Thursday, October 08, 2009

4 Ways to Get Rid of Clutter Without Leaving Your Home

Do you have a lot of clutter but not a lot of time? Here's four ways I've used to get rid of the "stuff" that is doing nothing more than taking up space!

1. Ebay: I still sell things on Ebay here and there. I use flat rate boxes from the post office, then take advantage of carrier pickup. I no longer list things that I can't fit into a flat rate box. It's nice to get money for an item that was just taking up space.

2. Paperback Swap: If you're a reader, check out Paperback Swap! I get rid of books that I'm "eh" about or have outgrown, and replace them with things I'm interested in. I often use carrier pickup for these items as well, or I use the post office at customer service at the grocery store when I'm there for my regular shopping trip.

3. Cash4Books: If you'd rather have cash, try Cash4Books. They don't take everything, but I've gotten decent prices for books that were just cluttering up my home. I've always been paid promptly. They even pay the postage for the books you're sending to them. I print out the postage slip and arrange a carrier pickup- no need to interrupt my day with an unplanned trip to the post office!

4. Charity pickup: Our local DAV thrift store sends bags about once a month to be filled and placed on the curb for pickup. We have a box in our closet that we fill with good condition items we no longer need, and set them out on pickup day. If your local charity does not have a regular pickup, give them a call and see if they'll stop by to get your items. We used to do this when we moved out of apartments- arrange for a charity pickup just before we left. You will have to take the items outside, but it's better than hauling them across town.

5. Craigslist: Too big for E-bay? Try Craigslist. I've sold a lot of random items by listing it on Craigslist. If you're uncomfortable having someone come to your home, you can meet them at a nearby landmark. Put a picture of the item up for faster results! If you don't smoke, listing that it comes from a smoke free home may move it faster as well.

After you're done these things, the key is to not bring more clutter in! Once you've gotten rid of your clutter, avoid getting more. Ask yourself questions before each purchase: Do you need it? Is it useful? Can you borrow one? The less clutter you bring in, the less you'll have to send out.

How do you get rid of clutter without leaving your home?

1 comment:

Bibi @ Bibi's Culinary Journey said...

Great Post. and great ideas.

I sold my son's old Halloween costumes on eBay this week so I can buy him a new one for this year.

Can you believe I had 4 of them in his closet?

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