What to Do With Anything That Doesn’t Make You Happy
Now this is the world of Mari Kondo, and we are all just trying to get rid of it.
After that , as in this month Netflix debuted the show condo “Cleaning Marie Condo”, based on her book “The Magic of cleaning , changing life” , the Americans have gone mad. Local and national news sites report that thrift stores have seen a surge in donations this month, likely as a result of MariManiacs cleaning up all the things that no longer cause joy in their homes. (If you’re still unfamiliar with the KonMari method, we’ve covered the basics here .)
If you’ve watched a show or read a book , then you know that the order in which you clean up is important. “Start with clothes, then move on to books, papers, komono ( collection ) and finally to things of sentimental value,” writes Kondo. “If you shrink what you have in this order, your work will proceed with amazing ease. By starting with the simple things first and leaving the hardest for last, you can gradually hone your decision-making skills so that in the end everything will seem simple. “
But what to do with everything that does not cause joy? Given the categories she describes, you have four different options for disposing of your belongings, and thrift stores can’t handle all of that. Here’s how to donate, recycle, and resell effectively.
Cloth
After you finish your closet, there are a few different steps you might want to take before moving everything to the Salvation Army.
First, if you have well-known brands, you can sell them on sites like Poshmark or thredUP . They don’t always accept all items, but it is at least worth looking into getting a few bucks back after your cleaning. Buffalo Exchange and other consignment shops in your area are also good for more expensive clothing.
For donations, in addition to organizations such as The Salvation Army and Goodwill, Clothes for Success is a non-profit organization that provides women with professional clothing, support and development. You can donate low-used work clothing, accessories and footwearto your local affiliate .
The Freecycle Network is made up of people from all over the world who meet to exchange things for free. You can find your local network here .
Remember, clothing that is torn, stained, or otherwise damaged must not be resold. Likewise, donation centers are not trash cans for all your dirty belongings. The good news, however, is that almost anything can be recycled. There are some suggestions here on how to find an organization . You can also use old T-shirts and the like as kitchen fabric or something similar . Check with local animal shelters to see if they accept old clothing (rags or even animal sweaters ), especially bedding.
Chain stores such as Levi’s, H&M and Madewell also recycle certain types of clothing for customers (for example, Madewell recycles jeans). If you or your child has been wearing a school uniform and it is still in good condition, check with your school to see if they accept donations for current low-income students.
You can also look in your area for green clothing scraps that will try to collect as much usable fabric from your waste as possible, and consider composting some types of old clothing .
Books / Articles
The paper can of course be recycled. And to get rid of the paper clutter, call the companies that send you directories you no longer need and cancel the subscriptions you don’t actually read. You can also request removal from mailing lists of nonprofit or charitable organizations (sign up to email them to avoid guilt) and visit this FTC page for instructions on how to remove yourself from direct mailing lists.
Switch your bills and bank notifications to automatic payment and electronic statements. Check out these publications for more information on financial documents.
Books are a little more complicated. For example, you have more options and you could potentially get a few dollars back. Try website BookScouter.com : you enter the ISBN of the book, and he compares the options for you reverse repurchase.
If you can’t find a seller, check with your local libraries (although they may not want your books ), second-hand bookstores, high schools, etc. to see if they accept donations or if they’re looking for certain types of books. If you have a collection of, say, comics that you no longer need, the library is a good starting point.
Operation Paperback distributes books to troops overseas, and there are many organizations that donate books to prison libraries . You won’t be able to donate any books to these types of organizations, but they are worth checking out.
Komono
This is the broadest of all the Kondo categories – komono means blend , so there is a lot to cover.
If you delete technical objects to which an account has ever been linked (computers, phones, tablets, game devices, smart home devices), delete all your data from them and disconnect them from your accounts.
Then see if it can be sold at stores like Amazon, Apple, Best Buy, Office Depot, Sprint, or Staples, all of which have different product buyback programs (usually their own). Here’s Senior Technical Editor David Murphy and more :
The simplest solution is to sell your Apple Watch or iPhone something to a friend or loved one. They get a decent deal, you get money from a trusted source, and they can eavesdrop on you for troubleshooting whenever they want. Everybody wins.
Otherwise, you can try to sell your device in any number of places – even Apple itself . We’ve previously covered many of the basic options you have, and it’s worth taking the time to get your hands on a notebook, visit a few sites, and jot down the overall exchange values to make sure you get as much money as possible for your seniors. device as possible. (I tend to part with my old devices using Amazon’s exchange program , which gives you gift cards instead of cash, as the amounts offered have always seemed reasonable to me.)
You can also try eBay or Craigslist , but then you surrender to the needs of everyone else.
If you can’t sell it, remember that you can’t just throw your old computer in a landfill. “Electronic products can also contain toxic substances such as lead, mercury and cadmium, and all must be disposed of carefully,” writes Consumer Reports . “So far 25 states have passed laws requiring people to recycle old electronics.” You can find a list of the various organizations that can recycle products here . Also, check with your local school or library to see if they accept technical donations.
Beyond technology , there are even more possibilities. Again, some retailers will give you a discount or coupon if you leave certain items in the store for recycling. For example, Kiehl’s will give you free travel item stamps for every empty bottle you bring to the store . You can donate old tools to organizations like Habitat for Humanity.
The furniture can be tricky – you can probably donate it, but if you can’t move it yourself, there is always Craigslist or companies collecting donations from your home. Lifehacker has written in the past that mattresses and box springs that are not accepted at thrift stores can often be donated to furniture banks or homeless shelters . Dolly is a service that will accept your unwanted items at donation centers (or pick up / drop off Craigslist orders, etc.), and some organizations like from a closet , thrift store that benefit from HIV / AIDS services may also choose to larger items.
For old toys , besides the usual suspects like The Salvation Army and Goodwill, you can also call your local children’s hospital, doctor’s office, kindergartens, orphanages and churches. Most likely, everyone will need certain types of toys and entertainment ( check reviews before donating any items). Online communities on Facebook and the Freecycle Network can also be helpful.
Old kitchen equipment must be cleaned and then donated to a thrift store, shelter, or organization such as the International Rescue Committee .
If you want to recycle items, you have to be more delicate. Call recycling centers to find out how they recommend doing this, especially if the equipment is made up of different parts (plastic, metal, motors, etc.). “Glass and plastic dishes can probably be recycled, but you may have to outsource your metal dishes to a separate facility,” writes Recyclebank . “Note: Non-stick pans are not always recyclable.”
Finally, check out this article on how to dispose of random items like shoes, toothbrushes, glasses, crayons, and more.
Sentimental items
Finally, we come to the sentimental things that are probably the hardest to part with. If you find it difficult to get rid of old photos and other things that hold your memories, here are some tips . (Remember, just because you’re being asked to cut back on your stuff doesn’t mean you should – if it’s really fun, leave it.)
First, think about handing over items, especially heirlooms. Or consider how you can remodel old items to better suit your lifestyle (I was recently struck by this article in which a woman painted an old wooden dining table, passed down from generation to generation, purple to match her modern lifestyle ).
“A stone from an outdated ring can be turned into a strap to match your style, and a dresser board that won’t fit in your apartment can be turned into a floating shelf,” writes Spruce .
Finally, check with your local archives and museums if you think you have sentimental values. Here are some tips on what counts as “historically valuable”.
All of these tips are just superficial information about the various options for resale, recycling, reuse and resale. Whatever you take out of your life, take the time to research online what you can do about it, other than throwing it in the trash can or donation bag. It takes time, but nobody said it was easy to ignite joy. In the end, you’ll feel better about finding eco-friendly new homes for your clutter, rather than adding it to the landfill.