Decluttering your home feels great! The space is refreshed and open. It’s like it has a new life. But if the stuff you take out of your home simply winds up in your garage or storage space because you had no idea what to do with it, that’s not completely helpful either. Instead, try these proven methods to get rid of your stuff – for good!
Sell It – Locally
Selling locally saves you the cost of packaging and shipping the items. And the great news is there are apps out there to help you with this. Craigslist is the tried and true method for this, but Facebook marketplace has gotten in on the action, too. In addition, apps like OfferUp, and 5miles help you sell your stuff to declutter your home and help people in your town.
Yard Sale
This may be old school, but yard sales still work. The key is to promote your yard sale both online and off. Check out your local paper, post it on Craigslist and Facebook, etc. And definitely make signs to hang on the road! If you get a good flow of people, you can make decent money and have the buyers haul away your stuff!
Level Up your Decluttering by Donating
There are two ways to donate. First, you can pack up your smaller items and either mail or hand-deliver them to the local charity of your choice. If you have larger items, like furniture, this may not work. Instead, check out which local charities will pick up items from your home and make your donation that way. Be sure to get a receipt for tax purposes.
House Unwarming Party
If you’re always looking for the next trend, a house un-warming party is for you. Here’s how it works. You invite your friends and neighbors – and their friends. On the day of the party, be sure you’ve marked or otherwise indicated the items that are free for the taking vs. the things you want to keep. Set out snacks and drinks and get ready to have a blast. Your guests (and maybe some new friends) will take what they want instead of bringing you a gift. Just like that, all your stuff is gone to new homes with people who want it!
Build Community with the Buy Nothing Project
The basic idea is that if everyone shares what they don’t need with others, no one will have to buy anything. It’s based on hyper-local groups, such as your neighborhood, city, or school. Learn more about the buy-nothing group or find a local group to participate.
No matter how much stuff you’re trying to get rid of, chances are you can easily find new homes with a combination of these methods.
