After the new year, many of us probably made the same goal: to clean up our dorms, apartments and homes. We tend to accumulate a lot of things over time without even realizing it, and it can be overwhelming to see the walls closing in around us. As we grow ever more conscious about the environment, we end up with the dilemma of how to get rid of our things in a sustainable way. Below are a few tips to help you ditch all the things you’re ready to part with.
- Books
-
As an English major, books are near and dear to my heart. But I now own so many that I have no way of moving them after I graduate. To rehome them, I firstly looked to my friends and asked, “Are there other English majors who would love to hold onto this anthology?” If you aren’t an English major, you can still look to your friends who love reading and see if there are any books they would want to hold onto. After that, look to your local Half-Price Books to see what you can sell. Anything left over at the end of these steps can be donated to your local public library or the little free libraries that are in your neighborhood.
- Clothing
-
Clothing is another thing that we all seem to end up with too much of. Before just dropping them off at Goodwill or Salvation Army, think about other local and more environmentally-friendly options. One of the first things that you can do is to organize a clothing swap with your friends. We’ve done this within our own Her Campus at UMKC chapter and it was a huge hit! Next, think about selling at your local Plato’s Closet. They only buy things that they think they will be able to sell, so your items have a much higher likelihood of finding a new home instead of ending up in a landfill. Plus, you’ll leave with a bit of cash in your hand! For the things that Plato’s Closet won’t take, think about a local charity that you can donate to. Personally, I like to donate what I can to Project Uplift here in KC. They survive off of donations, and the items that you donate are given to the homeless population within the KC metro area.
- Furniture and Household Items
-
This is a tough one. A lot of household items are bulky and can be hard to rehome, but let’s try our best! First, list what you have on Facebook Marketplace. I have gotten several pieces of furniture there, as I know many others have. It’s a great way to get a bit of money for your furniture and other items, but be willing to haggle a bit over the price. Don’t go in expecting to make big money, but instead to find a new home for what you have. If you can’t sell it on Facebook Marketplace, try looking at your fellow college students and donate to them. Much of the furniture that I have is hand-me-down, and you can do the same for another student. Anything that you have left over that is in good shape can be donated to your local Habitat for Humanity! Their home goods go towards struggling individuals and families in your area.
We all tend to accumulate possessions as we move through college, and when we graduate we often don’t want to take it all with us into our next phase of life. Instead of just dumping everything at your local Goodwill, think about other rehoming options within your community. It’s better for the environment, and at the end of the day you may walk away with a bit of gas money in your pocket for your efforts. As we strive to be more conscious of our environment, we all have a responsibility to rehome what we have to the best of our ability.