Whether this is your first, second, or tenth time moving, you know there’s a crucial step in the process: packing up your belongings before the big day arrives! Whether you own a trove of treasures or just the essentials, there are usually at least a few items in your possession that you can part ways with before moving. This can make your move easier and less expensive, as you’ll have less to transport to your new home. You can donate unwanted belongings to help others, or you can sell items to get a little extra money for your moving budget.
If you’re not sure what to do with unwanted “stuff” when moving, we have a few suggestions:
Clothing
One of the best items to donate is clothing. Whether they’re old duds that still have a bit of life left in them or you’re moving to a state where a winter jacket will no longer be needed, there are many places where you can donate your garments to give them a second chance.
From a local donation bin to a thrift store, you’d be amazed at how many options there are to provide someone with the opportunity to rock your former frock and give it the love it once received.
Here are some of the options available for clothes donation:
- Buffalo Exchange: This is a family-owned fashion resale business that buys and resells clothing and accessories. All you have to do is bring your clothes to one of their 50 locations, no appointment necessary. Just be sure to bring your ID or Passport. For anything they choose to purchase from you, they will assign it a selling price, and you will receive 30% of that or 50% in-store credit.
- Crossroads Trading Co.: This is also a buy, sell, and trade location where you can sell your clothes. You can either sell your clothes in-store, drop them off at one of their 24-hour drop-off services, sign up for a consignment, or mail it in. They make it easy for you to sell your items, and you get 30% of the selling price or 50% for store credit.
- Goodwill: This is a widely known charitable organization where you can donate clothes. Its mission is to enhance the quality of life for millions of people through education, skills training, and work. Goodwill does this by taking your donations and selling them in thousands of their retail stores. Their revenue goes towards finding people employment and funding job training.
- Salvation Army: This organization supports a wide variety of charitable acts, including disaster relief, addiction treatment, and domestic abuse. Their mission is to meet human needs however they can. Just like Goodwill, the Salvation Army also has family stores where they take the revenue from the sales of your donations and use it toward those in need.
- For Days: Have clothes that aren’t in the best condition? Believe it or not, they don’t have to end up in a landfill! For Days offers a Take Back Bag that allows you to send old clothes—from any brand, in any condition—to be recycled into new products. The bag will cost you $10, but it includes a prepaid shipping label and you’ll get a $10 off code once you send it back.
- Local Shelters: Another great option is to check with local shelters to see if they accept clothing donations. Homeless shelters, S.A.F.E. houses, and women’s shelters often need clothing and other items; your donation can make a big difference.
Furniture
Did you know that you can donate your furniture? Instead of kicking it to the curb, you can consider donating some of your furnishings to a local homeless shelter, a thrift store, or even a local theatre group where your former couch can be cast in the leading role of a new show.
If you want to sell your furniture, you can use sites like Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, or OfferUp to list them for sale.
Games, Toys & Collectibles
Do you have any toys or games from your childhood that you’re willing to part with? If so, consider donating them to a local shelter or thrift store. As long as your novelties aren’t in bad shape, many places will gladly take them and give them a new life.
The same thing applies to collectible items such as a souvenir snow globe you picked up on a trip to a world-renowned theme park. There are collectors out there who may want to own what you’re trying to give away! If you believe you have something that might be valuable, you can check online to see what it might be worth. You can then use sites like eBay, Etsy, or Craigslist to list and sell any valuables.
Books, Office Supplies & Magazines
If you have a whole bunch of books, magazines, and office supplies you don’t need or want anymore, you can donate or sell these. You can check with your local library to see if they have any recommendations of where you can donate used books, and you can check with local schools, shelters, and community centers. A used bookstore may take gently used books in exchange for cash or store credit.
More Items You Can Get Rid of When Moving
You might be surprised to find that you have a lot more stuff to get rid of when moving, once you go in and start opening closets and cabinets. There’s no need to keep things that have outlived their purpose, and selling, donating, recycling, or throwing these things away can free up a considerable amount of space in your home as you pack!
Here are a few items to look at when you’re donating or selling your belongings, listed by room:
Kitchen
- Appliances you don’t use or have never used (bread makers, air fryers, mixers, etc.)
- Old mugs and souvenir cups or glasses
- Old potholders and kitchen towels
- Expired food (canned food, dry goods, pasta, baking supplies, etc.)
- Damaged pots, pans, and cutting boards
Bathroom
- Worn out towels and washcloths
- Old bathmats or rugs
- Expired medicine
- Lotions, creams, make-up, and other products that you haven’t used and won’t use
- Toilet plunger/brush
Home Office
- Old papers you don’t need anymore
- Outdated calendars and planners
- Worn out pens and pencils
- Used notebooks
- Outdated or broken computer equipment, cables, consoles, etc.
Living Room
- DVD player and DVDs
- CDs
- Magazines and books
- Worn out furniture
- Outdated television
Kid’s Room
- Toys they no longer play with
- Clothes that don’t fit anymore
- Old baby monitors or noise machines
Whether you donate these things, sell them online, host a garage sale, or throw them in a dumpster, you can clear out a great deal of space, making moving into your new home that much more enjoyable.
Are You Moving Soon? Affordable Quality Moving and Storage Can Help!
Moving can be tough, but it’s also an exciting time. Now that you know what to do with your stuff when you move, you can focus on packing and then planning on how you will set everything up in your new home. Affordable Quality Moving and Storage is here to offer expert help! From carefully packing and transporting your belongings to setting up your furniture and more, our movers can help you feel much more at ease on the big day. Our Southern California movers handle local, long-distance, and international home and office moves, and we’ve been helping customers since 1996. You can trust that we know what we’re doing and always deliver the best service.
Contact our team today for a free estimate at (661) 622-2636!