 |
| Declutter and Make Money From Old Electronics and Appliances |
Electronics can be the most annoying type of clutter. They are a reminder of lots of money spent, and they must be recycled properly. There are worries about data being left on phones and computers. Sometimes the uncertainty about how to dispose of old electronics leads people to do…nothing.
Do you have an electronics graveyard in your home? Are you ready to clear it out? Here are some ideas for getting rid of your used electronics.
1. Call your local charities and ask what they will accept. Many Goodwills will take old TVs, used cell phones, record players, boom boxes, etc. They may not use the items, but they have a very sophisticated recycling plan that they are able to profit from. So, there’s potential for your old boom box to help someone in need, indirectly.
2. Some power companies will recycle your old appliances. When we lived in Chicago, ComEd had a refrigerator recycling incentive in which you could save on your utility bills by recycling old refrigerators.
3. If you’re still trying go eek a little cash out of your old electronics, post them on Craigslist or OfferUp. Some old electronics sell like hotcakes, and others don’t. If you have time and patience, this might be a nice way to cash in on some of your old stuff. Here are some tips for selling on Craigslist, and some safety tips.
4. Freecycle. Go to freecycle.org, and see if there’s a Freecycle group in your area. Freecycle is a great way to get rid of stuff that’s cluttering your home. There are a lot of handy people out there who might just be able to make your old electronics into something useful.
5. Want to make money off of your old cell phones? Consider selling them on Gazelle. I’ve sold a broken iPhone and an older model iPhone on Gazelle, and I’ve been very happy with the results and service. My broken iPhone was water damaged, and completely unsalvageable. I was thrilled to get $5 for something that I didn’t know what to do with that was cluttering up my cabinets. I recently traded in my iPhone 4s, and I was paid $110 for my old phone. Because I was up for renewal on my cell phone plan, I was able to get a newer phone with the money I earned from my Gazelle sale. Gazelle buys all kinds of used cell phones, so it’s worth checking it out to see if you could make some cash off of your old devices.
6. Search for cell phone donation charities. There are a lot of wonderful charities that donate used cell phones to all different types of people in all different places in the world. Do some searching and see if you can find a nice charity that will take your used cell phone, refurbish it, and give it to someone who needs a phone.
7. 1-800-GOT-JUNK. This is a last resort. If you’ve tried everything, and you just can’t get rid of your larger electronics or appliances, 1-800-GOT-JUNK will come to your house, pick up your stuff, and haul it away. But, you have to pay for the service. When we moved, we got rid of a couple of huge television sets that the old owners of our home “gifted” us. We were required to get them out of the house, but we couldn’t physically lift the TV sets, or find someone who wanted to take them. We were under the gun, and needed to clear out the house for our buyers, so we had 1-800-GOT-JUNK take our junk away. If you do decide to use 1-800-GOT-JUNK, be sure to check for coupon codes online before making your reservation.
Do you have any other strategies for getting rid of electronics clutter?
This post may contain affiliate links. By using them, you are being super awesome and supporting this blog. Thank you! To learn more, check out this fabulous Disclosure Policy.
Leave a Reply