Decluttering
Mindful decluttering is the intentional practice of clearing physical and mental clutter, by reflecting on the present moment along with the steps and actions that have lead you there. It involves letting go of things that no longer serve a purpose or hinder you from living the life you wish, creating space for a more peaceful and purposeful life.
Whereas responsible decluttering involves intentionally and sustainably clearing out items you no longer need, prioritizing methods that minimise environmental impact. Thoughtfully deciding what to keep, donate, sell, recycle, or repurpose, rather than simply discarding everything with the goal of reducing waste or contributing to landfil - thus leading to a more eco-friendly lifestyle.
There are a multitude of ways to dispose of your items, but it is so important to remember the environment when we are decluttering – No one needs that bad karma!
Whether you choose to sell or donate your items, it’s important to be completely transparent and list any flaws with the item. Remember, just because a table might be scratched, someone out there could make use of it or upcycle it!
Your safety is paramount – If someone is coming to your home to collect an item, make sure someone else is with you and that it is during daylight. I’ve never had any bad experiences with collections, but it is just not worth taking any chances.
Facebook is a handy tool and is a great way of unloading items without even needing to leave your home. You have two options with facebook. You can either list the item on Marketplace and try to sell it. I would recommend this for most items, however set a time limit such as… If it hasn’t sold in X days, give it away for free!
This leads to your second option on Facebook, which is to join your local free items / giveaway page… For example, if you live in Cardiff you might search for “Free Items Cardiff”. Join the group, list the item and wait for someone to collect the item!
Ebay
Sell your unwanted items by creating an eBay account. If you have the time (and the space), take some nice pictures of your items, write a little description and get listing your items.
Do your research first and make sure you set your prices accordingly or a little lower if you’d like a quick sale!
Local Recycling Centre
Whatever you might call it… “The Tip”, “Recycling Centre”, “The Dump”, every local authority has one… Make sure to check your local council’s website for opening times and what items you’re able to take.
Did you know that Wales holds second place in the entire world for recycling? Just because you are offloading your items there and often forget about them. The people working there are busy behind the scenes, sorting and recycling the items to repurpose whatever they can! Not everything has to end up in dreaded landfill.
Charity Shops
Good old brick and mortar charity shops! All charity shops will accept donations if they are dropped off. If you are taking LOTS of items, I would recommend calling ahead to make sure that they have the space to store the items before making the trip.
Charity shops will even take old, damaged clothing / sheets / towels etc. if bagged up and labelled as rags. The charity are able to sell these and get a small amount of money for them. Again, always make sure to ask first and to save time bag up such items separately.
Some charity shops will even offer FREE home collections (such as for larger furniture items that you cannot fit into your car). It is worth noting that any fabric items such as a sofa or mattress will need the fire safety label still attached to allow the charity to collect and sell the item.
A couple of Charities for donation collections that I have used myself are The British Heart Foundation and The Air Ambulance Service. However, it is well worth checking your local area for other charities that offer to collect free of charge.
Schools / Nurseries / Playgroups
Local schools, nurseries or playgroups will often accept donations of different kinds. Whether it’s uniforms that no longer fit your children, stationery and notebooks, craft supplies, or even items that they could use for raffles for fundraising. Always get in touch with them before turning up with bags of items that they might not be able to take.
One of my clients gifted a big bag of pens to a teacher friend of theirs! Both parties were over the moon as my client had no use for 200 pens and the teacher friend was always handing out pens to students!
Vets / Pet Shelters
Many Veterinary Surgeries and Pet Shelters are in desperate need of old towels or bed linens. Call ahead to ask before making the trip!
Gumtree
Its super easy to make an account on Gumtree. You can either sell or give away free items and customers will come to collect or you can arrange to meet somewhere nearby.
Vinted
Vinted is one of my favourite ways to declutter whilst earning a few pound. It’s easy to set up an account. Just upload your items and wait for people to take an interest and make an offer!
Womens Refuge / Homeless Shelters / Mother & Baby Units
Some refuges or shelters will accept donations of clothing, bedding, toiletries etc. To find out what items yours will accept, contact them directly!
What do I do with expired medications?
Your local pharmacies will take any expired or unneeded medications and dispose of these responsibly for you. Do not flush any medications down the toilet and do not put them in with your normal household waste as it is bad for the environment and dangerous!
