A New Way to De-Clutter Your Home

Let’s face it: most of us don’t really enjoy the task of poring through the stacked-up personal items in our homes, but we also don’t want to end up on an episode of Hoarders. It can be hard to find a balance between wanting to hold onto things and wanting to avoid clutter in your home, but there are new innovative ways to make the chore a bit more appealing. Websites like Thredup.com and Tradesy.com give you the opportunity to send in clothes, handbags, and other items to sell (with very little work on your end). This can be useful if you have some designer or other high-end goods that are in prime condition but you don’t necessarily need anymore. These goods can take up space in your home and be more difficult to part with since they are worth a significant amount of money.

So now you’re motivated…but what’s next? Here are some tips to start de-cluttering and make some profit while doing so.

1) Change your perspective -- the first thing you need to do before starting the journey of de-cluttering is to stop thinking of it as a chore. We all avoid tasks we view as extra work – and typically avoid the hassle. Put it in your mind that this time, de-cluttering will be a fun task and you’ll even end up with some extra cash at the end!

2) Get started - the most important (and difficult) step is deciding what you do and do not need. Go through your closet and take everything out that is not 100% necessary anymore. Then go back and do it again. Feel like you’re done? Chances are you’re probably not. Think hard about everything you pick up and ask yourself “If I was in a store right now, would I buy this? If so, how much would I pay?” Tip: If you’re not so good at parting ways with your belongings, try the Closet Hanger Experiment. Hang all of your clothes with the hangers in the reverse direction, and when you wear something put it back facing the opposite way. After a month or two, you’ll see what you really do and don’t wear.

3) Decide on a website -- different websites offer different options. For example, Tradesy.com is used more for selling designer goods, while Thredup.com is used for selling clothing that is in good condition and donating what doesn’t sell. Based on the goods you decide you don’t need in your life anymore, you can choose an outlet to use.

4) Send it out -- in the case of both websites, your contribution is free. If you choose Thredup.com all you have to do is request a bag, and they’ll send it to you, and you fill it with all of the goods you want to sell/donate. If you use Tradsey.com, you can upload a photo and description of your product and wait for someone to buy it. When it is purchased, the site will send you a free shipping kit and you’ll be ready to send your clothes/shoes/accessories to their new home!

5) Look beyond your closets – clothing and shoes and other odds and ends can certainly make up a lot of clutter, but consider the whole house when you’re cleaning out. Do you have old, dated furniture you don’t really use anymore?

Are there items in your children’s rooms that they’ve simply outgrown? Don’t forget the garage. Old bikes and sports equipment that’s long since collected dust since its last use can be donated to a number of different nonprofits or agencies. Messiness and disorder can be outside the home as well as behind the front door – so look at your entire property as your workspace.

6) Updating your home – Now that the clutter has disappeared, the state of your home furnishings, draperies and lighting is more evident. Styles change over time and it’s easy to get so involved with life that you miss the memo. If your draperies are dated, take them down and let the light shine in. Changing a lamp shade can be an easy, immediate fix. Removing a chair that has seen its day can open up a cramped corner. You’ll be surprised how much you can love your surroundings.

7) Reflect -- look around your home and appreciate the newfound lack of clutter. Doesn’t it feel great? All it took was a little motivation!

While many of us only get to a major clean-up when we’re listing a home for sale, or moving out – now is the time to take that proactive step. If there’s an unexpected opportunity to sell quickly, or move out to a brand-new property you didn’t know you were even in the market for – you’ll be able to do so hassle-free. Start with one room, or one area of the house – inside or out – and you’ll have everything in order in no time.