This week we are tackling our indoor furniture so it is time to take a look around the house (and garage or shed) to see what is used and what isn’t, what it loved, what is functional and what we want consuming out space.
I am personally tackling this from the perspective of downsizing to a smaller home in coming months. That sounds relatively straightforward but I know there will be need to be some discussions in our household about what we want to take to our new home, and what style we are going for – will we both agree? We also have a few sentimental items to consider.
So how do we decide what stays and what goes?
As always, the criteria you created during Week 1 of our challenge will assist you in making decisions about your items. If you are new to the challenge, you can see our Week 1 post here.
A quick way to start is to look at items which no longer have a function, are damaged beyond repair (or beyond your desire to repair), and just don’t “fit” for you. That “fit” could simply mean space or it could mean style wise.
If an item has been stored in the garage for 10 years, does it really have a space in your home and it is important to you? If it is, now is the time to create a space for the item inside rather than it being a dust collector.
If it makes you feel good, make sure it has a home in your home. If it is attached to bad memories, it should no longer have a space in your home.
Maybe you might like to take the opportunity to refresh the layout of your rooms while you are doing this week’s challenge.
What do I do with the keepers?
Place them somewhere they support the function of the space, add value or beauty. This also follows on from our previous mentions of zoning where we consider the function of a space or zone leading us to clearly determine what should reside in that zone.
What do I do with the ones that no longer have a purpose for me?
If they are still in good condition but no longer have a purpose in your home, here are some sell/swap and donation options for your indoor furniture.
If you are thinking you might sell some items online, here is a blog we did some months back with our 5 top tips for online selling.
Please be mindful that some charities will not accept fabric covered furniture if you have animals in your home so you might like to check with them in advance.
- Sell or Swap:
o Swap with your friends or family
o Gumtree
o Facebook Marketplace or any of the myriad of Buy/Swap/Sell groups
o Garage Sale
o Second Hand Furniture dealers
- Donate options:
o Check current requirements on GIVIT enabling you to donate things directly to those in need through a range of registered charities
o Charity shops such as the Salvos or Vinnies
o Green Shed (Mitchell or Mugga Lane)
o Let’s Recycle Canberra (Hume)
If you have large items, charities such as the Salvos or Vinnies offer collections but you will need to book in usually a couple of weeks in advance.
How did you go? Feel free to share your successes, challenges and tips on our Facebook page.
Happy decluttering!
Melissa x