Deciding to undertake a big declutter can feel cathartic and cleansing. When you are finally able to get rid of everything that has been distracting you and you can now enjoy your space, it can feel like moving into a new home entirely. However, decluttering and deep cleaning often come with a lot of resultant unwanted items, including furniture, clothing, toys, books, and more. If you have recently decluttered and are wondering what to do with all your unwanted belongings, here are a few ideas to help you out.
Up-cycle
For the chance to learn something new and become handier, try up-cycling some of the unwanted items. There’s a possibility that you might transform them into items you would happily keep after all. For example, you could strip the paint of an old chest of drawers and redecorate it to look brand new. You could teach yourself how to sew and remake some of your old clothes into completely new pieces. Not only is this a great way to learn new skills and become more capable, but it is also great for limiting waste after decluttering.
Donate to a Good Cause
If you don’t have the time or the inclination to up-cycle your unwanted goods, you could still use them to make the world a better place. Consider looking for charitable causes that accept donations of goods, such as a veterans charity or a homeless shelter. Not all charities accept this kind of donation, but you can still give money or volunteer to help. Usually, when you donate your unwanted possessions to a charity, you are helping them to raise funds for their cause, whereas other times, you are directly giving your items to people in need.
Sell to a New Home
There are plenty of ways that you can make money from your unwanted belongings, either in person or online. Yard sales, markets, social media adverts, and more are great options for letting potentially interesting people know that you have items up for sale. Be honest about the condition of the pieces and set a fair price.
Give to Friends
If you don’t want to sell your items, you could always keep a designated space for them in your home and, whenever a friend comes over, let them know that they are welcome to take anything they like from the collection. This is a great way to both get rid of your clutter and make your loved ones happy.
Throw Away
Unfortunately, there might be some items that aren’t suitable to be repurposed, donated, sold or given away. Once you have tried to find another method of improving or removing the item and have had no luck, the best decision might be to simply discard it. You can look up local recycling or scrap companies that might accept some of your unwanted items where they could be used to make new pieces. While it is much better to avoid waste, sometimes it is unavoidable.
