If you’re anything like me, your house is chock-full of stuff. I’m not talking about valuable antiques or heirlooms – I’m referring to the kind of junk you can’t even give away for free! Okay, you could, but my family’s hoarding DNA is strong, so I may be a little biased.
To remove junk from your home, you first have to admit you have a problem – something I’m yet to do. But I digress. Then you have to recognize some of the stuff might be of sentimental value. If your house is so cluttered that you can’t even find your car keys half the time, you need to take action by calling in a Residential Junk Removal Service in Chicago Illinois.
Well, is there a way to go about it? If you’ve made up your mind (or are still trying to), you can remove the junk from your home without breaking a sweat – or the bank. To this end, here’re some helpful tips:
1. Set A Clear Goal
Let’s assume you’re decided to do a purge. What do you want to accomplish? Setting a goal helps you stay focused, meaning you won’t be sidetracked. For instance, are you looking to declutter your home because you’re moving soon? Or do you simply want to get rid of stuff you no longer need or use? Have a goal before you start decluttering – it’ll make the process much easier.
You don’t have to go all out from the get-go. Instead, focus on one area at a time. After doing that, you can proceed to the next.
2. Have a Garage Sale
This is a great way to get rid of all the stuff you’ve been meaning to get rid of – and make some extra cash in the process. Still, it requires a bit of work on your part – you have to price everything, set up tables or displays, and be prepared to haggle with people. You also have to be available for the duration of the sale, which means you can’t just set it up and leave.
Sounds like too much work, eh? You can always hire a garage sale company to do it for you. They’ll do all the work, and you get a percentage of the profits – a win-win, if my opinion counts. A garage sale could be the way to go if you’re committed to getting rid of your junk.
However, note that most shoppers are out to score a great deal, so don’t expect to make a killing. Plus, some of the items might not sell at all, so you’ll have to find another way to dispose of them, which leads us to the next point.
3. Donate
Tell this to a hoarder, and you have a snowball’s chance in hell of getting them to let go of anything. To get rid of the junk, look at it from a different perspective – what can you donate to people who need it more than you do? And what good does it do to keep that ancient, dusty TV when you can’t even watch it because you don’t have an analog signal anymore?
You can donate items such as clothes, toys, unopened food, and even furniture to charity. Some popular places to donate your stuff include Goodwill and the Salvation Army. Similarly, check with your local church, mosque, or synagogue (or wherever you get your spiritual nourishment) – they might have a clothing drive or need furniture for their community center.
4. Hire a Junk Removal Service
If you don’t subscribe to the notion that ‘one man’s junk is another man’s treasure,’ your best bet would be to hire a junk removal service. You don’t have to do any of the work – they’ll come in, assess what you need to remove, and haul it away. Easy-peasy, as my grandmother used to say.
Remember to research potential waste companies. You don’t want to settle for a random service provider. Ensure they’re licensed and insured, and check out their online reviews. And always get a few quotes before deciding, so you get the most bang for your buck.
5. Recycle
Your junk doesn’t have to end up in a landfill. You can recycle or upcycle it if it’s in good enough condition. Consider recycling clothes, toys, and even furniture. Simply send them to firms that do this, and you’ll have done your part to minimize pollution. Find out from your local waste management company where you can take your stuff for recycling.
Upcycling is basically recycling on steroids. With ingenuity, you can turn your junk into something new and valuable. An old dresser can quickly become a bookshelf, for instance. Or, you can make a stylish handbag from an old piece of cloth – the ideas are limitless.
Whichever approach you adopt, one issue is apparent – your emotions will need to take the back seat. And by being ruthless in getting rid of your junk, you’ll be one step closer to having a clean, clutter- and junk-free home. Now, who’s ready to rise to the challenge?
