What to Do with Unwanted Stuff

As an apartment dweller, I know that in a limited space everything one owns has to count for something. A person just doesn’t have room to accumulate a lot of stuff. Yet that’s not how we live. Garage sale deals, gifts from friends, bursts of “inspirational shopping” give most of us an inflow that doesn’t always match an equal outflow.

So what do we do with the excess? Here are a few ideas to help pare down that growing pile of things that we have decided we actually can live without!

1. It may be that an item we own–say an old chair–still does serve a useful function but has just gotten a little worn down. So a few questions: is this item something that could be repaired? Or could it undergo a refurbishing–a splash of paint, new fabric–a fun rainy day project? Or maybe, could it serve a new purpose?
2. If it has no more use for you, might anyone you know enjoy it? Could it be a gift?
3. Of course there are a lot of places that take used items as donations: Goodwill, Arc, Salvation Army to name a few. Here is the name of a fellow I’ve dealt with how outfits new living quarters for homeless people and is always on the look out for furnishings, which he picks up himself. His name is Chris Engelmann 651-402-8180.
4. Another option, if the item has value, is to sell it. Nextdoor and Craigslist are good options for that. It’s easy to do and you can make back a share of your initial investment.
5. Finally, for some things there are recycling options. One great resource is Free Geek, which takes working and nonworking computer parts. Look them up at https://www.freegeektwincities.org/accepted-electronics. If you have any used building materials, like paint cans, light fixtures, wood boards, etc. etc., bring them to the Restore of Habitat for Humanity: https://restore.tchabitat.org/donation-drop-off.

Those are some ideas to help you pare down and keep the accumulation under control!