What to Do with Your Belongings After Decluttering

So you’ve decluttered your home—now what? More often than not, items in your discard pile can be disposed of sustainably, donated to a good cause, or even sold. Whether you’re preparing for a move, downsizing, or just doing some spring cleaning, here are 11 ways to get rid of decluttered stuff!

Donate Items

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Donating household items is a great way to give them a second life. Between local drives calling for specific items and donation centers, there are plenty of places you can donate to!

Thrift Stores

Thrift stores are a perfect place to start if you’re looking to donate. There are national thrift stores with donation drop-off centers like Goodwill and Salvation Army, but be sure to check out any locally-owned secondhand stores as well! If you have clothes, furniture, toys, or household items like dishes and decor lying around that you no longer use, consider donating them.

Churches

Churches often accept donations of gently used items. Sometimes, they may ask for specific items like coats or toys, but you may also be able to donate other household items as well. Call around to some churches in your local area to see what they’re currently accepting!

Local Charities

Many local charity and nonprofit organizations will accept gently used items like clothing, toys, books, furniture, electronics, housewares, and more. If you have a pet, many humane societies will even accept toys, water and food bowls, pet carriers, leashes, and collars. The best way to find out what items charities are accepting is to give them a call or check their websites.

Give Away

Similar to donating, reaching out to your friends and family to see if they may need anything is a great way to get rid of decluttered things. Let them know what you’re getting rid of and ask if they’re interested in any of it. You may have multiple items that a friend or family member could use!

Sell Items

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Not sure what to do with your decluttered stuff? Try selling it! There are many different avenues you can take to sell your decluttered items and make a bit of money as well.

Garage Sale

If you have a lot of items to get rid of and want to do some serious downsizing, consider organizing a garage sale. Overwhelmed about planning a garage sale on your own? Reach out to your neighbors to see if they’d be interested in doing a joint garage sale! You’ll want to set up some tables and hanging racks to display your “for sale” items and create an organized space for shoppers. Advertise your garage sale on your social media accounts and put up neighborhood signs so people know when and where you’re selling!

Online Marketplace

Selling your items online is another simple way to get rid of decluttered stuff! If you want to stay local, Facebook Marketplace is an ideal destination for selling furniture online and other household items, or you can sell a variety of items on Craigslist. Getting rid of clothes? Create a Poshmark account so you can list, sell, and ship your items to buyers. Other sites to consider include Ebay, Mercari, Amazon, and thredUP.

Local Vintage Shops

Check out some vintage stores in your area to see if you can sell items to them! Depending on the specialty of the shop, they may accept only clothing or home decor. Nevertheless, this is a great way to make some money and support local businesses by contributing to their inventory.

Auction

If you’re decluttering your home and find some antique or rare collectable items, considering selling them through an auction. There are a lot of regional auction houses, so be sure to look up when and where auctions are happening near you. While it may take extra work to auction your items, the payoff can be rewarding.

Reuse or Dispose of Items

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If donating or selling decluttered stuff isn’t on the table, you may need to throw your items away. Fortunately, there are a few different options for recycling items if you don’t want to dispose of items traditionally!

Recycle

One sustainable solution for getting rid of stuff is to recycle. Many household items are able to be recycled instead of just thrown away, including books, clothing, bedding, some electronics, and more. You may even have bins located throughout your community that are designated for recycling specific items. Reach out to your local recycling center to learn more about what can and can’t be recycled.

Repurpose

Another way you can recycle items is to repurpose them so they can have a new life! There are endless DIY projects out there for your decluttered items. From reupholstering furniture and crafting home decor to painting dressers and cabinets, there are tons of possibilities when you decide to repurpose something!

Throw Away

If you’re decluttering and find that you have heavily worn or broken items, it may be best to throw them away. As you go through items, ensure that they can’t be donated, recycled, or repurposed first. Many household items like glassware, knives, picture frames, sewing machines, and more can’t be recycled.

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Have items you’ve decluttered but don’t want to get rid of? Keep your home organized and clutter-free by storing unused items! Extra Space Storage has secure self storage facilities located across the U.S. that can help. Find a storage unit near you!