13 Genius Ideas for Getting Rid of Things After Decluttering

After we declutter, sometimes it can be difficult to know how or where to get rid of our unwanted items.

Some people can’t leave the house, some donation centers are closed, or contact isn’t preferred, you must get creative when getting rid of your stuff.

Here are several genius ideas for getting rid of your clutter, even if you can’t have contact with others or you’re unable to leave your home for whatever reason:

1 – Charity pick-up options, often veteran charities  

Look around in your area for possible charitable donation pick-up options.  Many charities run for the benefit of our veterans, or other causes, offer free pick-up options. 

Simply find a location in your area, give them a call, and arrange for a date and time. 

I actually used this service when my children were very young and I was working full time outside of the home.  I would leave my donations on our front porch, and they would pick up the items while I was at work!

It was a win-win situation. 

2 – Local churches

If you prefer to donate to a church, call around and see if any are offering pick-up options for your stuff.  If they are not, you may wish to see if they have any volunteers that would be willing to help with this easy, contactless option. 

Even if your local church isn’t offering pick-up service, there’s a good chance they offer some sort of contactless drop-off option or would be willing to work with you for any needed donations. 

3 – Local charities and thrift stores

With thrift stores and charities, you can usually arrange a drop-off for donations. 

Our local donation centers actually have employees taking donations from your car, but I’m sure if you asked them to allow for a contactless drop-off, they would be more than willing to accommodate. 

Ideas for local charities:

• Goodwill
• Arc
• St. Paul de Vincent
• Veterans of America
• Women’s shelters
• Homeless shelters
• Food banks
• Animal shelters
• Community centers

Start by searching these suggestions online, then call facilities local to your area. Sometimes it just takes a simple phone call to confirm their processes!

4 – Facebook Marketplace

Facebook marketplace can be a gold mine for getting rid of your clutter…like you can actually make money on your junk stuff. 

Don’t worry. It’s actually pretty simple.

Simply create a Venmo or PayPal account (or gasp, agree to use cash), leave the items on your front porch, and rely on the good ole’ honor system.  

Most people aren’t trying to rip you off, so the honor system works well for an easy delivery. 

Related Post: Selling Your Junk on Facebook Marketplace

5 – Online Consignment Shops  

Did you know you can sell a lot of your stuff without ever leaving your home?

If you have nice clothes with some resale value, try sending it off to an online consignment shop. 

With so many corporate positions continuing with work-from-home, many of us no longer need our super large business casual wardrobes.

The only drawback to trying to sell your nice clothes, the market for those buying nice clothes has also shrunk. 

My favorite online consignment shop is with Thredup. You can print a clean-out kit label, and you can even schedule a pick-up with USPS.  You never have to leave your home, and there’s a chance you’ll make a few dollars. 

6 – Sell your stuff online

If you have nice items with some value, there’s a chance you can sell it on eBay or Poshmark.  Selling on these sites isn’t free, but they are fantastic online outlets for reaching tons of potential buyers. 

You can even print your own shipping labels at home if you want to avoid the Post Office!

7 – Bin drop-offs

I don’t know what to really call them, but have you seen those drop-off bins for clothes and other random items around town?

These are great options for getting rid of items without taking a lot of extra time, besides a quick stop and toss. 

The trick is making sure they are still in operation, so they aren’t overflowing with items. 

Don’t leave your stuff next to these bins.  Only use them if you can get your stuff safely inside. 

You can often find these bins at local retailers, schools, donation centers or even at grocery stores or gyms.

8 – Facebook Groups

Many communities have created local groups on Facebook.  Some of my favorites for getting rid of clutter are Buy Nothing Project groups or local Buy-Sell-Trade groups. 

These groups are great when the regular outlets aren’t working for you. 

Porch pick-up and drop-off are the most popular method of giving and receiving items from these groups.  

Simply search on Facebook “buy nothing NAME OF YOUR COMMUNITY”. See what comes up, and ask to join.

9 – List your items for free AND as a “lot”

My youngest outgrew a size of clothing during the height of our pandemic shutdown.  She was able to wear big sister’s hand-me-downs, but I was stuck with three garbage bags of clothes with no plan to get them out of our house. 

