Why you should never use the words “Got any junk?”

Got any junk? We’ve all heard it before or even said it ourselves. On the way from the living room to the kitchen, or as you head out the door to drop off something at the local garbage dump. We often refer to things in our possession as “junk,” but the truth is that any junk we do own probably isn’t junk at all.

you don’t have any junk

Just because something has lost its gleam, fallen into disrepair or indeed is just no longer needed, it shouldn’t be cast aside into a corner or thrown to the garbage dump. One of the first things you must learn to become a successful declutterer is that any “junk” you have lying around your home can still hold some value.

The point of decluttering is not simply to throw everything away, rather it is to take a look at your possessions, identify the things you need and figure out how to extract the most value from the things you don’t need. Throwing things away should be your absolute last resort. Before you even consider asking whether anyone’s “got any junk?” that you can bin, you should try all other options.

By that we mean figuring out the best way to get rid of the unnecessary items you have lying around the home, all those pre-loved things that can still hold a purpose in some way.

What to do with it

Firstly, a good idea is to think about selling. In this way you turn the phrase “got any junk” into “got any cash” and turn an unused item into a source of money. Even if you think nobody wants that old t-shirt or wobbly cupboard, it’s likely there’s someone out there who will give you money to take it off your hands. They may even be living down your street. That’s why sites such as Gumtree are so useful, because you can list pretty much “any junk” on there, and through its local focus you may even find a buyer in your area. If it’s something clunky you’re trying to get rid of, they can come to your house to collect it.

Maybe you’ve got something you don’t feel comfortable with selling. You can always see if someone in your social circle would like to have it. Alternatively, charity shops will also take most things off your hands. What we’re trying to get at here is that you can very easily find a new purpose for most items. Decluttering is not about finding any junk and throwing it out, rather it’s about adding value to your home and getting in control of your life.

It might take a little more time to sell something or give it away, but it’s worth it. Throwing things away is a huge waste and so easily avoidable.

So next time somebody asks you whether you’ve “got any junk?”. Tell them no, but you have got a great selection of pre-loved items looking for a new owner!