How to Get Rid of Stuff (Responsibly)

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After all the decluttering we do, so many times we end up with piles of stuff in our garages or other holding spots. Months later they may still be there because we haven’t got around to getting rid of them. With spring right on our doorstep you may feel motivated to clean out those areas. Maybe you are anticipating a move or have plans to sell your house. You definitely want to get rid of those unwanted things before you put your house on the market or move. If you are having trouble with the “how” of getting rid of your stuff responsibly this is the article for you.

*This is not a sponsored post. Any companies or charities mentioned here are from my own personal experience or research online.

Before you decide how to get rid of your stuff...

Look over your things carefully and check to see if they are damaged, stained, dirty or just not working anymore. Ask yourself if they can be fixed or cleaned and if you would even be bothered to do that. Ideally you would. However, you may not have the time to do it yourself or it might cost more to fix than what you could sell it for. The ultimate goal to getting rid of things should be to do it as responsibly as possible, avoiding putting things in the landfill. You may even want to make some money from your big ticket items to help pay for new things.

After you have looked everthing over...

Sort your items into different categories.

Decide what has to be trashed.
What can be recycled?
What do you want to give away?
Is there anything worth selling? Do you have or even want to take the time to do this?

To trash or recycle?

Many things can be recycled. Here are just a few:

Old appliances, radios, other electrical items.
Wood
Paper products (books, magazines, etc.)
Textiles, clothing
Glass bottles and jars
Empty paint cans

How to physically get rid of your "trash" or recyclable items...

Take advantage of your regular recycling and trash service, if you only have a few little items. Check online if you have any doubt about acceptable items for your local area. Batteries and hazardous waste have to be taken to a disposal site but in many places there is no fee to do this.

Metals and electronics to get rid of...

There are many metal salvage companies that will come and pick up large appliances and other metal items for free. Even if you do have a truck or trailer to take to a metal salvage company, some have minimum weight requirements, if you want any money for them. They don’t typically pay much anyway. (Depending on what you have and where you have to go, it might not even pay for your gas.)

Taking things to the dump or recycling depot...

Not everyone has a car or truck or trailer to take things to the local dump. If you do have a vehicle that can carry all your trash and/ recyclables, pick a date and schedule it in to get it done! Enlist the help of friends and family if need be. Renting an appropriate vehicle for a few hours or a day might be an option too. Home Depot rents pickup trucks, vans and trailers for reasonable rates. ($19 and up.) U-Haul is another option to look into.

Renting a bin...

Sometimes, renting a waste disposal bin can be necessary. When there is a lot of stuff that can not be salvaged and time is of the essence, it is a quick, although more costly way to get rid of your trash. (Maybe several hundred dollars.) I did this when I was renovating a rental house and had to get rid of everything the tenants had left behind. What couldn’t be salvaged went in there and it was conveniently picked up when it was full.

Hiring someone to get rid your stuff...

Finally, you may want to hire a service that takes care of everything for you. I’ve Got Junk and Just Junk were a couple I found online, starting at around $100 for a minimum load but prices vary where you are and what you have. Some average costs I found were about $400 for a half load and $600 for a full load. They will take almost anything away for you and sort it. Items that are still good can be donated and diverted from the landfill.

Giving things away...

Giving things away is the easiest way to get rid of stuff, but even that can be a challenge sometimes. If you have any family treasures, offer them to family members first. Maybe there is a young person you know that is setting up their first home and might appreciate some of your cast off furniture and home goods.

Where can you donate your stuff?

There are numerous charities that accept donations of clothing and home items. Churches also sometimes know who might need some things. Do a check online to see what is in your area and what they will take. Salvation Army thrift stores, Habitat for Humanity Restore, and the Diabetes Society are a few prominent ones that are widespread in North America. Habitat for Humanity also accepts left over renovation, building supplies and materials. They sometimes get too much, so check with them first to see if they are taking what you want to get rid of.

Do you have an old car to donate?

If you have an old car to get rid of there are charities that will take them.

Kars4Kids will give you a tax receipt for the fair market value that is determined by the average auction sales.
Donate A Car Canada allows you to pick from several different charities that would benefit from your donation. They have a recycle program for old vehicles not worth fixing and an auction program where you would receive a tax receipt for the amount it sells for at auction.

Selling your stuff...

There are many ways you can sell your items. I probably could write a whole article with more detail, but I will just mention a few tips here. What you have to sell will determine the best way to try and sell it.

If you like apps, there are several that can help you get rid of your stuff for free (or to sell). Let Go, Decluttr, Varage Sale, Kijiji, Craigslist, EBay and Facebook Marketplace are just a few.

Auctions and Consignment Stores...

Having an auction might work best for you if you have a lot of things worth selling. There are many online auctions these days. Unless you are selling farm equipment or machinery, chances are you won’t find too many live auctions anymore. MaxSold has an online auction to help people to downsize or clear an estate. Their fees vary from consignment only if you do a lot of work yourself or to a percentage plus fees if they do everything.

Some things can be sold on consignment – either in a physical store or through an online auction. (You will get a percentage of the sale price and the store will get the rest.) Used book stores may be interested in buying your unwanted books for a small amount or give you a credit for you to buy “new” books there. Some “antique” malls may take your antiques or collectibles on consignment.

Larger furniture pieces and more expensive items are best sold in your local area, as the cost of shipping may be prohibitive.

Yard sale anyone?...

Finally, you may want to have a yard, garage or estate sale, depending on how much stuff you have to get rid of. Of course, everything you sell should be in good working condition. Anything leftover you can donate to the charity.