Use It Again - Reuse

Reducing clutter and cleaning out the basement and closets is a good rainy day project. But what can you do with all that stuff that is too good to throw away but of no use to you? Give new life to your old stuff. Sell it, give it away to individuals, or donate it to charitable organizations. Community yard sales, on-line or local auctions, flea markets, or classified ads are all good ways to get your stuff to a good home and make some money. Another option is to donate the stuff to a charitable organization and possibly earn a tax deduction.

Even if you can't or don't want to sell something, it's likely that you can give it away. Put it in your yard with a free sign on it or try Freecycle. The Freecycle Network is a collection of almost 3,000 local on-line communities totaling over 1.5 million people. You can offer free things to the community, or even request an item you would like to have. http://www.freecycle.org/. Even simple things like sharing your old magazines with co-workers or neighbors can make a difference.

Building and construction materials can also be reused by charitable organizations such as Habitat for Humanity. They operate a number of Re-Stores that sell materials donated by retailers, manufacturers, and homeowners. Proceeds help Habitat for Humanity to build or rehabilitate homes for their clients.