Jennifer Sheahan: I live in a tiny home. This is how I declutter
Jennifer Sheahan will review her 'maybe' pile in a few months' time.
Between presents, hosting supplies, decorations, and treating ourselves during the sales, most of our homes start the year feeling just a little too full. This is where a good January clearout comes in. Not out of a ruthless drive for minimalism, but out of necessity — my tiny home has storage limitations that require a thoughtful reshuffling of the items I no longer need. And it’s best to do it now, before these things get put away, taking up space they don’t deserve, never to be seen again.
The first step towards any clearout is to claim “oh, but I couldn’t throw that away, it’s too good” or “so and so gave it to me” or what have you. Listen to me — if you’re not using it, someone else will. Having it lying around your house is what’s wasteful. Get it out into the world and give it a second life, let it fulfil its destiny. Someone will be grateful you did. Here’s how to do it.
When I’m organising items, I have three piles. The first is the “in” pile — things I love and will use — these stay, and get tidied away. The second is the “out” pile — these are things I easily know I want to get rid of. (I’m good at this pile when I’m in a certain mood.)
The third is the more complicated pile — it’s the “maybe” pile. These are items that maybe have a small bit of sentimental meaning, or that I kind of like but that don’t quite go with my decor, or that I do like but just won’t use for whatever reason.
If I can’t quite bring myself to throw it away just yet, I put it in a box — a clear plastic container that I keep under my bed — and if I decide I do want something from it after all then I retrieve it and it finds its permanent home, but if I don’t touch it for the rest of the year, then it is time to get rid.
Once you’ve created your “out” pile, you have three excellent routes: dump, donate, or sell. Here are some of the simplest ways to do the latter two.
One of my favourite discoveries this year has been the Oxfam Postback bag. You order it online at Oxfamireland.org/postback-donate-by-post-for-free, and a few days later, a bag arrives in the post. You fill it with any useful items in good repair, and then An Post comes and collects it for you, or you can drop it off at your local post office — all for free.
The only stipulation is that the bag weighs under ten kilos and can be closed. You can order multiple bags and fill them with almost anything, from books to clothes — check the Oxfam website for what is accepted, listed in the FAQ section. It’s a fantastic initiative and makes decluttering easy.
For larger homewares, Sue Ryder Ireland, an assisted living charity, offers furniture collection across the country. Vision Ireland (formerly NCBI) also offers a free furniture collection service in Dublin, Meath, Kildare, and Wicklow. Both charities will pick up items such as dining tables, chairs, sofas, dressers, side tables, and mirrors — as long as they’re in good, sellable condition.
The collection service is a lifesaver for bulky items, meaning your furniture will get a second life. Check sueryderireland.ie/furniture-donations and vi.ie/shop-with-us/furniture-collection for more information on these services.
Many charity shops will be glad to accept homeware items of saleable quality. This is ideal if you live near such a shop or have a car.
Smaller homewares items such as plates, bowls, vases, frames, throws, lamps, and cookware are welcome as long as everything is clean and in good working order. It’s always best to call ahead before arriving with your bag of goods — shops differ in what they can take depending on their capacity.
Many charity shops can now accept electronics (like lamps or small appliances) as there are safety checks that can be carried out to make sure they can be resold. Technology items such as unused gaming consoles or tablets, can often also be donated. Call your local branch first to check what they can accept.
If this is not possible, or you have a faulty electronic item, then Recycle IT is your next port of call. It collects all sorts of unwanted electronic equipment, from the tiny to the bulky. The best way to organise this is to get together with your neighbours and organise a community collection, which is free! For one-off household collections, the fee is €25. A small price to pay to ensure your item is safely recycled and put once again to good use by someone who will appreciate it.
If you feel you can earn some money on your unwanted but valuable household item, Adverts and Done Deal are the places to go. Listings are free, and you can reach buyers across the country. You decide whether you want to post the item or have the buyer arrange to collect it.
The key is good photography, accurate item descriptions, and patience. Ensure you take good, clear, accurate photos of the item(s) you are selling. Be as specific as possible in your description of the item, and try to find a link to the item online if possible, so the buyer knows exactly what they’re getting. Be upfront about any scratches or damage. You can expect to put in some effort in terms of answering questions and haggling a little on price, but you could be surprised by how much money you can make with a little work.
Facebook Marketplace hasn’t quite taken off in Ireland in the same way as other countries, but it’s still worth looking into, especially for local sales. My experience is that there is a bit more haggling and more messages followed by radio silence here than there is on other platforms. Again, be accurate in your description and photographs, and price things clearly with a big “collection only” disclaimer, or you’ll be fielding a hundred questions.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
