Getting rid of small items - not worth Craigslisting

[alsoknownasDean]

Hello all,

I'm thinking about having a look through my apartment and getting rid of lots of small items I no longer need or aren't working anymore. The issue is that lots of it is so low in value it seems pointless to Craigslist/Gumtree it, but as most of it still works or can be repaired by the right person, I'm not keen to bin it.

I'm talking about things like a broken amplifier or a whole shitload of TV/computer cables.

What shall I do? Freecycle? Hard rubbish? Vinnies/Salvos? I'm expecting that the stuff has little to no value, but I don't want to be hoarding shit in my small apartment.

Thanks :)

[Frankies Girl]

You could post a whole bunch of unrelated stuff in a grouping for a small amount just to see if you could sell it if you feel like you need to make a profit of some kind, but honestly I donate most stuff like that and then Freecycle anything that needs work, stating what is wrong with it if I know.

Or just donate the everything (broken or not) and let the donation facility decide what to do with it. They do part out things that are too old or broken and still make something off of them since they have the ability to sell in large lots to scrappers and other parts companies.

[englyn]

Post on Gumtree, see if someone will swap you for something, like beer/cake/bag of lemons/small donation to your favourite charity

[Sibley]

For usable items, donate to Goodwill/equivalent.

[mschaus]

Depends on your selling situation -- would be pretty easy to just list a bunch of random things in a single post with some prices next to them (I've done this with reasonable success). I live in a building with a lobby and doorman in a dense area, so things sell pretty well and I only have to go downstairs when the person texts me that they have arrived.

If you had to go meet someone down the street at a pre-determined time, that would be difficult and any smaller items I would just donate. But by just going to my own lobby, I've sold things for a little as $2. Not the most amazing use of my time but I like to not put things in the trash.

And you get the most amazing stories from people on Craigslist who can really use the stuff -- sometimes they are ecstatic they found the perfect gift for their husband, sometimes a woman buys a TV tray because her father has a broken leg, sometimes they hand you money and run away without saying a word.

Good job tidying up! Keep at it!

[Kaminoge]

I'd say maybe post it for sale. If it doesn't go in a couple of days then I'd donate anything that could be useful and bin the rest. If anything truly is junk then don't donate it. That's just shifting the responsibility for throwing it away onto someone else.

[snuggler]

Post it in the free section of Craigslist. that way you get people coming to your door to help get the stuff off of your hands.

[SF Semi-Mustache]

Do you have enough for a garage/yard sale?  Are those a thing where you live?

[AJ]

Post it in the free section of Craigslist. that way you get people coming to your door to help get the stuff off of your hands.

Yeah, I would go Free section of CL before Goodwill for anything that needs repaired. I've gotten rid of a lot of stuff Goodwill wouldn't have wanted and cut out the middleman in the process. Goodwill will just trash things they don't think they can sell. You don't get anything but karma for it, but it feels better than throwing things away.

[Retire-Canada]

I walk things out to the front of my place and put them down next to a "Free" sign.

I have yet to come back after 3-4hrs and found anything, but the sign left.

-- Vik