Did anyone else last year get a little addicted to ‘sparking joy’?! For the clothing section alone I got rid of SEVEN BIN BAGS worth of clothes clutter. To be honest, I didn’t even think I owned that much to begin with and afterwards I didn’t even notice they were gone! So it was definitely worth doing! At some stage, when I finish this sparking joy malarkey, I’ll write a proper post to tell you all, but for now I want to talk about what you do with the items you want to get rid of!
The very last resort for me is to throw them in the bin. I’ll always jump at the chance to have it reused…the picture above shows some old ribbon and glass jars I’ve kept as decor! But if you don’t want to reuse within your own home you have three main options – charity shop, recycle or sell on.
Charity Shop
This is such a great option for obvious reasons, just make sure your items are clean and unbroken. Did you know that you can still give clothes that are a little too worn to be sold! If they are clean, charity shops can sell these clothes to be recycled into chair padding, floor underlay etc. That way your clothes can still make a little money for your local charity shop!
Recycle It
Check out your nearest council recycling site, you’d be surprised at what you can recycle…
- Aerosals
- Scrap metal (Check out other companies like this one that can offer you cash for your metal, e.g. radiators)
- Waste engine oil
- Paint (your local paint shop might be able to recycle your paint cans too)
- All electrical goods
- All the usual like cardboard, plastic and aluminium cans.
Always check to see if you can recycle unusual items locally instead of throwing it into the bin. E.g. I love this recycling company set up to recycle used mattress for only €12.
Sell It On
Finally, you might have a few bits that might be worth something. And let’s face it, not many people would say no to a bit of cash in their pocket! But for many, selling online can be frustrating when your item isn’t attracting any offers.
There are three main ways in Ireland to sell online … Donedeal, Facebook Marketplace and Adverts. I love them all, but for different reasons.
Donedeal is very popular so you’ll have a lot of viewings and so, more of a chance of selling it. Also, it’s that bit more private than Facebook Marketplace.
Recently I’ve found Facebook Marketplace fantastic. It’s so easy for people to get in contact with you. Your ad can get plenty of views as people are on Facebook often. I love that you can filter the distance so easily when selling. This is especially important when you only offer collection.
Honestly, I think Adverts is my fave. When people place offers or comments it’s for everyone to see. Both buyers and sellers can review each other afterwards. It feels honest and open. The only downside is that I don’t think it’s quite as popular as the other two.
I’ve sold a lot online in the last few years. In fact we sold this old built-in wardrobe for €250. (Which was about 200quid more than what I thought!) So I thought I’d gather a few tips for you!
- Try to take good photographs of your items, from lots of different angles.
- Be honest in your ads. Include as much information as you can.
- Meet someone in a safe place and if you can, bring someone with you.
- If it’s appropriate, include the dimensions of the item. I scroll past ads that don’t feature them because I couldn’t be bothered messaging to find out, even though it might be perfect!
- Research your item on the site beforehand so you can decide a realistic price in comparison to others.
- Try to answer questions and comments promptly. People will be more inclined to buy from you.
Best of luck de-cluttering everyone. Let me know how it goes!!