Ask the Readers: How Do You Get Rid of Your Unwanted Stuff?

I consign unwanted stuff at the local thrift store.

I give away unwanted things in a number of ways, depending on what it is. Books I donate to our local public library for their annual book sale; nicer clothing I consign; less nice clothes I give to the local donation center like Goodwill; housewares I give away using Freecycle or by just putting a note that says "FREE" on them and leaving them on the curb; electronics, furniture, lawn equipment, musical instruments, sporting goods and other items I could get some money for I usually sell on Craigslist; and craft supplies or odds and ends I donate to a local organization called The Scrap Exchange (www.scrapexchange.org) that uses them for creative reuse projects. Two other ways I get rid of unwanted items is sending out a note on our neighborhood listserve that something is available to a good home *OR* dropping them off at a place called The Swap Shop which is a facility run by our local government -- the idea is that if you have something you drop if off, and if need something you take it.

I am a member to a few local facebook groups where you can list items you don't want anymore. Certain sites are for only freely given items and others are for sale only.

I usually list things on there, if they don't sell, then to Ebay, then to the goodwill store.

When I clean things out I generally end up with three categories: trash, Goodwill, and consignment store.

Craigslist, eBay and Yardsellr are all my go-to sources for making some space in my place. When it comes to clothes, shoes and other things that make for difficult online purchases, I scout out local resale shops. I've been interested, too, in cosigners that sell used clothes, but haven't had the chance to check one out in detail yet.

I have had many yard sales but now we choose to donate unwanted items to local a local rescue mission, battered women's shelter, Habitat ReStore, or Goodwill.

For clothing I will donate it to Goodwill. Everything else I generally sell on eBay. You will usually get what the item is actually worth by doing this. It helps keep my finances in check and helps keep me decluttered.

When my family moved four years ago, we used many means to get rid of our unwanted items. We didn't throw anything away unless it was useless. We listed furniture on Craigslist and gave most everything else to Goodwill. When we still couldn't find anyone to take some furniture items even for free, we got www.1800gotjunk.com to pick them up. The driver assured me that they do attempt to donate or recycle the items before trashing them. Where we live now, we occasionally consign items at a used furniture and knick knack store. I have a friend who happily takes my boys' outgrown clothes. And I found a thrift store that will take just about anything for donation: they have people who can fix electronics or do minor repairs and clothes that are raggy can be recycled for different purposes depending on what material they are made from.

I do all the above. If I think I can get decent $$, I'll do Amazon or ebay first, then Craigslist, then yard sale, then give it away. I only throw away trash.

First I see if any of my friends could use/would want what it is I don't need anymore (if the items are still ok and in good shape). But most of the time I just donate it to a local charity. Also, I've never been in the habit of selling unwanted things.

Garage sales twice a year. Really helps with our get of debt plan. Plus, half the stuff we sell came from someone else's curb. Amazing how much people throw away that we can get at least a dollar for at our sale!

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a bit of a packrat. One of the things I have the biggest problem getting rid of is books. I've found 3 great ways to get rid of books I don't want. I just need motivation.

1. Book exchange on Reddit. You list books you want and books you have to giveaway and make a post on Reddit. People who have something to trade contact you and you mail your book to them and vice versa.

2. Paperbackswap.com. Kind of the same principle. Except you make a wishlist and the post books you don't want. If someone wants one of your books, you send it and then you get a credit. Then they notify you if someone posts a book you want and it's your turn on the waiting list for that book, you can exchange a credit for a book.

3. half.com. If I have a book I know I can actually get a decent amount of money for, I'll sell it. I don't go through the effort for less than 10 bucks (into my pocket after shipping and the company comission) so it's rare I actually sell anything other than textbooks.

My girlfriends and I do clothing exchanges. I get lots of new (to me) clothes, and get rid of clothes that I don't want anymore! I also donate many unwanted items to Goodwill.

I love Freecycle; I belong to a few communities, one near where I work, and several in the area. I post my stuff, and people haul it off my porch.

Just tweeted too https://twitter.com/ncheapskate/status/225253742897922049

I give mine to the Goodwill and take the tax deduction.

I try various methods of selling unwanted items. Craigslist, Ebay. Sometimes I will try to upcycle and use the old stuff to make something new. If none of these options pan out, I drop it off at the neighborhood Goodwill.

I throw stuff away in black garbage bags so my family can't see what it is.

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mostly? Goodwill. It's easier, it's gone, the clutter goes away, and while I'm there, I can see what else I "need" -- eBay for the more expensive stuff.

I can usually find someone through friends or work who's moving out on their own or into a new place on my side of the country - I'll offer stuff to them first! Although, if no one I know wants my old junk, someone on CL def will as a backup.

What a great question! We just downsized and moved, so we had a LOT of stuff we didn't need, didn't want anymore, or didn't have room for. We've sold a little on Craigslist, things like tools. We also gave some to our daughter in Boston - my husband and son drove a truck full of stuff back to her and helped her move. But mostly, we've donated things. And the biggest recipient has been the church of a friend of mine. They were having their annual garage sale to raise funds, so they took tons of stuff - everything from rugs to furniture to artwork to clothes to garden tools to kitchen stuff to ... you can see where it's going - EVERYTHING! They took 14 van loads before the move and 5 additional ones after we had started to settle in and realize that we still had more to shed. Whew! It's been quite the process.

We have yet more boxes that we will donate to a charity here in Minneapolis. Plus I am taking boxes of CDs to my church choir - they are disappearing fast from there! And we will donate whatever is left.
Or Freecycle it.
Or list it for free on Craigslist.
Or set it out on the curb - that is actually an extremely effective way to pass along stuff that's not needed anymore. We did this with bookshelves pre-move - and we got our kitchen chairs that way too.

