Look in the attic, basement, or garage of any home across the land and, chances are, you’ll find random collections of junk.
We’re all very good at buying stuff – not to so good at throwing things away – and it’s impossible not to accumulate things when you live in the same place for any length of time. Most people are ‘hoarders’ to some degree, without even knowing it.
If you’re looking to downsize, spring clean, or just generally declutter your home, here are six ideas to put all that old, unwanted stuff to good use.
Arrange for junk collection
If all else fails and you can’t think of a way to reuse, sell, or repurpose your unwanted goods, you should arrange for junk collection. Specialist waste removal firms like BrightHouse will come to your home at a prearranged time and collect your unwanted trash.
Collection firms will take most items like mattresses, old furniture, appliances, or glass and wood. Just to be sure to avoid hazardous waste, chemicals, or other potentially dangerous items like batteries. Check with the company first to see what they will take from you.
Upcycle unwanted goods
Upcycling is defined as taking old objects, reusing them, or repurposing in them in such a way as to create a new item that is of higher value than the original. Check out online upcycling sites for more ideas on how to repurpose your old things.
Donate to charity shops/churches etc
Charity shops are always on the lookout for good quality, unwanted items. They’ll take most things from furniture to unwanted clothes and electrical goods – plus you have the benefit of knowing your stuff went to a good home and was used for a good cause.
Bear in mind charity shops can only resell items which are in good working condition – so avoid burdening them with junk that won’t be any use to them.
Put it on an online marketplace
Sites like eBay are perfect for getting rid of stuff you no longer need. Take a couple of photos, write some text for the advert, set your lowest acceptable price, and let the auctioning begin.
With eBay, you get access to a worldwide market – but remember you are responsible for shipping and packaging, so you must factor in these costs. eBay will take a small commission from your sales, but it’s a small price to pay for exposure to such a massive audience.
Post it on online classifieds
There are thousands of classifieds websites and boards online. Sites like Gumtree and Craigslist are perfect for selling random unwanted items. While advertising on these sites is generally free, you should bear in mind, if the buyer can’t collect the item, you will be responsible for post and packaging.
Hold a garage/yard sale
If online marketplaces and e-classified websites are a little too newfangled and sound like more trouble then they’re worth, you could always consider holding a good old traditional garage or yard sale.
For the best results, you should advertise your sale day to some degree – either on sites like Craigslist or via posters around your neighborhood and in local shops. You could even place a small ad in the local paper.
Set up your ‘shop’, remember to clearly label everything, so prices are easy to see and get selling. Garage sales can be a fantastic way to meet people in your local community while at the same time, getting rid of your old stuff.
As the old saying goes, “one man’s junk is another man’s treasure”. You might be pleasantly surprised how much demand there is for stuff you no longer need nor want – and you could even make a little money along the way.
