How to Responsibly Discard Items After Decluttering Your Home

So you finally did it! You had a good old purge, but now you’re left with piles of stuff. What to do…what to do. The last thing you want is for all that stuff to end up in a landfill. Follow along and I’ll share some good-conscience, planet-friendly ideas with you.

Option #1: Donate Items to Organizations

After spending what seems like countless hours decluttering, you might be inclined to take the easy route out the back door to the dumpster. Before you do, consider some other options. Take a minute to hop online and research a few good donation centers in your area.

You can always make a call to an organization such as American Kidney Fund, they will swing by and pick up any items you have to donate. Local shelters, animal rescue groups, and thrift stores may also be interested in the items you have to offer. It always feels good to give back to the community by letting go of the things that no longer serve you.

Option #2: Sell Items Locally or Online

Do you have items that you would rather make a little cash from? Facebook Marketplace, NextDoor, and thredUP all make it easy to sell your decluttered items, and Poshmark is an excellent platform for selling some of your gently used clothes.

If you decide to take the selling route, bear in mind that it will take time and effort. Ask yourself if the process is worth the money, not to mention the danger of meeting strangers. I would advise you to sell on a platform such as NextDoor, as most people are local and are likely to live close by.

Trying to sell your things may also give you another reason to hold on to no longer needed items. A lot of the time buyers won’t think the item is worth as much as you think it is, mainly due to the emotional attachment you may have…food for thought.

Option #3: Recycle Items to Give Them New Life

Whatever the item is, it mostly likely it can be recycled. To save you a little research time I’m listing a few ideas:

Electronics:

1. Staples provides free electronic recycling, free rechargeable battery recycling and rewards back on every recycled ink or toner cartridge.

2. If you trade in your old phone at the Apple store, you’ll receive an Apple gift card. If the phone is damaged Apple will recycle it for you.

3. Best Buy offers the same incentives as Staples. Check website for more options.

Make Up:

1. Wands for Wildlife helps wildlife and the environment through cleaned mascara wand donations. A quick way to use up your mascara and get it donated is to check out their website. It will have you tearing up and needing to reapply that mascara pretty quickly— it’s adorable.

2. Most used make up containers can be recycled at the place of purchase.

Medications:

Most pharmacies or doctor offices offer a recycling program for any expired meds.

Plastic Bags:

The majority of grocery stores have a bin at the front entrance to drop off used, clean plastic bags.

Clothes:

1. Madewell has partnered with thredUP to keep old clothes out of the landfill. Take old jeans (any brand) back to Madewell and receive $20 off any new pair. Check out Madewell’s website for more info on their Do Well program with thredUP. It’s truly wonderful!

2. Levi’s also has a great recycling program.

Planning Ahead

It only takes a few seconds to do the research online, and you’ll be amazed at what you find. It feels great to pay it forward and help save our beautiful planet at the same time. My advice to you is: research and have a plan in place before you start the decluttering process. Editing will be so much easier when you already know where your items are going and how much value your things will add to someone else’s life. Happy purging!

Have any questions about decluttering, organizing, or purging? That's our specialty! Reach out to us or leave us a comment below and we'd love to share our expertise.

Xoxo,
Michelle