Hellooo, potatoey people! We hope you are doing well! This month, we’ll be talking about what to do with unwanted items.
When going through your stuff, we recommend using something like the Konmari Method to only keep what you actually want. That way, your stuff can find a new home, and there will be less demand for those products and fewer resources used. Also, your stuff will probably be much more pleasant and easier to maintain if you don’t have as much! Do remember to repair objects when you can, though! Also, you will probably be more motivated to repair if you only keep what you really love and care about.
Once you have decided what you need or definitely want, it is time to send your other stuff on to its future life. Here are some ways you can do that:
Item swap: A fun way to get rid of stuff is to host or attend an item swap — meet up with your friends/neighbors/community, bring your unwanted items, and take what you’ll use! This can also be a good way to find someone who will reuse things you can’t donate, like cardboard boxes, other packaging, yard waste, food stickers (MastermindPotato will take them 😁), partially used craft supplies, etc. You can also join a Facebook group like this one for people in your area to exchange stuff, or text your friends if you have something you don’t want. For books, look for a Little Free Library (or give them to DivergentPotato 😂)!
Repurposing: Repurposing is a potatoooo! Here are some ideas:
• Reuse boxes and other packaging for storage or sending packages
• Make art, coasters, pouches etc. with random stickers and tape
• Reuse condiment jars for storage
• Cut up damaged clothing and use the pieces for cleaning or in place of paper products
• Use partially used paper and old envelopes for notes
• Here are some more ideas!
The peril of this is that you may end up collecting far too much random stuff. We recommend taking note of what you don’t end up using and bringing those to an item swap.
Donating: Lots of donated items never get sold, which is why we recommend repurposing, selling, or having an item swap first; however, donating is much better than throwing something away in the first place.
Organizations or businesses might take specific items that help with their cause, and this means that the items you donate will most likely or definitely go to use. Some examples:
• A post office that takes used packing supplies such as packing peanuts
• A local theater that would take costumes or interesting pieces of clothing
• A shelter or church looking for clothing, household items, etc. for people who can’t afford to buy them
• And be on the lookout for places asking for specific items, clothing drives, etc.!
Otherwise, you can donate to thrift stores!
Selling: Finally, you can sell old items on apps and websites like Poshmark, Facebook Marketplace, eBay, Craigslist, Mercari, etc.
Remember to buy secondhand — donating only works if there’s a market for used things (and this goes for recycling too)! But they’re often as good as new but way cheaper, so that’s a potato!! Also, when buying things new, check what the store does with returned items, because many items that are refunded might still be thrown away and not resold.
Here’s this month’s checklist! Have fun!