items because they put the items to good use. They will also pick up items in many situations. Think about donating personal items, as well. Shelters, both for people and animals, often need these types of things.

Unclutter Your Home: Trash or Recycle It

Some things are just past their prime. Many people think that they should donate anything regardless of its condition, because someone will want it. This isn’t necessarily true. The truth is, if you think it’s trash, someone else will think it’s trash, too.

That means things that have mildewed, are stained (even baby clothes sometimes), and broken beyond repair. But even then, it’s worth making sure you’re using the correct disposal technique. That may mean breaking things down into pieces so that they can be recycled. A spiral notebook, for instance, cannot be recycled as-is. If you separate the paper from the metal, then all the elements of the notebook can be recycled.

You may even consider listing borderline items on your local Buy Nothing or Craigslist pages to see if anyone needs or wants what you have before you place them in the garbage. Given the choice, err on the side of putting an unwanted item back into the world if it can be of use to someone else.