When you are starting to declutter, you may be stuck on the hard question on whether to donate or sell your items that you have decided to get rid of. Many people look at their items and see it as a waste of money to donate. This is not always the case. I would like to share some insight.
When to Toss
Tossing items can be a difficult decision. If something is damaged, broken, clearly worn, expired, or very dated, these are the things you should be thinking about tossing. If it is a piece of clothing that is worn, think about the fact that it has had it's use. Expired medications can be put in a bag and brought to a local Pharmacy for safe disposal and old electronics can be recycled. If it is old documents that you no longer need, take it some place where it can be shredded. Most other things can be put in your recycling bin or thrown right into the trash. Many organizers say just to toss items out and not worry about recycling. If that is what you decide to do, no judgement here. Just figure out how to get rid of it and get it out of your way. This is really the easiest part of decluttering because these decisions are normally easier to make. These things are basically unusable and have little to no monetary value.
When to Sell
If you have a lot of clutter, I really suggest limiting the amount of items you sell. Clothes that are pretty nice, I would take pictures and put them on the Facebook Marketplace right away and store them in a sliding bin under my bed. I was able to do this because the things weren't in the way. Usually things on the Marketplace sell quickly or not at all. Be prepared that you may not get what you believe the item is worth or it may not sell at all. The longer you hold onto these items, the more it is taking up valuable space in your home. You can also decide to have a yard sale, or look up companies that can sell your items for you. Set a time limit that is reasonable to you. I suggest somewhere between a week and a month. If the items don't go, donate them. If you can get over $100 for your used items, then do some research to figure out the best way to sell a particular item.
When to Donate
This is something that is very difficult to many people. We look at our things and think about the wasted money. Think about this, the money was wasted when you purchased the items, not when you get rid of them. Grow from it, learn from it, and be less mindful in the future. Many people chose to donate even clothes that can be sold. I recommend that most of your things that you are usable should be donated. The reason for this is that the value you gain from a decluttered home is much more important than money. Think peace of mind. You can feel good knowing that someone else can use these items. In many places, you can find charities that will pick up your items for you. Do whatever is easiest and makes sense to you. Anything that isn't selling or won't sell right away, I truly suggest donating. If you really want to see fast progress, I suggest donating. This is a personal decision that only you can make. I suggest being very mindful about your goals and what the cost of hanging onto an item for longer will cost you.
Summary
I hope that helped answer your questions about how to get rid of your items. I want to congratulate you for starting your organizing journey. It takes time so do not get discouraged. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out to me or the help of friends and family. Keep going!
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