Many of us are guilty of having too much or replacing perfectly “usable” home and personal goods with new items. A century ago, our great grandparents likely didn’t have the means to replace such goods, and in many cases had to manage with hand-me-downs or without modern conveniences whatsoever. Even reflecting back on our childhood, we might be reminded that “getting something new” was still considered a special treat.
Perhaps this is exactly why it might stir up feelings of guilt when you want to replace furniture, buy new holiday decorations, or replenish your closet with trendier styles. To be sure, there’s nothing particularly wrong with elevating your personal space or style. After all, our home and our self-esteem can (and does) play a big role in our mental health. So no, we’re not suggesting you quit improving upon your personal space. However, being more mindful about repurposing, selling, or donating your used items can help bolster feelings of purpose for those items which have lost their useful value to you, but not someone else who might appreciate it, or even better, really need it.
Step 1: Choose to Donate, Consign or Repurpose
There is value in each of the options here. Of course, when you consign something, you receive a portion of the sales price. This extra money could go toward your replacement goods, or even go back into the family bank account! But let’s not discount the benefit you get from giving something away to someone in need or to a deserving home! Finally, is there anything you are considering giving up but could repurpose and therefore bring new life to in your home? Compile your items and determine which you plan to give away, which you plan to consign, and which might still have some useful value in your home.
Step 2: Determine Where to Donate or Consign
If you’re planning to donate or consign any items, first do some local research. Many well-known organizations accept donations and use the sale of your donations to support their charitable initiatives. Companies like The Goodwill Store, The Lord’s Place and The Salvation Army will accept your donated goods, and in return, will give you a receipt for your donation. This tax-deductible donation may go toward your year-end taxes.
You might also want to donate your items to people in the community. You might first like to consider friends and family who could use the goods, but we’ve also branched out to parenting groups and Facebook community groups. Local community or “mom” Facebook groups have proven to be an invaluable resource for parents and families who received the benefit of free goods and helped keep products from our landfills. As parents ourselves, we know how valuable hand-me-downs can be!
If you plan to consign your items, you’ll need to locate one or several local consignment shops. They usually specialize in a single avenue, like clothing or furniture. You may want to choose more than one since most shops will take a portion, but not all, of your goods.
Furniture can also be a highly valuable but difficult thing to consign. Luckily, some companies offer free pickup from your home and will even offer you a payment on the spot so you don’t have to wait until your furniture sells. This service is offered regionally, so you may have to do a little research to see who’s in your area. However, sites like AptDeco allow you to list and sell your furniture online, and will pick it up and deliver your sold goods anywhere in the United States!
Step 3: Discover How To Repurpose
For those items which you’ve decided to hold onto, you’ll want to get creative about how to breathe more life into them. The last thing you want to do is to hold onto something that goes back into hiding!
The first place we would start in this case is Pinterest. Pinterest is the premier idea hub. It’s got arguably the largest resource of ideas to repurpose pretty much anything. Whether you’re trying to envision a restored chest of drawers, or figure out how to elevate a vintage sweater, you can find every idea you need and organize them within individual “boards” to keep your ideas in one space.
Speaking of clothing, if you’ve decided to keep a well-loved or valuable piece but don’t know how to freshen it up, you may want to consult a local tailor. They can decide with you whether the piece should be tailored or torn apart and made into other more usable goods. Sometimes, the material alone has great value and being able to see its potential is all that separates it from getting tossed in the trash!
If you’ve got a great resource to repurpose, consign or donate used items, share it with a team member at Milk and Honey Bee by sending your suggestion to: info@milkandhoneybee.com.
