What You Should Consider BEFORE You Donate Your Stuff!

What You Should Consider Before You Donate Your Stuff by Stephanie at LoverAntiques.com

1)Regain Monetary Value- There's an obvious reason you should seriously consider selling things instead of donating or giving them away. Money, of course. It's very likely that you spent money on the things you own, so why not recapture some of that value in the process of letting go? This can be especially helpful if you went through a heavy consumerist phase or are trying to pay down debt. While it can be a lot of work selling off each item, getting some of the money back is positive and there are even more benefits to selling as you'll see down below.

2)Sustainable Lifestyle Change Takes Time & Effort (and that's why it works) Truly shifting your lifestyle from a consumer-based to a more creator-based approach takes time and effort. It's not something that happens overnight. If you bear the pain of going through and dealing with each item, you are more likely to change as a person and evolve through the decluttering process. Selling off your items one by one is a conscious act and reminder to be more intentional with future items you bring into your life. Dropping a bunch of things off at the donation center really just makes your clutter someone else's problem.

3)If You Can't Sell It, Neither Can Someone Else- benefit of selling instead of donating an item is it's an indication of whether it's really something that ought to be donated. If no one wants to buy it from you, what are the chances that someone else will be able to sell it, including the donation center? There are certain exceptions though, depending on where you live and local organizations around you. This is where doing some research and thoughtfully donating can be very beneficial. Animal shelters will often gladly take clean, used towels and blankets, among other household things. Homeless or transition shelters will often take toiletries, makeup, towels, books, and many other household items. Checking with local organizations is a great way to intentionally donate items you no longer need or want.

4)Paying Increases Perceived Value + Product Lifecycle- When someone is specifically looking for your item and is willing to pay for it, they'll appreciate the item more. The person also has a higher likelihood of using the item. This extends the product lifecycle of the item. It also results in a lower carbon footprint since the person didn't buy a new item. It's also a great feeling knowing your unwanted or unused item is going to a motivated buyer. As we were selling off our things, it was reassuring to know that people had a need for those items. 5)More Likely To Buy Used (Save Money, Reduce Consumption) Another reason to stop donating is you're more aware of how much value is lost once an item is no longer new. You start realizing the value of buying used. The most sustainable item is the one that already exists. Not only is it much more environmentally friendly, but many used items are also just as good, if not better than new. Older items are sometimes composed of better materials and thus, last longer. It can be a wonderful thing to donate items in good condition, that are usable, needed or easily resellable. But it's time for us to take more ownership of the full product life cycle. Simply collecting items and donating them just transfers the problem from your home to another location. For the record, I think donating usable, practical things, or giving things to people that need them is wonderful.

​Still donate things. Just don't default to it. Selling items gives you money back, reinforces a more intentional mentality, and is better for the environment. For more ideas on what to do with your unwanted items, check us out at www.LoverAntiques.com or call 518-944-0256. Thank You!