Why the Biggest Items Are Often the Hardest to Declutter

On this blog I have a lot to say about decluttering strategies. I tell you to keep the efforts small and consistent. I recommend always keeping a donation box handy and running it to the donation drop when it fills up. I espouse getting rid of something old when you get something new. All of that is sound advice. But it doesn’t address a category that is one of the hardest to declutter. That’s the big stuff!

I don’t mean the heavy emotional stuff (although that’s hard too!)  Some of the most stubborn clutter in midlife is the stuff that doesn’t fit in the donation box. Because it’s too big! Often the reason it stays around so long is not because you can’t make the decision to let go – it’s the logistical challenge of removing it from your house.

It’s the treadmill collecting dust in the garage. The dining room set nobody uses. The road bike from your triathlon years. The spare refrigerator sitting empty because the kids you used to fill it up for have all moved out. The piano. The giant desk. The furniture your children left behind when they moved out. You know it needs to go – but making it happen always seems to fall to the bottom of your list.

The Bigger The Item, The Bigger The Mental Hurdle

When you have decades of clutter to deal with, removing the biggest items from your home can really move the needle. But large items create friction you don’t usually have time for. You can’t just toss them in a donation box and move on with your day. Instead you must figure out:

• How to move it
• Who will take it
• Whether it’s worth selling
• Whether you’ll need help
• How much time it’s going to take

The logistics can be overwhelming. You may think you are emotionally attached to whatever it is, but actually your brain is just trying to avoid the hassle!

Stop Looking For The Perfect Exit Strategy

You will spend months (years? decades?) with these things hanging around while you wait for the magic fairy to take the hassle away. For that hardest to declutter item, your fairly will surely deliver:

• The highest sale price
• The perfect recipient
• The easiest pickup arrangement
• The guarantee that nothing goes to waste

Except sadly, there is no fairy. And instead of thinking about selling it, or waiting for the perfect new home to present itself – ask yourself this question:

“What is the fastest reasonable way to get this out of my house?”

You are going to have to stop trying to maximize value (or minimize cost and/or effort) and shift your focus to creating momentum. When you do that, it’s amazing how much easier the decisions (and the hassles!) become.

The Best Ways To Get Rid Of The Big Stuff

Now that you’ve shifted your focus – here’s the best little hack to help you get rid of the stuff that’s hardest to declutter.  Here it is:

Do some research and come up with a plan.

That’s it. I know it sounds like ‘duh, how is that a hack?’ but it is and here’s why. When you separate the planning from the doing the whole thing becomes less intimidating to your brain. Sitting on your couch for 20 minutes with a laptop checking out your options? Easy Peasy. The hardest part was letting go of the maximizing, which you already did! And once you have a plan – all you need to do is follow the steps – again, easy!

If you are rolling your eyes right now, stop. I’ve done some legwork for you. Below is a list of paths for your large piece(s) of clutter to vacate the premises.

Sell It
Caveat: Price it LOW. You are never going to get what you think you should get for this thing. Facebook Marketplace is often the quickest option for furniture, exercise equipment, tools, and outdoor items. There are other marketplace platforms as well, such as Craig’s List  or Offer Up, but in my experience Facebook Marketplace moves inventory fast. Caveat #2: It does take effort to take photos, post description & measurements, deal with potential buyers, etc. Are you up for that? If not, keep moving down this list.

Buy Nothing

If you are willing to ditch the money – Buy Nothing is the best option to get rid of your item quickly and locally. Think of it as getting somebody to take it away for free. I use Buy Nothing all the time and it’s awesome! (Obviously easier if you’re located in a more densely populated area like a city or a suburb – I have less experience with Buy Nothing in rural settings.)

Donate It
Many charities offer pickup services for furniture and household goods. This one will require some research as the options/availability will vary by location. Habitat for Humanity ReStore is one example worth checking out if you have one in your area.

Ask for Help
A friend with a truck. An adult child. A neighbor. Someone you hired on TaskRabbit. Don’t let pride turn a solvable problem into a permanent one. You get by with a little help from your friends (sometimes you have to hire them but that still counts!) In my experience friends with trucks love to be helpful and now you can get Aust Susie’s bedroom set over to the college grad who needs free furniture.

Hire Removal
Many of you won’t like this but it’s one of my favorites when I have a good amount of stuff that has to go and I just don’t want to deal with it. Perfect for broken things and the random junk that has piled up on the side yard because it’s too big for your garbage bins. In my opinion, paying a junk removal company is worth every penny. You’re not just paying to remove the item(s). You’re buying back space, energy, and peace of mind. I am not exaggerating when I tell you it feels SO GOOD when you watch that truck drive away!

Individual situations will vary, but remember this: the best solution is the one that actually gets the stuff  out of your house.

Recap

The big stuff is sneakily the hardest to declutter because of the logistics.

Unless you want it sitting around forever, shift your focus from maximizing value to creating momentum for moving it out.

Spending 20 minutes to research and come up with a removal plan will create that momentum. Separate the planning from the doing – they are 2 separate things!

There are many choices for next steps – remember you don’t need a perfect plan. You just need the clutter out of your house!