Organizing your home and cleaning out the clutter is a great way to organize your life and your mind, as well as feel accomplished, so roll up your sleeves and make room for the presents that you received this holiday season. It’s a great way to get rid of the things you don’t need; just make sure those unwanted items don’t get sent to the landfills!
First you’ve got to go through everything and assess what you have. Separate out the items you want to keep and the things you want to get rid of. When you’ve discovered all those gems hidden in the back of your closet, make room for them out where you can see them. If you are saving things in boxes make sure to label the contents carefully.
Many people have a hard time getting rid of things; there’s always that doubt that "maybe I will use/need this someday." A good rule of thumb is to ask yourself if you have used it in the past year. If not, you most likely don’t need it and won’t miss it. We all have things that have sentimental value, but when those things are just sitting in the attic they aren’t serving to remind you of very much at all.
Make sure you keep important papers, but recycle those old magazines. If you’ve got a bunch of old books, donate them to your local library. Another great option is online swap sites. At places like TitleTrader you can actually swap your unwanted CDs and DVDs, old books and even textbooks. When you send something of yours off to someone else, you get credit to receive something in return. There are a bunch of other great sites out there as well like Paperbackswap. Just Google “book swap” and see what’s out there.
If you’ve got a lot of clothes and shoes that are still in good condition but you don’t want or wear them anymore, there are many places to donate them. Salvation Army and Goodwill are always accepting clothes, shoes, and a number of other household items. Take your gently used winter clothing, coats, or towels to a local homeless shelter. You can even bring toys, as many women’s shelters accept those as well. If you can’t find any of these places near you, a lot of churches or local welfare centers collect items as well.
It is important to ensure that you are donating things that are still in decent condition. The website Easy Organizing Finds suggests the following criteria for items that are in "good working condition."
- Test electrical items or ones that operate with batteries.
- Dry clean (if appropriate) or wash your clothing before donating it.
- Make sure items have no permanent stains.
- Have all the parts. If it’s clothing, that means buttons. If it's games and small appliances, that means parts and pieces.
- Donate items that are not excessively worn, such as very pilled blankets.
- Make sure they are not safety hazards. Don’t donate any toys or children’s items that may be on recall lists (such as with the Consumer Product Safety Commission).
Did you find a bunch of old gift cards? Check the balance online or call (the cards usually list a number on the back). If it’s for a place you never shop and has a balance of $25 or over, check out Plastic Jungle. Through the site, you can sell, buy, or donate gift cards.
If the cards are for a place you shop at frequently, keep them in your wallet so you can get that amount off of your next purchase, no matter how small the amount may be. Or, give to friends and family who may frequent the stores.
Always donate or recycle old electronics.
Try Freecycle, a non-profit movement that connects people through a network to gift things they don’t want and receive things they do.
Remember, just because you don’t want something doesn’t mean it’s useless. Many people may need or want the things you don’t. The weather may not be too great now, but you could always put stuff away until the spring and then hold a yard sale. Whatever you don’t sell, donate.
For big items, you can try putting it out in front of your house with a sign that simply says "FREE." It probably won't be there for very long!
You’ll be free of clutter and you can help out those who need it most. So keep that clutter out of the landfill and put it to good use.
