Smart spring cleaning: Getting rid of unwanted household items, ethically

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) claims around 9 million tons of furniture alone are discarded in the United States each year. This figure does not include other household items such as clothing and electronics, which are usually the first to be thrown away when cleaning out a house.

But there's a silver lining - you have a whole host of options to declutter your home while contributing positively to your community and the environment. Donating unwanted items, participating in a gifting economy, selling on resale sites, and opting for proper recycling are all responsible ways to rehome items during a house clean out.

Some items may indeed be destined for the landfill, but a large number of them might still have a second life. You might even earn some extra cash from these items. Here are some strategies to consider when decluttering your house.

Cleaning out your house is the perfect time to donate household items. Charities and donation shops offer an excellent way to declutter while supporting those in need. If you're wondering where to donate household items, there are numerous local and national charities that accept a wide range of donations, such as clothing, furniture, books, and more.

Well-known organizations like Goodwill and The Salvation Army sell donated household items at low costs. However, it's always a good idea to check with your local charity shop before arriving with large items or massive donations. Depending on their space and current inventory, they may only accept specific items.

For unused, unexpired food and bathroom items, consider donating them to shelters or food pantries. This option is ideal for disposing of collected hotel toiletries or those uneaten cans of soup sitting on your pantry shelf.

Read our charity scams guide to ensure your donations go to the right place. 

Thanks to social media, gifting economy groups have grown in popularity as a resource for donating household items to your community. Operating on the principle of giving and receiving freely, these groups are an excellent option for items found during a house clean out that may not fit traditional donation categories.

In my own local gifting group, I’ve seen half uneaten birthday cake, expired camera film, and a box of empty jam jars be offered and enthusiastically accepted by someone in the community. Some people have even successfully gifted dryer lint. 

Below are some gifting economy resources:

• Buy Nothing Project and Freecycle Network are worldwide networks of hyper-local gift economies. Items are given and taken freely, and participation is usually through Facebook or social media groups. 

• OLIO is an app that connects neighbors with each other and with local shops so surplus food and other items can be shared, not thrown away.

• Little Free Library is a global network of small, free-standing book exchanges where people can take a book or leave a book. 

• Really Really Free Market is a temporary market held in various cities where people bring items to give away and take what they need.

• Craigslist is best known as a place to buy and sell items, however there is a "Free" section where people can list items they're giving away.

Resale sites are an ideal way to convert high-quality, unwanted items from a house clean out into cash. These platforms cater to a wide range of used items, from clothes and furniture to electronics and cars.

Examples include:

• Poshmark online marketplace that allows individuals to buy and sell new or gently used clothing, shoes, accessories, and home goods.

• AptDeco is a platform that specializes in selling high-quality pre-owned furniture and home decor, with a focus on sustainability and affordability, and provides a streamlined and hassle-free selling process for sellers.

• Ruby Lane is an online marketplace for antique and vintage jewelry, art, and home decor. 

• eBay is an online marketplace where you can sell just about anything, but is particularly good for electronics, antiques, and collectibles. 
  

These sites are a great way to get rid of unwanted items, but may take time to sell, and may require you to actively manage inquiries about your listings. 

If you're short on time or have specialty or luxury goods, consider selling through a consignment site. While these sites have stringent standards and offer less profit than direct selling, they manage the resale process, making your house clean out less cumbersome. Some consignment services include:

• The RealReal is a platform where sellers can consign their high-end fashion items for resale, with the assurance of expert authentication and a streamlined selling process.

• REI Used Gear is an online consignment platform where sellers can sell their gently used outdoor gear. REI pays consignees with REI credit. 

• Gazelle buys and resells phones, tablets and laptops. Gazelle will generate an instant quote based on an item description, and after inspection they pay the seller within 2-3 business days.

You may have some defunct items that are good candidates for specialty recycling during your house clean out. Specialty recycling are items that can’t be thrown in your everyday recycling bin, but might be accepted by some retailers or recycling centers. 

• Electronics can often be dropped off at your local electronics retailer for free recycling. Everything from headphones, cords, batteries, and televisions can be recycled through these programs. 

• Textiles and damaged fabric and shoes can be given to local textile recycling centers or consider donating them to charitable organizations that repurpose textiles. Many animal shelters will take blankets and towels, even if they’re stained or ripped. 

• Expired food can often be composted in your backyard or look for local composting facilities that accept organic waste. Check your local farmers market – that’s where I drop my compost and fabric scraps.

Sometimes, throwing an item out really is the best option. If you’ve offered a broken, damaged, or low-quality item through your gifting economy with no one interested in upcycling it, and if it’s not a specialty item that can be recycled, it’s time to throw it away. 

Don’t fall victim to aspirational recycling (and inadvertently do more harm than good), rather, toss the item. If it needs to be replaced, use Trustpilot to find a high quality replacement that will last for years. 

Remember, conducting a responsible house clean out is about finding the best ways to declutter, while keeping in mind where to donate household items or how best to dispose of them. And when you’re ready to find a replacement, check out our guide to furnishing your home. 

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