Here's a statistic that might get you excited about cleaning: According to Wren Kitchens, every month your household chores burn you 20,000 calories. That's the same as 16,816 burpees.
Now, if you know me, you know I do NOT. DO. BURPEES.
I just don't.
But cleaning... Well, you kind of have to clean unless you enjoy living in filth and dirt. But at least you can know that all that moving around while you clean actually has other benefits. Something as simple as making the bed (which I never do, actually) can, on average, burn you 1,316 calories per month.
So what do you do with that information? Well, it's a new year and people often like to use the start of a new year to refresh their homes. Out with the old and in with the new, right? I've read a lot about decluttering and living a minimalist lifestyle. Last year, I even shared a few tips to declutter that were helpful to me. But here are some more decluttering tips to help you find your inner Marie Kondo and maybe even make some money doing it!
Find the time to find things to declutter
If you're one of those people thinking, "My house is so cluttered. I don't know where to start," then have no fear. One of the best tips for decluttering I've ever heard comes from the book Decluttering at the Speed of Life. Pick just one spot of the house and spend 15 minutes decluttering it. That's it! 15 minutes at a time makes the whole process more manageable and ensures that you'll be able to do a little bit each day.
Throw away trash and broken things. Label two empty boxes, one for donations and one for things to sell. Make sure that your "sell" items are relatively clean (or can be cleaned) before you sell them.
What and Where to Sell
If you're trying to make some money off your old stuff,
Capital One Shopping has a great list of items that are perfect for selling:- weathered pots and pans
- clothing that hasn't been worn in a year or more
- uncomfortable shoes
- furniture that is stored away
- art supplies that no longer excite you
- jewelry you don't wear
- duplicate kitchen utensils
- extra hardware and tools
- car parts that have been upgraded or replaced
- sports and workout equipment covered in dust
- games or technology that you no longer enjoy
Use this
printable seller log to keep track of what you want to list and what you want to sell it for.
There are so many online marketplaces for selling. You've probably got a local Facebook garage sale group or other local online group, such as Nextdoor. But you can also sell on Amazon, Craigslist, Decluttr, eBay, or Shopify.
Capital One Shopping says that Amazon and
BookScouter will buy your old books and textbooks (something I need to check out), while websites such as
Cardpool buy back gift cards that you're never going to use.
It all comes down to your preference. Do you want to ship items out? Do you prefer porch pick-ups or local drop-offs? How fast do you want to get this stuff out of your house? You can find even more information on selling your old stuff online at this Capital One Shopping
online garage sale guide.
What and Where to Donate
Be realistic about the selling situation. This is another good piece of advice from Decluttering at the Speed of Life. Often, we have good intentions to sell our stuff, but we don't take the time and effort to do it, and so our stuff continues to sit inside our home.
If you want to declutter your home ASAP, donations are the way to go. Like sell-able items, donation items should be relatively clean, with minimal wear and tear.
There are several non-profit organizations that will even come to your house and pick up your boxes and bags, perfect during this era of COVID-19. I use
GreenDrop to find charitable organizations that will pick up in my area.
Give Back Box is an option that picks up your boxes and routes them to the nearest participating local charity organizations. I also donate to
Lupus Foundation of America and other organizations that send out postcards requesting donations.
Of course, Goodwill and Salvation Army are the most well-known donation centers, and it's easy to go in person and drop off your old stuff.
What and When to Trash
Some items just can't be sold or salvaged, so you'll have to toss them. This is another area where you need to be realistic. You might hate the idea of throwing things into landfills, but if you know you're not going to make the effort to repair, sell, or get your stuff to a donation center, then just throw it away. Decluttering is meant to relieve you of stuff and stress, not add to it.
Decluttering can be a daunting task, but you can do it! You don't need the help of a professional organizer (although, that would be fun if you can afford it). Just start small and do just a little bit each day, you'll begin to notice a big difference. And it will feel so good knowing that someone else is enjoying your stuff, whether you've donated items or sold things online. (Imagine how good it will feel to have some extra cash in your pocket!) And there's no shame in throwing anything away! Do what works for you and your household. You might find that decluttering your house helps you declutter your life.
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