During our lives it can be easy to accumulate a myriad of possessions, some of which are no longer useful or represent our hobbies and goals at this point in time. De-cluttering can be a great way of getting your home organized, with the added bonus of earning some extra cash.

Photo: morguefile.com
I recently found myself thinking that I don't have enough space. What I then realized, is that my house is sufficient for my families needs, it was just that we own way to much stuff. So, I decided to de-clutter my home and sell what I no longer need. Most of the bigger items that needed to be sold, I listed for free on
Gumtree but I found that most people won't be bothered to come and look at a few books or smaller items, so these have been kept to sell at a garage sale. Also you need to be persistent, if an item doesn't sell within the allocated time be sure to post it again. I've had to do this a few times and have always managed to sell most of the things I've put up for sale. By selling these unwanted items, I've made several hundred dollars.

Photo: morguefile.com
De-cluttering can be very overwhelming. However, when you begin to get organized and have more space it can also be empowering. It's a great feeling knowing where everything is kept, and can eliminate wasting time looking for items you have no idea of where they are. A great way to begin is to look through each room at a time, and sort out cupboards and drawers. When looking at each item decide whether it will be kept, thrown out, donated or sold. Grab some free boxes from a hardware and label them with the following titles:
Keep
The keep pile should reflect items you truly love or use on a regular basis. If you have old letters or cards to store, consider getting a cheap storage box, a memory box, purely for sentimental items.
Throw
This is for any rubbish or items that are broken or cannot be repaired.
Donate
Stuff you no longer want or need which can be passed on to someone who would benefit from them.
Sell
Items that are still in good condition and may have a resale value. Kids toys, books, clothes and household items and appliances are an example of this.

It feels great to have everything organized
Once you have sorted out what you are keeping, you will need to store the items so they are using optimal space. Containers are perfect for organizing items inside cupboards; they keep the items separated. Large clear plastic boxes can be bought quite cheaply from Kmart. Baskets are equally good for separating items. First decide what your needs are. Do you need to store craft supplies, toiletries or Christmas decorations? Measure the area and then decide on containers.
When everything is in it's place, you can then go about adding your items to Gumtree or planning a Garage Sale. Who knows, you might be sitting on a goldmine!
#Save Money
#Organization
#Frugal Living
#Decluttering
#Make Money