What To Do With Items Once You Declutter

Usually the first piece of advice that anyone will give you if you mention that you’re moving house is to declutter. This not only clears out physical space, but it can also free up some mental space. We’re all guilty of holding onto things longer than we should – although some people are worse than others. And if you are about to move, decluttering really saves on how much you end up packing. 

You declutter and now what?

So what do you do with it all once you’ve decided what to keep and what to throw? In the midst of packing stress, it can be tempting to just head to the tip with all your rubbish – job done! But recycling and re-homing doesn’t have to be hard work, and you might even be able to make a bit of cash from it.

Homewares and Appliances 

Most people get rid of homewares and appliances when they move out, as they plan to upgrade in their new home. In environmental terms, these are the most important things to recycle; because of both the energy it takes to make these goods, and to dispose them as rubbish. If they’re in good working order, the odds are that you will easily be able to re-home them.

Start out local, put up posters or flyers letting everyone know what’s on offer. It’s your choice whether you want to sell or give things away for free, and you never know who might be in need of exactly what you’ve got. Alternatively, have a garage sale on a weekend, where locals can drop by and see if they can pick up a bargain.

Clothes and Personal Possessions

Do the same for clothes and personal possessions that you might feel it’s time to say goodbye to. Books, music, ornaments and art are all worth selling. Or op shops like Vinnies usually have a homewares section if you want to donate to charity. If you’re feeling strapped for cash, see if any of your friends feel like having a wardrobe clear-out as well. It’s really easy to club together to rent a market stall for a day, and have a go at selling. 

If this is all sounding a bit too time and labour intensive, you could try online auctioning through sites like Ebay or Gumtree. Big Wardrobe is a high-end fashion exchange site that will see your clothes go to a good home, and Book Monkey buys, sells and exchanges used books in Australia.

Old Goods and Appliances

For broken goods or appliances, recycling is easier than you think, and really does make a difference. Local councils often offer electrical goods recycling services, and most of them will collect the items from you. No matter what state it’s in, always get your fridge professionally disposed of due to the harmful chemicals inside. 

Lastly, one of the biggest problems in terms of waste and recycling: mobile phones. With a new version or upgrade hitting the stores every few months, we are hoarding or throwing away millions of devices. Guaranteed you’ll have an old model kicking around somewhere, so don’t just throw it out. Organisations like Mobile Monster will offer you a quick quote for an old handset, send it in and receive the cash. They will even accept dead or water damaged phones.

This article was written in conjunction with Hire A Box, a Melbourne box hire company.