Do you have random household items tucked away in closets or collecting dust on your shelves? Toys, books, clothes, electronics—the stuff you never use that’s just taking up space could find a meaningful new home with someone else. 

You can turn unwanted household items into life changing donations and/or cash to pay for essential home upgrades.

Selling Your Items

Let’s say you want to install solar panels on the roof, or maybe you’re planning to upgrade to energy-efficient appliances and electronics. Those improvements can save you money on utility bills in the long term. They can also cost a pretty penny up front. 

One way to potentially cover those costs is to take a closer look around your home. Search for unwanted valuables: rare/signed books, barely worn designer clothing, as well as vintage baseball cards, toys, comic books, and video game systems. Serious collectors might pay a lot for these items on digital platforms like eBay, Amazon, Craigslist, and Letgo. 

Additionally, you could sell gold and silver jewelry you no longer wear. If you do decide to sell online or in-person, be sure to do your research— gold and silver prices fluctuate. Keep a watchful eye over the commodities markets and try to sell when metal values are high.

Donating Your Items

Donations can leave a lasting impact on the less fortunate. If you live in a city prone to brutal winters, for example, jackets collecting dust in your closet could be the difference between life and death for the homeless. Books are another great item to donate— for children especially. Libraries often take donations, as do nonprofits that promote literacy. 

An online search will likely reveal several nearby organizations that accept donations for at-risk groups like victims of domestic violence, orphans, the homeless, and more. Organizations like Goodwill and The Salvation Army accept in-store donations too, but did you know they also send trucks to pick up larger items like couches and mattresses? There are many routes to helping others with items that would’ve otherwise just continued collecting dust.

Remember, You are Purging with Purpose

Make spring cleaning about improving your home and helping others, but don’t get rid of the stuff you truly love. Hold onto heirlooms that you can pass down through the generations. Don’t purge from active hobbies, unless it benefits your lifestyle and your collection— it doesn’t make sense to sell anything that you’re eventually going to rebuy. 

We hope you find buried treasure in those closets, garages and basements. In the off-chance that you choose to keep everything you find, we have experienced agents at Open Mortgage who are available to discuss more traditional financing options for your home improvements. 

Happy cleaning.