We all face the challenge of trying to decide what to do with our “stuff”. When we decide “keep” is not the answer we try to decide between donating, selling or tossing. For my family we ask some pretty basic questions
Donate
* Would someone else benefit from it?
* If it is garbage to me, would I just be passing on my garbage to a non-profit? (hint: non-profits have to pay to throw away your garbage – don’t do that!)
* Do I know a good organization to donate it to?
* Is it worth the hassle of donating it?
Sell
* Would anyone else want it?
* How much would they pay?
* Is it worth the hassle of selling it?
Toss
* Do I really want to add this to our landfills or can I extend its life by selling or donating?
* Would we be able to reuse it in the future for something else or are we just cluttering up our home?
* Any way to recycle all or part of it?
Usually, the decision making is pretty simple (Hennepin County has great online resources for Reduce & Reuse). Lately, some of our decision making has been more challenging.
Dishwasher – Our dishwasher needs both racks replaced. The dishwasher is at least 10 years old. The cost of the racks is nearly the same price as a new dishwasher. Our society seems to have become a “buy new – don’t fix”. Do appliances really get recycled or is it mostly hype? Do we want to put money into an old appliance? We are still pondering what to do.
Computer – We bought a new computer last winter. Our old desktop is over 5 years old. Originally,I thought I could sell for $100 on Craigslist. Then I realized what it would be like selling a computer. With Craigslist you have to sort through all of the tire-kickers/low-ballers/never-follow-through buyers. Then with the computer you will have numerous technical questions (as you should). And finally, buyers want to see and try the computer which translates into “please, come into my home, stranger.” The appeal of the money versus the hassle resulted in indecision and avoidance. I should probably just donate it, but where? The computer is still sitting in my basement.
Mattress – Of course, we buy a new mattress and the company we bought it from doesn’t recycle or donate our old one. I serve on the Bridging Board of Directors so this decision was relatively easy. The only down side is that Bridging needs to charge a pickup fee. I understand the reason for the fee, but the older I get the more frugal I have become. If I dropped off the mattress myself there is no fee. Since I don’t own a minivan or a truck and I didn’t want to deal with the hassle of borrowing one, I paid the fee.
Books – After tipping over a stack of leadership/business/non-fiction books in our office, I bagged the books up. I have sold individual books on Amazon in the past, but it is definitely a hassle for little return. I have started buying e-books (you can get a free Kindle app for your phone and computer). I actually like having a book on my phone since my phone is always with me. As for the bag of books, I will be dropping them off at Half-Price books.
What suggestions do you have for the donate, sell, or toss dilemma?
Thanks Bob and Natalie! Great suggestions. Since my family uses the Hennepin County library system a great deal, I am going to call them to see if they are interested in the donation. I don’t use the library for new business books since they tend to not have these books when they first come out – and the newer and more popular ones usually have a long wait list.
For books, check out http://www.paperbackswap.com. You post the books you are ready to pass on to someone. If someone wants your book, you receive their address and mail it off to them. In return for your postage, you earn a credit good for requesting a book that you want from someone else, who will then send it your way.
Books – Another good option is to donate them to the library. Our local library system doesn’t put them in circulation but sells them at their semi-regular book sale. Proceeds go toward helping fund programs at the library. What happens if they still don’t sell? I know that some books have been collected and donated to correctional facilities in the past.
No matter what, I’m betting that the library has a better path towards either profiting or recycling them than I do!