We're all guilty of it, hanging onto "things". Below is a great article on how to declutter and simplify your life.
Published: November 13, 2012
You can get a warm, fuzzy feeling and make a few bucks by responsibly ditching all the excess stuff you
accumulate.
Before you cast off, sort out Designate an area in the home — preferably near an exit -- for the stuff
you don’t want to forget to take out the door with you. What we really
liked best about this video is that she includes tips for keeping your
downsizing efforts on track.
Hazardous household materialsSure, we all
know where to recycle stuff like soda cans and water bottles, but what
about dicey items like medications, paint thinners, or asbestos?
Earth911.com,
along with its free app iRecycle, is one of the best sources for
finding acceptance centers that handle household hazardous waste. Just
enter the type of junk you need to unload, like compact fluorescent
light bulbs (did you know they have traces of mercury?), along with your
ZIP code, and it provides the nearest recycling center to you.
Old technologyIf you want to recycle appliances, cameras, computers, and TVs, Best Buy Recycle
will take them, no matter where you bought them originally. The
retailer charges $100 to pick up old appliances like TVs if you’re not
also having a new Best Buy item delivered to you. It says it destroys
CPUs to protect your data privacy. And the recycled bits and pieces
become raw materials manufacturers can use to make everything from
appliances to park benches.
New-ish technologyIf you want to sell your current smartphone or Mac gadget quickly,
Gazelle.com
will give you an instant estimate and a free shipping label. Plus, you
can take comfort knowing that Gazelle believes in reusing products first
before trying to recycle them.
FYI, while the company does
protect your privacy by destroying SIM cards and erasing personal data
found on devices they receive, Gazelle recommends you remove your SIM
card and delete any personal information on your device before sending
it in.
Junk mailThe best way to get rid
of junk mail from accumulating at home is to stop it from being
delivered in the first place. By creating a free account at Catalogchoice.org,
you can banish catalogs and assorted marketing items from your home
forever. Plus, their MailStop Browser extension for Firefox lets you opt
out of mailing lists in real time when you shop online.
Lastly,
if you’re willing to pay $35 a year,
CatalogChoice will also prevent
data brokers from selling your info to other direct marketers.
Kids' stuffWe all know how quickly kids outgrow their stuff. Once Upon a Child buys gently used clothing, toys, and baby gear. It won’t accept items that have been recalled
or don’t meet their safety standards. To find a store location near you
so you can swap your items for cash or trade for things your kid
currently needs.
Books Discover Books
matches second-hand books with people who want them. It uses a
proprietary software system to try to find a new owner for your old
reads through an online retailer, or tries to donate it to an
organization that supports literacy. Plus, if Discover Books can’t find a
book a new home, it's sent to a recycling center to begin a fresh life
as something else.
Places that buy books outright other than textbooks are becoming increasingly rare.
Cash 4 Books
pays you for books it wants, plus covers the cost of shipping to their
distribution center. Just go to their site and type in the ISBN numbers
of the books you plan to sell. Check out the video here to see how this
process works.
FYI, if you really want to cut down on your carbon footprint, try
donating your books to local libraries, schools, and hospitals. Or build
your own free library in your front yard and let passersby help themselves.
Household linens, cleaning supplies, and old carsIf
you have old towels, blankets, heating pads, cleaning supplies, and
even a car you need to get rid of, consider donating to a local animal
shelter like the ASPCA. Every shelter has different needs, from canned
dog food to office supplies. But the items we listed are often animal
rescue organizations’ top need. To find a local shelter near you, go to
the ASPCA site.
Additional ways to part with your stuffDonate, trade, or sell: Krrb.com is an alterative to sites like eBay, Craigslist, and Freecycle.
Krrb makes it fairly simple to buy, sell, rent, trade, or even give
your stuff away. Plus, the site offers a republish function that reposts
your listings from Etsy, Craigslist, or eBay to Krrb with one click.
They also have an iPhone app so you can find stuff for sale right in
your neighborhood:
Krrbin' On The Go - Our Editors Take A Spin On The Krrb iPhone App from Krrb on Vimeo.
Charity thrift shop locator: TheThriftShopper.com
makes it a cinch to find charity thrift stores in your area by entering
your ZIP code. Plus, many of the listings include the shop’s website, so
you can learn more about each organization before deciding where to
donate.
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Need someone to help you get rid of stuff and declutter? We know professionals that can help you take the headache out of the process; call The Puffer Team today, 828-771-2300.
