The Marie Kondo effect: What to do with all the stuff that doesn't 'spark joy'
Welcome to GMA’s New Year, Best You. As we ring in 2019, we are sharing everything you need to start the new year strong. From keeping your New Year’s resolutions going to Instagram-worthy meal prep to workout programs to eating plans to taking time for yourself, we have it all covered.
If you've been binge-watching "Tidying Up" on Netflix and rounding up things you don't need anymore, you are not alone.
Thrift stores nationwide are reporting a surge in donations since the start of the year. And eBay, the online trading site, has also seen a surge of new listings since the Jan. 1 premiere of Japanese organizing guru Marie Kondo’s Netflix series, eBay told “Good Morning America.”
If you too have piles of items that no longer "spark joy" – the key to Kondo’s KonMari method of tidying – options abound to not only get rid of them, but possibly make money too.
(MORE: How 2 friends are using texts to purge their homes of clutter)
Here are five ways to do it.
1. Donate using an old shipping box
Give Back Box helps you get rid of both unwanted items and clothes and old boxes.
You can print a free shipping label via the Give Back Box website for a local charity. Amazon is also partnering with Give Back Box to offer free shipping labels.
2. Sell clothes online
One popular option to sell your used clothes is ThredUp. You’ll be sent a bag that you fill up and send back. ThredUp sells the items for you and takes a commission.
Other companies, such as The Real Real (for designer clothes) and FlipSize (for kids' clothes), offer similar deals. Many companies will offer to donate clothes that don’t sell, and some accept unwanted shoes, purses and accessories.
(MORE: Ready to KonMari in 2019? Marie Kondo shares her 6 rules of tidying)
Websites such as Poshmark and Tradesy allow sellers to post photos of their still-trendy clothing to market and sell online.
3. Cash in on old electronics
Sell used tech gadgets on sites like Gazelle or u-Sell. On apps like Decluttr, even old CDs and DVDs can be worth real money.
Target offers a trade-in program where you can trade in used electronics for a Target gift card or cash through PayPal.
4. Score rewards at the mall
North Face accepts donations of clothes and shoes of any brand at its stores and gives you $10 off your next $100 purchase in return.
Donate any clothes at a Levi's store and get a voucher for 20 percent off.
H&M stores each have a garment collection box where you can drop off old clothes and score a voucher for a future purchase.
Recycle your old jeans at Madewell and get $20 off your new pair.
Other brands accept donations at their stores but may not give rewards. It's always worth asking!
5. Give back
Second Chance Toys accepts donations of kids' toys and gives them to organizations that support kids in need
Help support members of the military by donating books to Operation Paperback and old cell phones to Cell Phones for Soldiers.
Donate your lightly-used bras and unopened menstruation products to I Support the Girls, which gives them to homeless women and girls around the world.
Even old eyeglasses can see new life. The Lions Club accepts donations of eyeglasses and gives them to people in need.
