Day 30: Decluttering Disposed

We are nearly done on our 31 Days of Decluttering and Organizing! There is one final step that is super important when decluttering. The disposal of those items you have decided no longer need to reside in your home. 

You don't want all the work you have done to still be sitting in a pile in your home, right? 

If you put everything all together as you went, you might need to sort out the trash from those items you are keeping out of the landfill. If you trashed it all, then you are DONE! 

Once the trash is separated, start making decisions on what items need to go where. Here are some ideas on where things can go:

• Give away to someone you know
• Give to a charity
• Have a garage sale
• Sell online (Craigslist, eBay, or Facebook Sale Groups)
• Give way for free to a stranger (Freecycle)
• Recycle

Clothing, household goods, most furniture and toys can often go to a thrift store. Old paint, building parts, and tools likely need to go Habitat Restore or other charity with a similar need and mission. Your hazardous waste, including non working electronics, should be able to go to a local drop off in your city or picked up by your trash company. There are lots of resources online to help you find where you can take your items. You can recycle old batteries, compact discs and used gift cards at many Best Buy locations. 

Plan when you will take these items to the chosen destination. I say the sooner the better. A weekend is often a good time to pack up your vehicle and run to all the designated drop offs. Do the easy ones, such as Goodwill, or a friend first to get your started. If you want a charity to pick your items up, you need to call and schedule that. Do it now before more time goes by. Mark the date on your calendar and set a reminder on your phone so you can have the items ready for the charity when the arrive. 

If part of your plan is to sell the items, you need to decide now when those sales are going to happen. It can be tempting to hold on to everything to sell for cash. I have done it and still do it sometimes, but it usually takes a lot more time and work than just giving the items away. Just be honest with yourself about which path feels right for you. Will you really get around to selling the items? If not, please donate now and be free of the items you already decided weren't right for you and your home any longer. You won't regret it.

Don't let the disposal process trip you up. I've had many tell me that is what keeps them from decluttering. They don't know what to do with it the items once they have decided. Trust me, the final disposal of these items is the best part! You are finally free of the items. You will feel lighter physically and mentally. You might even notice more energy and excitement for doing more decluttering. Try it and let me know!

Did you already dispose of your decluttered items? Where did you take yours? Do you have a plan now after this post for disposing of your stuff? What is keeping you from doing this final step?