I read somewhere that the average American adds ~1000 lbs of "stuff" to their homes each year. This is not sustainable - or ethical - IMHO and I'm very grateful to be shedding stuff.

Thanks for the question. I look forward to other folks' ideas.

If I can get more than $20.00 for it I sell it (http://mreverydaydollar.com/sellers-guide-to-craigslist/).

If not, it gets donated and I use it as a deduction on my itemized taxes.

I get rid of old clothes by donating to Goodwill.

A local consignment shop takes home goods and women's clothing. The money I make is invested back into an updated wardrobe and home. Recently, I took the money I earned and used it toward our vacation. My husband's clothing we donated to Goodwill and took a receipt for the tax deduction!

If I think I can get money from it it, I will use craigslist. I sold a working lawnmower this spring. I tried using freecycle before, but got tired of women begging for maternity/baby clothes. If it is an item I do not think has any value, I just throw it in the garbage. Large items I take to the dump or a scrap recycler.

We have a Salvation Army to donate clothes to. Recycle what we can and ask around to see if anybody can use what we are looking to get rid of.

I like Wisebread on fb!

DVDs and books go to the local library - newspapers, magazines and recyclables go to a local foundation for developmentally disabled adults - clothing and food, we check with our Air Force base to see if they have families that could use them first: if they're not taking any at that time, we post in our local Freecycle and arrange for pick-up.

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1) Give it away.
2) Donate it to a local resale shop.
3) Recycle it.
4) If all else fails, trash it!

That's my standard procedure for getting rid of stuff, but I'm contemplating having a "pay what you want" yard sale, where any price is accepted. My kids and I are trying to raise money for World Vision's Water Fund and for a family vacation, so this seems like a good way to do it -- 1/2 for World Vision, 1/2 for us!

Tag sale! It doesn't always work very well. Other than that, Freecycle.org.

We try to have a garage sale, but we also have taken items to resale shops in our area, and Goodwill or Salvation Army.

Getting rid of our stuff works best for us by not getting the unnecessary stuff in the first place. We try to buy only things we need to survive.

Otherwise things that we may have and no longer need, we will try and sell on craigslist or ebay. For little items we do like to donate to thrift stores. It's better to give than to receive! It feels good to give and help others who can't afford the same item brand new.

Generally Craigslist is a good bet. However, that said, Amazon allows trade-ins on specific items (which you can check at their website). Also, my girlfriend just introduced me to Plato's Closet, where you can sell as well as shop for gently used brand-name clothing and accessories. Pretty amazing stuff :)

I donate a lot of clothes, but also ebay things to try to recoop some of the money paid out.

We sell things on Craigslist, list free items on freecycle.com, and will have a limited yard sale with what's left as we're emptying our house.

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To get rid of stuff, I do a variety of things: 1) first, give to family and friends who need the stuff, 2) sell at a garage sale, 3) give to Goodwill or other non-profit, 4) give away on Freecycle.org, 5) put out on curb with "free" sign. I don't feel comfortable with Craigslist and no longer like eBay. I am open to trading but haven't found the right opportunity.

I use a variety of different methods of getting rid of my clutter, including: ebay, craigslist, freecycle, amazon.com, half.com, personal yard sales, and giving things away to family, friends, Goodwill, and our local no-kill animal shelters annual yard sale event. I try very hard to never throw anything of use in the trash!

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For clothes my girlfriend and I all have clothing swaps, for items we go to a neighbor head 'yard sale' once a year.

I work for a large employer and we have an online sales posting board. I try to sell stuff through that as much as I can. My past garage sales were pretty pathetic. I donate to Goodwill quite a bit. I'll put things out at the curb with a "free" sign on them. Sometimes I will throw things away in the trash just because it is easier than trying to sell. I don't like to, but it is less hassle.

I like you on Facebook with my username Mary Happymommy.

Sorry, I'm resubmitting because I entered the wrong email address before. Thanks.

Yard sales have not been very effective in our neighborhood. Clothes go to our local thrift store or to Purple Heart. Furniture is sold on Craigslist or given through freecycle. Books are sold at our local flea market to a book dealer or given to the library for their twice yearly book sale. We've tried to sell prime stuff through ebay with mixed results.

I just give away my clothes to Goodwill. It makes me laugh to see people put up a garage sale with the same clothes they had last garage sale hoping to make a penny of those clothes!

Simple: i donate the clothing that is to small, unused, or just simply not wanted anymore. Anything that has the recycling symbol on it i recycle properly, and discard any garbage, anything that is electronic and still in good working condition i always bring to goodwill or post on freecycle. Environmental friendly? Yes!!<3 =]

I donate stuff to Goodwill or local charity. If I find ripped clothes that are not good for donating I use them to wipe off the floors.

I host a rapid fast-moving "clean out your junk day" with friends. We all go to the 1st friends home for 1--1 1/2 hrs, help her clean out her problem area...wether it be a garage, pantry, linen closet, kids room etc... The deal is..Items that are cleaned out...are TAKEN OUT of the house!! Then on to house #2....we repeat this until everyone has an area cleaned out. THIS IS SO MUCH FUN! One has to clean quickly (no time to think "will i use this soon?" as many hands carry out what ever you say "i don't want that" Right then & there!) the items are removed from the home..and everyone takes what they want from the "cast-offs"... anything not taken by anyone is donated to a church run thrift store! A swapping of items, a clean area & fun with friends...whats not to like about this!!!

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