Most homeowners will admit they own too many possessions, many of which stay hidden at the back of cupboards and never – or very rarely – see the light of day. Yet unless you take action to rid yourself of these non-essentials, you’ll have to move them to your property. If you own a lot of items, this can be no mean feat. Everything needs to be packed up and transported carefully, and the less you own, the easier this is.
Not to mention, removals quotes are based on volume, so the more you transport the more you’ll pay. At a time when money is often tight, saving those extra pounds on transport costs can really benefit your budget as you settle down in your new home.
Many people balk at the idea of getting rid of their possessions, but it’s not as hard as it seems. The first step is to make a list of what you don’t need – if you can’t see yourself using it within six months of living in your new home, and if it’s not sentimental, it can probably go.
Once you’ve done, follow one of these five great routes for getting rid of these items – some even earn you some spare money!
Give to friends, family or charity
Reusing items is the kindest route for the environment and can also make another person very happy if the item can help them out. Talk to loved ones to see if they can make use of what you no longer need – kitchen equipment often falls into this category. Charity shops always need spare items to sell in retail shops, so go along with a huge bag and they’ll be happy to take it off your hands. This option also has the feel-good factor as you’ll be directly benefiting those in need.
Sell via local advertisements
Newspapers and notice boards are still efficient ways to sell unneeded items. They’re cheap and easily seen by audiences. Make your advert bright and easily noticed and don’t forget a contact phone number and email address so people can contact you in a number of different ways. Try to put several items in one advertisement to save money.
Use the Internet
The Internet makes getting rid of your old possessions incredibly easy. Sites like eBay and Gumtree connect you to extremely large audience making it very likely that someone will want to buy from you. If your items seem worthless, don’t assume they are – someone may want them. Even if they don’t have any monetary value there are ways to reuse them – Freecycle is an excellent website that allows you to post items that people can come and pick up for free.
Recycle what you can
If you cannot sell or give away your items, the next step is to try and recycle them. In recent years recycling facilities have improved dramatically; try going to your local dump with a car load of items as there’s not much you won’t be able to recycle there, including complicated equipment such as televisions and computers. Alternatively talk to your local council about what services are offered; many will come and pick up your unwanted possessions, including old sofas and beds.
Hire a skip
If you can’t reuse or recycle your possessions then hiring a skip is a good way to get rid of a lot in a short space of time. Nowadays skips can be quite expensive, particularly if you need a large size, so consider sharing one with a neighbour to halve the amount you’ll need to pay. Alternatively buy some strong industrial waste bags, load them with your rubbish and take a couple of trips up to the local dump.
Written by reallymoving.com
reallymoving.com was launched in November 1999, and has become the UK’s leading provider of free instant online quotes for home-moving services. The site provides instant quotes for a variety of services including domestic removals, surveys, conveyancing solicitors, Energy Performance Certificates and Scottish Home Reports and a choice between local and national service providers. It also has a comprehensive moving checklist available to download.
For more information visit http://www.reallymoving.com.
