You’ve Decluttered (Yay!), Now Eco-Friendly Tips To Get Rid Of It All
During the last year and half it seems almost everyone has had the time, or taken the time, to declutter, organize, and get their homes in order. This is a fantastic outcome as chaos is bad for your health while an organized home makes a much better space for a conducive working and schooling life when necessary (or wanted).
Now, how to easily and responsibly get rid of all the detritus that you have culled from your possessions? We’re going to outline the tips and local resources for getting rid of:
- Books
- Clothing
- Electronics
- Misc. Stuff
Reusing and recycling unwanted items is an important component of growing a Circular Economy which is a large part of preserving the world’s environment. So let’s dive into how you can be part of keeping our environment safe.
BOOKS
Online resources for selling books you no longer want are these resellers who will give you a price quote after you send them the ISBN number and condition of your book:
For reselling textbooks these are the best options:
- AbeBooks
- Bookbyte
- BookScouter (displays prices for all booksellers so you can choose, also includes user ratings)
- GoTextbooks
- ValoreBooks
- UC School of Law Bookstore– sell in person at the UC bookstore
In your local community, other options include:
- Libraries- donate (check with yours first before arriving)
- Thrift & secondhand shops -donate (can get a text deduction receipt by asking)
- Used bookstores -10 Best Used Book Stores in the Bay Area HERE.
Another generous and quite rewarding idea too is to start your own library, more commonly known as “Little Free Library”. Their website provides all the information needed to start a small book-lending program right outside your house (or how to find the nearest one).
CLOTHES
There are several ways to sell, donate, or responsibly recycle clothing, shoes, and jewelry items you are passing on.
High End Consignment- best for selling CURRENT designer clothing and jewelry:
Mid-Range Consignment
- Tradesy– they sell both upscale and mid-priced clothing, shoes, and jewelry and take a commission from the seller.
- ThredUp– large scale reseller of gently used clothing; if they sell your items, you can choose from cash or credit from either ThredUp or an associated retailer.
Donate For A Cause– if you have business clothing to donate, these Bay Area organizations accept clothing in good condition for people who are job hunting:
- Wardrobe For Opportunity- for low income Bay Area professionals.
- Dress For Success– San Francisco.
- Charity Navigator or GuideStar– are research resources to find an organization near you.
Donate– almost every city has one, if not several, local thrift stores (usually church or non-profit based) that you can donate our items too. Others include:
- Vietnam Veterans of America
- GiveBackBox– send to a charity; the site provides a prepaid shipping label.
ELECTRONICS
Recycling or donating your electronics is more important than most people realize. If these items are simply thrown into the trash you’ve now created an environmental hazard (and it’s probably illegal!).
Selling or Trade-in Deals– if buying new, check out these sites before purchasing to see what you can get for your old equipment or if they have refurbished items you can purchase:
- Macs
- Android & others:
- Decluttr– buys the phone from you and then resells it.
- Gazelle– the company gives you a price, then ship and they sell.
- Best Buy– mail in your phone or bring it to your nearest retail store; can trade it or get a gift card.
- Flipsy– compares vendor deals for you.
Other Ways To Sell
- Decluttr– gives you a quote on your phone or tech items (takes CDs, DVDs, games, books, and Lego).
- Swappa– charges the buyer, not the seller, a fee (seller pays PayPal’s transaction fee).
- Amazon– trade-in program; payment comes in the form of a gift card.
Give to Charity– There are several programs that give computers to people or organizations that need them:
- Computers with Causes– passes tech on to individuals who need them.
- World Computer Exchange– sends refurbished desktop and laptop computers to schools, libraries, community centers, and universities in developing countries.
- Globetops– once donated, you can decide which charity to give to or let Globetops decide.
Recycle– If you’ve got electronics that are so old that nobody wants it, then it’s time to dispose of it in an environmentally conscious way. Stores that sell electronics will also offer recycling (occasionally for a fee).
- Earth911– to find the nearest recycling center.
- Call2Recycle– find out where to drop off used batteries.
- BigGreenBox– will dispose of items for you. Prices begin at $36 for a box that will hold up to 10 pounds of batteries (which includes shipping and handling).
- MIT Museum and the Computer History Museum– for anything SUPER old and/or unusual (BONUS- get tax breaks).
MISC.- There are many online marketplaces nowadays, most right in your backyard, for easy in-person pick up with no shipping involved.
- Marketplace– on Facebook, it’s easiest to sell locally, where you can meet the buyer.
- NextDoor
- Craigslist
- eBay– is the most complicated and unless you have a one-off pricey item, may not be worth your time. These are just some of the steps involved:
- Once your item has been sold, eBay collects 12.55 percent of the final value up to $7,500 and 2.35 percent on any value over $7,500
- There are several exception for musical items and heavy equipment.
- There are other exceptions; you can find them all here.
Giveaway– Freecycle is a free service where locals post items to giveaway. Anyone who is subscribed and wants these items can contact you.
DON’T WANT TO BOTHER WITH ANY OF THIS?
Use An All-In-One Service!
If instead you want a simpler stress-free solution, look at the service Remoov provides. A one-stop-shop option that does it all. Send them photos of your unwanted items (all categories). You’ll receive an estimated price, then they pick up and sell, donate, or responsibly recycle it for you. Other advantages include:
- Multiple Platforms- Your item is listed on all their sales platforms- finding the “right” channel to sell a variety of items. Remoov uses its own consignment store and ecommerce platform, The Local Flea, as well as dozens of other potential resale channels to ensure your items are marketed to the largest audience possible and sold for you at the best price possible.
- Low Cost– You pay a pickup fee based on your item volume, but no additional storage fees after!
- Value– Mint condition items are priced at around 70% of retail. Remoov can range from 20-70 % return on original value, with a median of 45%.
- Professional Advantage– Integration with different marketplaces, and appraisers are all part of Remoov’s services and an advantage to you. Professional appraisers on staff provide accurate resale estimates as well as the best sales channels for each item. These trained experts examine pieces to assess their value, determine authenticity, and as a result, can often uncover hidden gems.
Get started today and get a free estimate for your pickup! And for quick answers to all your questions check out the FAQ Page.
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