How to Finish your Spring Cleaning

Do you have boxes of “things” you need to get out of your home, but somehow just never get the time to sell them, trade them or just give them away?  Does your stuff look like the picture above?   Spring is the perfect time to finish your clean-up jobs.  Take the time and remove the clutter from your home!

To get started on your project, what you should be looking for?  Clothes and shoes that are too small, toys that are no longer played with/not age appropriate, small appliances no longer used, old books/books that are not age appropriate, anything you no longer use or have not used for at least one year (some people may suggest six months, but some clothes and items are seasonal and only used certain times of the year).

Go through your home room by room, it may take a week or two depending on your time limitations.  After you gather all your “stuff” to clean up, what should you do with it?

7 Ideas for your Spring Clean-up

1. Large items can be sold on Craigslist.  Try grouping toys together and sell them as a bundle (such as toys for 12-18 month olds or toys for boys and toys for girls).   You may also be able to sell appliances like toaster ovens, blenders, or coffee makers on Craigslist.
2. Have a yard sale or participate in a community yard sale.  Increase traffic to your yard sale by posting on Craigslist and other online boards.
3. Smaller and more valuable items can be sold on Ebay.
4. Sell your clothes, shoes and toys to a consignment shop.  Some shops (such as Once Upon a Child) will buy the items from you for a small amount, others will try to sell your items for commission.
5. Donate used books to your local library.  Many community libraries re-sell used books for a small price.  The money from book sales is used to support the library.
6. Trade your used books with a used book store.  Used book stores will usually give a credit for used books which can be used to purchase other used books or a smaller cash payment amount.
7. Donate items.  If you try to sell or trade your items and still have items left, donate them to your favorite charity.  The Salvation Army is a consideration and provide great community resources.

If you follow these steps, you should be able to remove the clutter from your home and feel better.  Remember, spring cleaning is not just for spring, follow these steps every six months to keep your home clutter free all year.

What will you be doing for spring cleaning this year?  How do you remove clutter from your home?