Decluttering: Get Money for Your Stuff, and Get Your Space Back!

Decluttering- Get Your Space and Money Back!

Taking Away a Load of Clutter
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Not so long ago, I saved almost everything.  If I had something, I didn't want to throw it away- what if I were to need it someday?  Why throw something away when I might need to buy the same thing again someday?

Broken items got saved- in case I got around to repairing them someday.  Even items that were not repairable got saved- in case I needed the spare parts for something someday.

I would even pick up free stuff that other people were giving away.  Actually, I still do that if is is something I will use immediately.  But I used to accumulate stuff- just in case I would need it someday, I would have it and I wouldn't need to pay for it.

Frugal thinking can tend to encourage keeping too much stuff.  This may sound like hoarding, but I think this is different since I didn't have any emotional attachment to the stuff.  I just didn't want to throw anything away that might be useful so I could avoid paying for it in the future.

Dumpster of Clutter at the Landfill
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

I came to realize that saving lots of stuff- even free stuff- has a cost.  My garage and even house was packed full with stuff I wasn't using.  Even if I wanted to use some of my stuff, it would be hard to find the good stuff since there was so much junk mixed in with the stuff.

Now, I don't have as much stuff.  I still have a small stockpile of boards, fencing material, landscaping fabric, hardware, and an impressive collection of tools.  But now all of the things I have are things that I plan to use and they are all neatly organized in my shop and garage.  Sometimes less really is more.  I can easily find items when I need them, and I can usually remember what I have and where I put it.

So how did I go from having so much clutter to having a nicely organized shop and garage with just the right amount of stuff around to handle almost any project?  The answer: "decluttering".

I still feel a little pain throwing stuff away, but it has gotten easier.  I realized that I didn't miss any of the stuff I threw away after sorting it based on whether I had any plans or need to use it.

Another Load of Clutter from My Garage and Yard
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Decluttering doesn't necessarily mean throwing things away.  I sell a lot of things on craigslist and at consignment shops.  Sometimes I sell things on eBay and am surprised by how high the bidding goes.  Selling things certainly is less painful than throwing things away.

On my trip to haul away clutter, I loaded up my SUV and first stopped at the consignment shop on the way to the landfill.  That way I could see which items the consignment shop would accept and take the rest to the landfill.  To my delight, the consignment shop took everything that I offered.  This is a win-win.  I get paid for the stuff, and I don't have to pay to throw it away at the landfill.

Here are some tips on how to declutter to take back control of your living space:

1. Start working in a small space- pick a room or even a part of a room and start sorting into "keep" and "go" piles.  Don't worry at this point about where stuff will go if it is in a "go" pile.  Put stuff in the "keep" pile if you use it or plan to use it soon.  Put everything else in the "go" pile- even if it was expensive or you just got it recently.
2. OK, now you can worry about what will happen to the stuff in the "go" pile.  Move the "go" pile out to the garage or other area where you can sort it further and not worry about it ending up in the "keep" pile somehow.  Sort the "go" pile into piles for "sell" and "throw away". 
3. Haul the "throw away" stuff to the landfill, or put it out on the curb with the trash.  If it makes you feel better, you can put a sign on the stuff that says "free" and see if anyone takes it.  I have actually gotten rid of a fair amount of stuff just by putting it out with a "free" sign.
4. Now, have some fun with the "sell" pile.  The easiest way to deal with it is to take it to a consignment shop, but you'll only get about 40-50% of the sale price.  You can try to make more selling some of the better items on craigslist or eBay.  Another idea is to have a garage sale, but there are usually a lot of unsold items after a garage sale that you will still need to get rid of.

My Shop, After Decluttering
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Now, repeat this decluttering process on another room or part of a room and enjoy the free space and extra money you are getting back!

Also important- don't buy extra stuff to replace the clutter you have cleared out...

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