Pre-pandemic, I would have taken the outgrown clothes to a kids’ consignment shop.  For any clothes not purchased, I would immediately take to the local charity’s donation center. 

I could not sell the clothes or give them to the local donation center while they were closed.

I could have waited a few weeks for things to open back up, but instead, I listed the entire lot of clothes for free on Facebook Marketplace. 

The deal was they had to take all three bags, no sorting through the bags.  If there was something they didn’t want, it was now their responsibility to donate it. 

This worked out fantastic! There was a mom in the neighborhood who was having her own issues, as she couldn’t get out to buy new clothes for her daughter who just moved up a size. 

When you have clothes, shoes, dishes, old movies, books, or any other items that are similarly related, you can always list them as a “lot.” 

By doing so, you ensure the entire group of items goes out, rather than trying to get rid of each item individually. 

When listing your items, simply take a picture of the whole lot.  Don’t worry if all the individual items aren’t visible. 

Related Post: Declutter Quickly With These 20 Quick-Hit Areas

10 – Have a “free stuff” party or free garage sale

If you have a whole bunch of stuff to give away, have a “free stuff” party or even a free garage sale. 

This isn’t your typical party or typical garage sale, as you aren’t trying to collect money.

Get all the items to your garage, front porch, or somewhere similar, and put a quick small note on your give-away items that says “FREE”. 

Then, set a date and time for your big event. 

Finally, get the message out to your friends, family, and/or neighborhood. 

You could post large ticket items on Facebook Marketplace as “FREE” along with the date and time of your free garage sale.

Do the same on any local buy-sell-trade groups you’re in, as well as, perhaps, a neighborhood Facebook group.

You do not have to be present for this to be a success.  Simply place your items in a designated area in front of your home, remember to tag them as “free,” and then invite others to come and take them!

It may sound weird, but remember, others may be in need.  Your old stuff may be a big blessing for friends, family, or neighbors. 

This idea is inspired by an article I read once regarding an older couple looking to downsize their home.  They wanted to share all their blessings with their favorite people. 

Their solution was to throw a party!

The couple prepared appetizers, drinks, and had only one rule.  If you came, you had to leave with at least one thing. 

It worked beautifully for getting rid of stuff.  The best part of the whole story, they were able to share their stories and memories about items with the people who took them. 

11 – Make your adult kids come get their stuff

If you are holding on to clutter that belongs to your adult children, it’s time to get it out! Call your kids, and tell them to come get their stuff. 

If they won’t come and get it, take it to their house and leave it on their front porch.  Not kidding. 

It sounds harsh, but once your kids are adults, it’s time for them to take all of their stuff with them. 

I’m not saying you shouldn’t hold on to memories of your children.  You may have a box or two full of memories from your kids.  Hold on to that stuff, if you like. 

However, if your kids have boxes of trophies, stuffed animals, books, etc., that they want to keep, it’s time for them to keep those memories inside their own four walls. 

Related Post: Why is Decluttering So Hard?

12 – Roadside pick-up with a FREE sign

I lived in a neighborhood once where we could set something out a couple days before trash day and it would be gone within hours. 

It was an almost guaranteed method for getting rid of something that was in decent shape but not worth the effort to try and sell or haul away. 

Expert tip: Check the weather first.  You don’t want to ruin something with rain/snow before someone has the chance to pick it up. 

If no one wants your clutter, it may be a sign it has no value and should probably be thrown away.  Luckily, it’s already on the curb for trash pick-up!

13 – Trash

I hate filling up our landfills with unnecessary trash, but sometimes, it is unavoidable.

The best thing about living a simple, more clutter-free lifestyle, is you have a huge impact on the environment with all your new habits future foward.

Does it change that your excess junk is hurting the planet now? No. However, you are moving in the right direction for a new way of living.

Related Post: Go Green and Save Money: Reusable Kitchen Items

Get clutter out!

Sometimes it can be difficult knowing where or how to get rid of items we have decluttered, but you don’t have to be stuck holding on to it. 

Get it out of the house and clear your space!

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