What to Do with All the Stuff You’ve Just Decluttered

Yesterday we made a plan for all the items we weren’t sure would stay or go (if you haven’t already, you can jump in and do that now). Today, we’ll address the ones we know that definitely need to go.

This is the time when we let go of our “donate” and “sell” outboxes so they can bring joy to someone else’s life. 

We’re going to take action on our two remaining outboxes labeled “donate” and “sell.” These are items that you no longer want or need but remain in good condition. 

The donation outbox is filled with a mix of clothing, home goods, and other things. Some donation places can take all of these, however, some might only be able to take one category of items. First, you’ll decide where you’ll be donating, figuring out what items can go where. Here are some places to consider.

• Go online and join a local Buy Nothing Group — try Nextdoor, Freecycle, and Facebook Marketplace. Whenever you are dealing with an online marketplace, be sure to set boundaries on where you are comfortable meeting and how long items will be available before you move on to the next person. Remember to take down the listing once it is gone. 
• Drop it off to a charity or non-profit organization. Goodwill, The Salvation Army, and Big Brothers Big Sisters are all great organizations, but they can get overwhelmed with donations. Be sure to check in first. You might want to try other organizations that are looking for very specific items. Here are 13 less-known places that you can donate to. 
• Send clothes to companies that recycle them, such as For Days, which has a Take Back Bag program, or Madewell, in partnership with Cotton’s Blue Jeans Go Green™ program, which will take any denim jeans you own and will recycle them. 

You can try your hand at selling your items, but consider donating those you can’t sell. Here are some places to consider.

• Post items on Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, or OfferUp. Be sure to take the listing down after it’s sold. Whenever you are dealing with an online marketplace, be sure to set boundaries on where you are comfortable meeting and how long items will be available before you move on to the next seller. Remember to take down the listing once it is gone.
• Head to a local consignment or thrift store. (Plato’s Closet and Buffalo Exchange are a couple of options.)
• Use online shops, like ThredUp, which has a Clean Out Kit that lets you mail them a bag of clothing and accessories to sell (anything that doesn’t sell can be returned for a small fee back to you or recycled by them), or Poshmark, which lets you take photos and list items yourself. 

Have a great tip on where to donate or sell unwanted items? Tell us about it in the comments!

• Sign up for email updates.
• Visit the 2023 Decluttering Cure page and catch up on assignments.
• Join the Apartment Therapy Cure Facebook group.
• Download the Decluttering Cure calendar.
• Check off that you’ve completed this task and track your overall Decluttering Cure progress here!
• See all the winners from our 2023 Organization Awards to get your home organized. 

The Cure Program is a tradition here at Apartment Therapy — it happens every January, April, and September. Click here to learn more about the year-round program and when to sign up.