People collect stuff throughout their lives. That truth never becomes more apparent
until faced with moving. The hoard of possessions
surprises them, from items of sentimental value to things one just never quite had the willpower to throw away.
Moving to a new home means that much of that accumulated stuff must go. The big questions are: (1) How do I choose which items to relinquish? and (2) Where can I re-home
items too good for the landfill?
Even the most dedicated hoarder can tackle this challenge by breaking down the hoard into categories: keep, sell, and donate. Anything that doesn’t fit into one of those three categories should be transported to your local landfill.
Keep
This category includes the items you just can’t live without: clothing in good repair that fits well and looks good; books you read; household appliances that work and which you regularly use; toys your children still play with and that aren’t broken; artwork that still makes your heart go pitter-patter; heirloom pieces of special sentimental value; and the like. When moving, do not hold something back because someone in the family might use it.
Donate
Anything that you can live without, that doesn’t fit, that doesn’t look good, that is outdated, won’t integrate with the new décor, that isn’t regularly used, or for which you have duplicates needs to go. Items that fit into this category range from clothing and mugs, to yard implements and toys your children have abandoned, to furniture and unopened food items. Make sure all donated items are clean and in good repair.
Food items should be unopened.
Food can be donated to any of the many local food pantries, such as the Second Harvest Food Bank. Or check out Move for Hunger, which works with over 700 relocation companies to collect nonperishable food items and delivers it to food banks across the entire United States and Canada.
The Miami Valley offers myriad options for donating or selling unwanted items in good repair. DaytonLocal.com offers a list of 501(c)(3) organizations, foundations, community groups, charities, trade organizations, and other nonprofit organizations that accept donated items. The same site offers a list of churches, many of which run their own thrift 
stores, food pantries, and community service ministries that accept donated items. Many public libraries and school libraries will also accept used books, music CDs, and movie DVDs.
If you live in a community near Dayton and are seeking local nonprofit organizations to donate your unwanted items, check out your local village or town’s website for information. Other online options that have state or city listings include DonationTown.org and Oprah.com.
Sell
If you have the time and don’t mind the effort, you may wish to first try selling your excess hoard. Try a garage or yard sale. Find a used bookstore or used electronics shop. Online resources for selling or donating unwanted stuff include Freecyle, Craigslist, Gigoit, Ebay, and more. MoneyPantry offers a list of 17 sites that can be used instead of the
ubiquitous Craigslist. Listings on most of these sites can be posted to specific locations.
Before selling, ensure the item’s good condition. Anything mechanical must be clean and in good working order. Wipe personal data off anything digital and restore devices to their original default settings. Clothing, bed linens, and towels should be clean and in good repair–no missing buttons, no nonfunctional zippers, no tears or stains.
Discard
Discard whatever doesn’t fit within the three categories above. These items include anything broken, stained, torn, or nonfunctional. If you wouldn’t pay money for something, then don’t assume you’ll find a buyer for it.
Trimming a lifetime’s accumulation of stuff will take you down Memory Lane and demand some difficult decisions; however, reducing your stuff saves time and exasperation after the move.
#homestaging, #moving, #declutter
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