Too Much Stuff {Where to Donate & Sell Used Items in Baton Rouge}

If you saw yesterday’s post, then maybe you were inspired to declutter…especially before the influx of gifts this holiday season. Simplifying and “getting rid of stuff” is not always the easiest process, but focusing on the end goals help: a more organized home, sending your things to be used and enjoyed by someone else, or maybe even making some extra cash. This is your guide for what to do with all the STUFF right here in Baton Rouge.

If you’re not sure where to start with a purge, start small. Look for clothes that no longer fit and toys that aren’t age appropriate or don’t see much play time.  It’s ok if you aren’t quite ready to get rid of things for good.  Try storing them in the attic for a few months.  If you find you don’t miss them, you will probably feel better about giving them a new home.  This also works well for pack-rat husbands who have trouble letting go of things.  They often don’t even realize the stuff is gone!

Each item will go into one of three piles: Trash, Donate, Sell. Don’t feel bad about throwing things away.  Toys that have reached the end of their usable lives and heavily stained clothes are ok to trash (or recycle if you can use them for something else). Kids have a way of amassing huge amounts of random trinkets that are thrown to the side once the initial novelty wears off. These are a good place to start in the trash pile.

There are many ways to donate your kids’ items. You may have friends who want or need some of your old things.  In Baton Rouge, Here Today Gone Tomorrow will take them and let you pick where you would like the a portion of the proceeds to be donated. Clothing can be dropped in one of the Needy of Greater Baton Rouge boxes around the area. The Salvation Army collects donations at their thrift stores in Baton Rouge, Plaquemine, and Gonazales and will even come pick up your items from your house! St Vincent de Paul also accepts donations of clothing and other items to their local thrift stores. Getting your kids involved in the donation process teaches them valuable lessons about giving back to the community and sharing with those in need.

As much as I love being able to donate items, I admit that selling things gives me a little thrill. In fact, I enjoy it so much that sometimes I have to talk myself out of selling things we still use!  Another perk is that selling items gives me the extra cash to buy new clothes and toys! There are many different resources for selling used children’s items depending on what you have.

• Consignment: Baton Rouge has several great consignment stores.  You typically won’t make as much selling your items at a consignment store as the store keeps a portion, but you also don’t have to deal with the hassle of handling the sale.  My favorite new consignment store is Ollie Oop. They carry upscale items at great prices! Other popular options are REfinery, Abigail’s Best, and Once Upon a Child and local Rhea Lana events.
• Facebook Groups: We all know about Craigslist, but Facebook is newest big hitter in the buy, sell, trade world.   There are several local Facebook groups aimed at items for kids.  Some of them have wait lists and only accept a certain number of members, but they are a great place to sell the items you no longer need.  A few popular local groups specifically for kids are: Baby Buys Baton Rouge, Baton Rouge Kids’ Buy Sell Swap, and Baton Rouge KIDS *UNLIMITED*. The great thing about Facebook is that it allows us to sell things nationwide! I am a big fan of boutique clothes for my girl, but they come with a hefty price tag.  The great news is that they often resell for close to (or sometimes even more than) the retail value.  Buying and selling boutique clothes is essentially like renting as I often make all of the money back that I paid.  One great national group for us Southern Moms who love our smocking and jon jons is Smocking Hot Mamas Smocked Resale. The most important things to know when starting out in the Facebook buy, sell, trade world are to carefully read the rules for each specific group, and make sure you have paypal and shipping supplies for national groups.
• Good ole fashioned garage sale: Grab a few friends and have a multi-family weekend garage sale.  This tried and true method is still a great way to make money off of your old stuff! For tips on having a great sale, check out  22 Awesome Garage Sale Tips {To Make A Profit}.

So whether you donate, sell, or recycle, remember to focus on the goal: less stuff to manage means more time to enjoy life.

Are you the type of mom who keeps all the things or is a monthly purge the norm at your house?