What do you do with crap you can't/won't use?
The genesis of this question lies with my most recent Bag of Crap, but it got me thinking about simplifying, de-cluttering, and minimizing of useless crap in general.
Is eBay still the outlet of choice? What about craigslist? Donation centers like Goodwill or Salvation Army? Others?
by
liquidblue1
asked 4 months ago
I like to find a random name in the phone book, and send it to their address.
They won't know what it is or why they got it, but they'll get rid of it for you... or keep it.
I just donated three boxes of random stuff, a small wicker table and a printer to the salvation army. It was almost all either old stuff or stuff not worth trying to sell anywhere (who would want to buy one use plastic cutting board). If I had larger things I was trying to get rid of like couches etc I might try craigslist first, but then it would probably be off to the salvation army or goodwill with it.
I keep things in a pile under my bead or in the corner or in the closet with the intention of donating it or selling it on eBay or shipping it off to some family members that may be able to use it.
5+ years later and the pile has mutated into a monster. This year, I'm determined to accept the fact that I'll never get around to all these altruistic or potentially profitable endeavours and just trash it all. I've put stuff on the table of my building's lobby with a "FREE!" sign on it, but after seeing stuff sit there for over a week, I end up feeling like I'm just littering. So yes, it's the garbage for me despite how guilty I feel about throwing away perfectly good crap.
So what was in the bag of crap that so compelled you to pose the question?
Personally, I sell the stuff at a local flea market once a year. I usually make about $500 or so. This year I went over $1000 for the first time. Bulky items go on Craigslist, and anything worth more than $50 goes on eBay. Anything less than that is not worth my time to list it and ends up at the flea.
Every once in a while I get rid of it all via a Curb Alert posting on Craigslist... Of course, I use a throwaway email address so I don't get a bunch of dumb questions. Or, if I don't feel like watching a bunch of people pick through my crap, I just take it to the dump.
Oh, and kitchen stuff or clothing go to goodwill or Purple Heart, but I got to say that last time Purple Heart made a pickup the guy was nasty for no reason when I asked if he wanted furniture so they're off my list now. Not the fist time it happened with them. They act like they're doing you a favor picking the stuff up. At goodwill I always get the feeling the workers there go through your stuff right away and take the best for themselves.
Mostly, I Freecycle it: http://www.freecycle.org/
That's how I have gotten rid of furniture, old computers, even scrap metal. Almost any thing I've listed has found a taker. One man's/woman's trash is ...
Bring them with me when I am with my friends, and conveniently leave them in their already messy cars. Never heard from again, were you USB lighted mirror?
I feel your pain. I have a USB Hulk Smash Button I don't know what to do with. I was going to bring it into work to give to a comic book fan, but didn't feel like explaining its origin story and how it wound up with me. Then I was going to give it to Goodwill, but really what hope does it have of ever being bought by someone at Goodwill? Now, I'm leaning towards giving it to a kid who might actually play with it and find it funny. But, I don't know any kids that fit that profile and I think an ad on Craigslist in search of a child who wants to play with my Hulk button would not get the kind of response I'm looking for. So, ideas?
I either donate it or freecycle it depending on what it is. For those not familiar with it, freecycle is an online community dedicated to keeping useful stuff out of landfills. You join up, post what you have, and people email to ask you for it. Then they come and get it. It's amazing what things I think are useless other people are hot to have. After you give away some stuff you are allowed to ask for stuff, and there are lots of things people have sitting around they are willing to give away if someone asks for it. Look for a freecycle yahoo group in your area.
I never sell anything - if it is something that is worthwhile, I try to find someone or organization that can use it. For example, my husband was an artist, and I had so much in the way of art materials and really good books, I took them to the art center here in town. If something is worn or ragged, I take it to a charity that recycles that stuff. Good clothing and accessories go to the Salvation Army or GoodWill. I don't have the time or inclination to use consignment shops or even Ebay. Now, if I had something worth mucho dinero, I would give it to the local charitable foundation for their annual auction.
Only time I've 'sold' anything was last year. Too much stuff in my home. Called an antique dealer/estate seller & had him pick up a bunch of furniture, etc. that I was done with. Had tried to give away some of it; no one I knew wanted antiques. Sad. Everyday items like clothing, household goods, etc. - Once a month I donate to either Viet Nam Vets or Am-Vets. They call me. Also carted a bundle of stuff to the local Goodwill. Am trying to pare down. It's working....slowly.
give it to Charity
@90mcg112: Me too! I have no idea what to do with that Hulk smash button!
My destructive side of me likes to find "creative" ways to dispose of things :)
Send it to the local auction house.
If it sells they mail you a check. If it doesn't they throw it away for you!
It's just as easy as taking stuff to the dump, but they pay YOU! And you don't have to sit there all day like you do at a flea!
I just moved and gave a ton of old stuff to goodwill. My theory is if it's been in a box the whole time you lived at your last place, you don't need it at the new place.
I am imcapable of throwing away anything that seems in the slightest bit useful. So to keep from starring on the next episode of Hoarders, I give all of these items to my mother. She makes sure that whatever it is finds its way to the right people. Otherwise it's off to a church, 2nd chance shop or salvation army.
Clothes, we mainly give to goodwill. For other stuff, I typically try to put it on eBay or Craigslist if there's any significant value, otherwise Craigslist free section or Freecycle.
I open my crap in front of my family, so if I don't want something, other family members can lay claim or I can pick gifts. Stuff that's left, I check ebay first; usually, it isn't worth ebaying, so anything I find remotely interesting goes on Listia; mundane stuff goes to the ARC thrift store.
I usually give away miscellaneous stuff to the Humane Society thrift shop. We also have a couple of Church thrift stores in addition to Goodwill/Salvation Army. Anything that is really useless goes to recycling center/dump. Clothing/fabric goes in yellow box (or whatever color they are using now) for recycling. I am creating new piles of stuff for my next round of disposal.
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