Things You'll Need:
- cleaning supplies
- boxes
- labels
- internet
- phone book
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Step 1
With the onset of Spring, comes the desire to open up the windows, let the fresh air in, and clean! Why not use the time to de-clutter as well? This is a fantastic time to identify items that you are not using and are taking up valuable space in your home!
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Step 2
So this is not an overwhelming project, I recommend picking one room per weekend or per day to focus on. Each room in the house has items that are not being utilized. We will use the bedroom as our example in this article, but this method will work on every room in the house.
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Step 3
First go through each drawer in the dressers and take out all of the clothing. Now you can thoroughly clean the inside of the dresser drawers. Before you put anything back in the dresser, you need to look at each item and decide if you have worn it in the last year. If you have not, set that item aside. If you have only worn something once, or twice in the last year, you need to decide if it is a specialty item that is only worn once or twice a year, or if it is something you can live without. If it is the latter, add it to the pile of clothing you have not worn in the last year (This includes all those items that you no longer fit into). Now go through the items that you have set aside and weed out any that are not in good condition. The ones that are still in good condition put in a box and take them to a resale shop. There are all kinds of resale shops now, and even if you only get $10 for your items, it is $10 more than you had before!
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Step 4
Now go through the bookshelves. Take everything off the book shelves and clean each shelf thoroughly. Before putting anything back, again, ask yourself when or if you will ever use the item again, or if you have used it or referenced it in the last year. If the answer is no, and you do not fell you will use it again, set that item aside in a box.
For nick-nacks, you can always have a garage sale, but for books, CD's and old magazines, you can take them to a resale shop. Half-Priced Books pays for "in good condition" books and magazines, and there are many shops like "Play it again" music that purchase used CD's, DVD's, and Records. And, anything they do not take you can donate to your local library or Goodwill and write it off on your taxes as a charitable donation. -
Step 5
So, you are going to do this same process with everything in your bedroom, then move on to the next room, and so on. Every room in your house has the potential to make you money, and it feels terrific to purge your house of items that you are no longer using!
Comments
quillerlady said
on 4/26/2009 Great ideas! Good article, I will put it to good use. Thanks!