Whether it’s called a spring cleaning or not, many people make an annual effort to get rid of junk that has accumulated over time. Sometimes the result is a clutter-free home and garage, while other times it’s more of a pruning and rearranging of sacred objects. It can be difficult to get rid of junk, especially if that junk has sentimental value, or may prove useful at some later date. Getting rid of true junk and clutter may be a dirty chore, but it can also be rewarding.
One way to get rid of junk is to recruit helpers for a blitz cleaning effort. Some volunteers may take on the house itself, while others clean out the garage, attic or other storage spaces. This approach generally takes no prisoners, since the cleaners may not have any sentimental attachment to the things they encounter. If it does not serve a clear purpose, it is considered to be trash. A centralized sorting table can be set up for questionable items, but the rest of the clutter is destined for the trash bin of history.
If there are a number of usable items among the clutter, a private garage or yard sale may be in order. Many people get rid of junk by placing it in their yards or garages on the weekends and holding a public sale. This may require some advance work on pricing items, setting up the sales area and advertising the event, but the end result would be some cash profit along with a less cluttered home.
Some people get rid of junk by donating it to local charities, especially those with existing thrift stores. Actual junk should be not be donated, of course, but usable items such as clothing, furniture, appliances and tools can be resold at deep discounts to the needy. Donations to recognized charities are usually tax-deductible, so taxpayers who itemize can realize some financial benefit as well. A number of charities can make arrangements for picking up large items such as mattresses and furniture, which makes things much more convenient during an annual cleaning.
If the cleaning project is truly beyond the scope of a few volunteers and garbage bags, you may be able to rent a commercial dumpster unit for a few hours or days to hold all of the junk. Sometimes it becomes necessary for a house to be completely emptied in order to be renovated or put on the market for resale. If such a wholesale cleaning becomes necessary, as in the case of an estate liquidation, a commercial dumpster and/or the services of a professional cleaning company may prove useful.
In recent years, a number of people have turned to Internet auctions in order to get rid of junk. Either a person registers for his or her own account with a reputable Internet-based auction website, or the items may be placed on consignment with intermediary companies which handle all of the technical details for a percentage of the sales price. One man’s junk may indeed be another man’s treasure, so putting it on public display may be the best way to put in the hands of people who truly want it.