We all have stuff, though it may get to a point where you have too much! While 1-800-PACK-RAT can help you move or store any amount, you may decide that it is time to declutter your home and get rid of some of those under-used items. Cutting down on the amount of clutter in your home not only makes moving easier, it can also reduce the amount of daily stress in your life! When parting ways with your stuff, you have three basic options; donate, sell, or dispose. Here are some ideas for what you can do with the items that you are looking to get rid of!
Donate to Goodwill
Items that are donated are resold in their nationwide chain of thrift stores. Revenue from these items is used to fund employment, job training, and placement services for those who would otherwise have barriers to getting a job! In 2016 Goodwill helped more than 313,000 people train for careers in a variety of industries! While they accept most items in good condition as donations, it is always a good idea to call your local Goodwill to find out any rules or restrictions they have.
Donate to The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army accepts donations of clothing, food, furniture, automobiles, household good, and appliances. You can donate these types of products to one of The Salvation Army Family Stores. All profits from these stores fund their Adult Rehabilitation Centers which help those that are recovering from addiction. To find a location or check out their pickup options, click here!
Donate to Habitat for Humanity Restores
Donate your new or gently used furniture, appliances, home accessories, or building materials to Habitat for Humanity Restores! These Restores are nonprofit home improvement stores that sell items similar to those you will see in other home good stores at a fraction of the price. The profits from these stores go to supporting the work of Habitat for Humanity both locally and around the world! To contribute to Habitat for Humanity’s vision of a world where everyone has a decent place to live donate or shop at one of their restores!
Donate to a Food Bank
When moving out, it is common to have excess food items that might not make sense to bring with you on the next step of your journey. Donating to your local food bank is a great way to ensure that this food does not go to waste! It is estimated that 1 in 7 Americans deals with hunger on a consistent basis. Many of these people depend on local food banks for most of their meals. It is best to donate non-perishable items such as canned tuna or salmon, canned beans, nuts, rice, pasta, oatmeal, canned vegetables, etc. To find a local food bank click here!
Donate to a Homeless Shelter
A local homeless shelter is another option when looking for places to donate items! The items that are the most useful for homeless shelters are clothing, food, and personal care items (such as bandages, feminine hygiene products, some over-the-counter medicines). Call your local homeless shelter to find out what types of things they are looking for at that time and see how you can help!
Donate to Local Libraries/Schools
If you have unwanted books or computers or things of that nature, libraries or schools in your area may want to take them off your hands! Make sure to give them a call and ask what type of donations they are looking for if they are looking for and if they are accepting them at that time!
Sell items using eBay Giving Works
Selling items on eBay Giving Works allows you to choose a charity to which a portion of the final sale of your item will be donated! Contributing to this donation fund is a great way to help out a number of good causes while still making a few extra bucks for your things! Since its creation in 2003, this program has raised more than $500 million for nonprofits!
Have a Garage Sale!
Looking to make some extra money off those unwanted items? Try holding a garage sale! This is a great way to unload some of the things that you may not have a use for anymore while giving others the opportunity to get some quality items at a low price! A garage sale is also an excellent opportunity to interact with and meet new neighbors! For some tips on perfecting your garage sale, click here!
If you end up donating to any of the above nonprofit organizations, or another of the many great causes out there, make sure that you write your donations off for tax purposes! For more information on this process, click here! If you find yourself with unwanted items that cannot be donated or sold, please recycle as much as possible!
If you end up deciding to hold on to your extra stuff, give 1-800-PACK-RAT a call to discuss how we can help you store it! We provide temporary and long-term storage in our all-steel, weather proof portable storage containers! Items can be stored either on-site or in one of our nationwide storage facilities. We are also industry leaders in local and long-distance moving! Give us a call or check out our website to get your quote today!