So you’ve gone through that closet. Or maybe a whole room. How about your entire home. And now you have a big pile of stuff you no longer want or need. What are you going to do with this unwanted stuff? The easy answer is the trash. And sure, that’s where some of it belongs. Or maybe some can be go in recycling. But with some extra thought and yes, probably a lot of extra time, you can give some of it away to people who may want what you no longer do. And there may even be people willing to pay you money for things you no longer have a use for.
You may have heard some version of trash, recycle, donate, sell. Let’s go through them.
Trash
This is the easy one. If something is not in good shape, or no longer usable, then trash is where it belongs. Keep in mind not everything can go in your household trash. Things like cooking oil, household cleaners, pesticides, anything that contains hazardous ingredients, car batteries, certain types of light bulbs, electronics, etc. will have their own disposal methods. If your town/ city is like mine, the website for waste disposal includes information on what can go in your trash pick-up and what needs a special disposal. Also, some things you may think are trash (like old clothes/ textiles, see below) are actually recyclable.
Some items that require special disposal
- Electronics: Non-working electronics generally require special disposal. Many communities will have instructions on where to bring them and may even have occasional e-disposal events. If your item is still working there will likely be many places in your community that will gladly accept donations of used electronic devices. Or you may even be able to sell them (see below). Best Buy offers both in-store and a mail-in recycling service for many different types of electronics and appliances.
- Prescription drugs: Expired or unused medications should not be thrown away or flushed down the toilet. Instead bring them someplace that participates in a drug take back program. Some pharmacies will take them back. For instance my local Walgreens has a safe medication disposal kiosk. Or sometimes there will be a live special event at a pharmacy when you can bring them. The Drug Enforcement Agency provides a list of pharmacies, hospitals and other businesses throughout the country where you can safely dispose of your medications.
- Paint: I used to think paint should never be thrown in the trash but according to my waste management site, paint that is latex-based can be. You need to let the paint thoroughly dry out. Keeping it out in the sun and mixing in absorbent materials like kitty litter are ways to dry out your paint. And make sure to stir it occasionally (use one of those wooden sticks you get when you buy the paint) so that you are sure the whole can is dry and not just the top layer. I made that mistake once—what a mess!. Latex or oil-based paint should go to special disposal. You could also see if someplace like a Habitat for Humanity ReStore can use it especially if you have a good amount left.
Recycle
Going through a file cabinet, or kitchen containers may generate items that can be recycled. Again, your town/ city should have guidance on what they accept for recycling. They should accept paper, glass and certain types of plastics (check specific guidance on what types of plastics are acceptable).
But did you know clothes and other textiles can be recycled? If you have textiles that are not in good enough shape to donate, look for places where you can recycle them. There may be someplace nearby where you can bring them. There may also be bins/ drop stations in your area where you can drop off your things. Look up textile recycling to find out what’s available near you. You can find out about other recycling programs and how textile recycling works in this CNN article.
Donate
Another way to recycle is to give your unwanted stuff to someone else. If something is still usable and in good condition there are likely numerous places in your community where you can donate it. Thrift stores like GoodWill or Salvation Army take most anything from clothes to household goods. Do a search for places in your community that accept donations and what they accept. You may be surprised by what you find. When I was decluttering I found a craft place near me that accepts a wide range of things that can be used in craft projects. It was a great way to get rid of the drawers full of stickers, construction paper and all those other things I had for my daughter’s arts and crafts projects. Another way to find your item a good home is through Facebook Marketplace. While you can also use it for selling things (see next section) you can also list things available for free.
Before you donate double check the condition. Most places want things that are in decent shape otherwise you’ve just passed the how to get rid of something problem onto someone else. If you’re unsure if something you have is acceptable check the website for guidance or ask.
Ways to donate specialty items
- Books: Check if your local library accepts book donations or if they work with a non-profit affiliate that collects and sells them to support the library. Thrift stores and all sorts of other places may accept books. Get ideas from this Reader’s Digest article.
- Building materials and household items: Habitat ReStore– affiliated with Habitat for Humanity- accepts donations of reuseable household items and building materials. Here’s a good way to get rid of leftover paint, tiles, and any other materials you used in your house.
- Eyeglasses and hearing aids: Lions International accepts eyeglasses and hearing aids to recycle them for those in need. You can bring your eyeglasses to a participating Walmart Vision Center or to a Lions’ Clubs that accepts them. More information about this program along with how to mail your items can be found here along with information on how to donate hearing aids to the Hearing Charities of America.
- Old towels, rugs or linens: The ASPCA, Humane Society, or other animal shelters usually need these items.
- Professional clothes: Dress for Success provides support to women seeking employment by providing professional clothes along with guidance to develop skills to apply and interview for jobs. If you have good quality clothes that can be worn in the workplace (and that includes a range of options from the more casual to business attire), check to see if you have a local affiliate near you. When I used to volunteer there they were often in need of scrubs for health professionals.
- Prom dresses: Organizations like Becca’s Closet accept donations of prom dresses. Check to see if there is a Becca’s Closet near you or other similar organization.
Sell
There are a number of ways you can try and sell your things that you no longer want.
Selling locally
One way is to do a yard sale though people have mixed opinions on if these are worth the effort. Consignment or resell shops are another way to go. These could be a good way to sell good condition, current fashions or other items. Remember they will take a cut. Stores like Plato’s Closet will go through your clothes while you wait and tell you right there what they want and give you the money right then. Other places you will have to wait until they actually sell your items before you get any money. Usually, they will only want items in excellent condition and are also current or in style. But current doesn’t always mean new(ish). When my aunt passed away she had some designer clothes and purses from the 1950s that were considered vintage and I made over $100 from them.
Some national resell chains that accept and sell pre-owned clothes and other items include:
- Plato’s Closet: Clothes and accessories aimed at the teen/ young adult market.
- Once upon a child: Children’s clothes, toys and baby gear.
- Play it again Sports: Sports equipment.
- Music go round: Musical instruments.
Or you can try to sell online locally with Facebook Marketplace and Nextdoor (I have had a moderate level of success with these). Read on for more about selling online.
Selling online
There are also a number of ways to try and sell online. This Forbes article lists what they consider some of the best online sites for selling items and some specifics about transactions fees, what they list, etc. Their preferred 4 include: eBay, Facebook Marketplace, Etsy, and Poshmark. Another article from nerdwallet has information about these and other sites.
Electronics
According to this CNET article if you have unwanted electronics that are less than 5 years old and in good shape you have a decent change of selling them. They recommend sites like Swappa and Decluttr for selling, Amazon and Best Buy for their trade-in programs (money goes to your Amazon account or a Best Buy gift card respectively) and ItsWorthMore (which gives you more options in terms of how they’ll pay you).
Also check out these articles specifically on ways to sell your Android and Apple products. They also include the steps to take to back up your data and to make sure your personal information is erased.
Take Home Messages
Decluttering is just your first step in cleaning and organizing your home. Once you’ve identified your unwanted stuff, figure out what belongs in the trash, what requires special disposal, and what can be recycled, donated, and sold. Yes, figuring all this out will take some time to research your local options but it’s worth it to find new homes for your unwanted stuff as well as to keep your things out of the landfill if possible. Hopefully the links in this post will help and make your job a little easier. Here are two final articles with ideas on what you can do with items you no longer want. The first is from Better Homes & Gardens and the second is from Guardian Storage.
Look for future posts on tips for selling things online and the pros and cons of holding a yard sale.
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