Now that Autumn is upon us, the cooler air is rolling in and as the house slowly closes down for the approaching winter season, I feel more and more cluttered in our indoor "sanctuary".
I decided months ago that I would have to de-clutter. But what I didn't realize at the time and soon discovered later was that trying to tackle "1 room at a time" was too overwhelming. Finally, I figured out that instead, I would have to do a more manageable load if I wanted it to actually get done...one BOX at a time.
As the kids take a nap (IF they take a nap), I have about an hour to sort through 1 box of stuff. Usually it's a box of stuff we haven't accessed in a while, so I know there is stuff in there I can get rid of. Here are the steps you want to take if you are going to get serious about de-cluttering, and take advantage of the situation and make a few $$ instead of just throwing things away:
1.) Sort the items into piles. You've heard this before, I'm sure. Break it up into:
Throw Away
Keep
Consign
2.) Throw Away Pile: This pile should be made up of non-usable items...things that are broken, missing pieces, etc. Throw this stuff away immediately after sorting the box.
3.) Keep Pile: These are things you absolutely CANNOT live without, for one reason or another. Make sure this pile is not the biggest pile. Sometimes I end up going through this pile later in the day or on another day to se if I have changed my mind about any of it. When you are certain your MUST keep these items, find a new home for them, where they belong - NOT back in the box.
4.) Consign Pile: This pile should be made up of items in EXCELLENT condition. Consignment shops will not take things that are missing pieces or have rips/stains in them. As far as clothing goes, some consignment shops are pretty strict about the brands they will accept, too. Find out where the local consignment shops are near you, and check their website. Be sure to take back the items the consignment shop doesn't accept.
5.) Take the items this consignment shop didn't accept, and bring them to a 2nd (usually not as popular or upscale) consignment shop. You may want to choose the consignment shop which gives you a lesser % amount as the second consignment shop, too. Either way, your great items in excellent condition deserve a 2nd (or 3rd) chance.
6.) Take all the items the were not accepted at the consignment shop and make a list of them. Donate them to a place where you can get a tax receipt, such as The Salvation Army. You will need to list your items and what condition they are in (which should be EXCELLENT, since they were once in your consignment pile). The least you can do is get some sort of tax credit for your items if you can't sell them.
A word about consignment.
Although they may keep more of your money, I have found consignment shops to be a superior option to selling things on eBay or Craigslist, simply for the time you put in. I know some will disagree with me, but personally, I can't stand the "no-shows" Craigslist has to offer, and I hardly have time to package and ship things for eBay. I used to do both of these things, but with my most recent busy schedule, consignment has proven to be the way to go, for me.
Also keep in mind that consignment shops usually offer a cash option or store credit. Cash option is usually a lower % of the sale. I like the store credit because you can usually find something you need/want in the store, or save it for later. I do alot of consigning of children's clothes, but the stores I consign at usually also sell (and consign) woman's clothing, and sometimes even men's clothing. You need an inexpensive dress or sweater you are probably only going to wear once or twice? Look there first, and use your store credit!
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