Donate or Toss? An Easy Guide for Your Spring Cleanup

It’s that time of year again: spring cleaning. And you’ve decided that this year will be the year when you finally get organized, and get rid of the excess stuff that’s taking up space and weighing you down.

But what happens once you finally get everything sorted? No matter which decluttering philosophy you follow, you have to decide what to do with all of the stuff you want to get rid of. How do you decide what goes in the donate pile, and what goes to the dump or recycling center? What should you sell? For many people, the simple answer is to just stuff everything into bags and drop it off at the nearest charitable collection site, but that’s not always the best idea. To make the most of your unwanted stuff, follow this guide.

Make the Most of Your Donations

When it comes to getting rid of your unwanted stuff, giving it to the less fortunate often seems like the best idea. Many of the larger charitable organizations make it easy to just drop your stuff and go, and you feel great about helping a worthy cause.

But not so fast. Not all charitable donations are helpful or wanted. Every bag of clothing or box of household items that you bring to the local Salvation Army or other organization has to be sorted and inspected before it can be sold or given to a family in need. Staff must carefully check everything to ensure that it is in good condition, it works (if it’s electronics, an appliance, etc.), and that it has all of its pieces. This takes a great deal of time and effort, and if many of the items aren’t usable, then the charity has the burden of getting rid of them.

Therefore, you need to reconsider your plans to donate if the items are broken beyond repair, dirty (as in stained clothing), or have other significant flaws. In other words, charities probably don’t want your ratty old T-shirts with more holes than fabric, or the blender that’s missing its cover. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t donate items that can be easily repaired, though. A shirt that’s missing a button or a pair of pants with a broken zipper can still be donated. Just pin a note to the item identifying the flaw, so that the organization’s staff can sort it appropriately. Better yet, take a moment to make minor repairs before you donate — it only takes a moment to sew on a button.

Finally, before you drop off your items, double check that the organization can even accept them. Not all charities are willing to accept all items, and you may be wasting your time and theirs if you drop off inappropriate items. At the same time, you may be surprised at what you can actually donate. For example, you might know that you can donate old cars, but did you know that you can donate boats too? Before you assume you have to attempt to sell anything or take it to the junkyard, do some homework to find other options for your unwanted stuff.

But I Don’t Want to Throw Anything Away!

Most of us see the news about landfills getting full and trash overtaking the planet and (justifiably) feel concerned about throwing things away. The fact is, though, that sometimes items just outlive their usefulness.

Before you head to the dump, though, be creative and consider ways you can recycle or upcycle your items. For example:

• Most local waste collection facilities will accept old electronics, appliances, construction debris, and other items for recycling. Never throw these items in the trash, as they often contain chemicals that can harm the planet.
• Contact local junk or resale shops to see which, if any, items they may be interested in. In many communities, there are individuals who collect broken or old items to work on for a hobby, or to use as parts for other items. Most will collect the items for free.
• Upcycle your junk. They say one person’s trash is another’s treasure, and sometimes it just takes looking at something in a new way to give it new life. Check out Pinterest or lifestyle blogs on ideas about how you might use old clothing, games, furniture, and more in new and interesting ways.
• Recycle. Finally, look for ways to reuse old stuff. Tear the old T-shirts into rags for cleaning, or repurpose a rusty pan into a container for hardware.

Of course, there is always the option to sell your stuff, when it’s in good condition and you stand to earn some cash. But when there is stuff you can’t unload that way, make smart choices in how you get rid of it.