Declutter, Resell, Reuse, Recycle and Save

Most of us have too much stuff. It could be cluttering up our homes, or sitting in the attic or garage. But if you don’t need or want it, what’s the purpose of keeping it around?

Sometimes we just don’t take the time to get rid of unwanted items. Other times we keep things for their sentimental value, but don’t actually use them. No matter what the reason may be, this results in less space in our homes and/or storage areas.

Getting rid of extraneous stuff has benefits other than freeing up space. Here are some of the things you can do with unused items:

* Sell it. We’ve all heard the saying that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, and it’s absolutely true. Something that’s just collecting dust at your house could be exactly the thing that someone else is looking for. You could have a yard sale if you have a lot of items to get rid of. You could list more valuable items in the classified section of your local paper. Or if you don’t mind shipping the things you want to sell, you could auction them off on eBay.

* Reuse it. Some of the things we have sitting around won’t be used as-is, but you might be able to use them in a different way. For example, maybe you have some drapes that won’t match your living room décor. If you can sew, you could turn them into a tablecloth or perhaps even a shirt. If you think outside the box, you can find alternate uses for lots of things. This can save you money over buying new stuff.

* Recycle it. There are lots of things that can be recycled. Copper pipes and wire that aren’t being used can bring quite a bit of money. Aluminum is also pretty valuable. And dead car batteries can be taken in for credit on new ones or exchanged for cash.

* Donate it. If you can’t sell it, reuse it or recycle it, you might be able to donate it. Charities accept a wide variety of donations. Thrift shops will take clothes, books and most household items. There are also charities that collect such things as old cell phones, vehicles, computers and more. You won’t make any money from your donation up front, but if you give it to a licensed charity, it will be tax deductible.

Clearing out the clutter from your home will give you more room for things you do want. And it can also make you some extra cash. If you haven’t cleaned out those closets and other storage areas lately, there’s no time like the present to do so.