Craigslist tips

It's kind of amazing the sheer volume of things you can find to buy on Craigslist. Almost anything you can think of, you can find someone offering for sale, especially if you live near a major city. In theory, I love the idea of buying used items that need a home for low prices, where the seller gets to free up space and recoup some of their investment, and the buyer gets to help reduce waste by diverting something that might go to a landfill and pick up something they need for little money. However, it can be a hassle to get all the stars to align when buying and selling on Craigslist, so here are some tips.

Tips for buying on Craigslist

• Never go to meet anyone to buy something by yourself, or at least let someone know the exact address of where you are going and call them when you have finished the transaction.
• Bring small denominations. You might find you want to negotiate further if the item isn't as you expected it to be.
• Ask a lot of questions before you drive to see an item. 
• Don't pursue an item if the seller gives you the creeps. Trust your instincts.

Tips for selling on Craigslist

• Ask a fair price. Whatever you think the item is worth, it's probably worth at least 25% less.
• Be careful when giving out your home address. Make sure you don't get a bad vibe from the person, and arrange to have someone be home at the same time you are going to make the transaction.
• Don't respond to emails that seem like spam or scams, because they probably are. Don't ever accept checks. Cash only.

Sometimes, it just isn't worth it. While there are a lot of people who buy and sell stuff on Craigslist every day, if you've tried to sell something and it's been sitting there for over a week, it probably isn't going to sell. Try offering it for free, use Freecycle or just donate it to your local Goodwill.

The stickiness of books

Of all the items I've helped clients sort through and evaluate during my years as a professional organizer, it never fails to amaze me how books above pretty much all else are considered off limits for purging. People who otherwise have no qualms about donating all manner of other things, even about ditching sentimental items, have a thing about books.

On the one hand, I understand, because I have plenty of books in my apartment that I'm probably not going to read again, that still have value for me. But I'm able to be fairly rational about them and don't have qualms about taking those that really aren't useful or loved right down to the used bookstore or Goodwill.

I think books hold a lot of power for people because they seem them as containing knowledge, and if you own the book, than somehow you own the knowledge inside, too. Books can be very aspirational for people. I know I've been hanging on to a copy of Henry James's The Americans for a few years, thinking I'm going to read it, but it usually gets pushed down the reading list by the latest Eloisa James historical romance.

If you have enough bookshelf space for your books, then I'm not suggesting you have a book problem. But many people store books in boxes in garages, attics and basements. This is a recipe for ruined books.

It can be kind of fun to quickly scan your shelves and pull out those books you really didn't like when you read them, or that you have two of, or reference books that are completely outdated. Gather them up, put them in your car and drop them off at your nearest donation site. You'll be just as smart as you were before, I promise!

How do you feel about letting books go?

Goodwill Southern California

Last week, I went to the main campus of Goodwill Southern California with my NAPO Neighborhood Group. We spent an hour and a half touring the facility and learning about all the services that Goodwill offers. Goodwill's mission is Transforms Lives through the Power of Work, and that mission was clear through every aspect of their organization. As a professional organizer, it's always important to be able to communicate to clients exactly where their donated items will end up once they part with them and donate them to a charitable organization. Now I have a very clear picture of where items donated to any Goodwill Southern California location will go, and I feel extremely confident in recommending that my clients support this organization with their donations.

Our Goodwill tour group.

Some of things I learned on the tour:

• All e-waste that gets donated gets processed in an extremely secure part of the facility. Working electronics will get refurbished and sold, while everything else gets broken down into recyclable parts, hazardous waste, and recoverable materials that will get sold. They completely destroy any information left on a hard drive before selling it or stripping it.
• All shredding that gets brought to this particular facility is processed in a secure way that exceeds FBI standards. We got to see the floor where they shred (from behind a glass wall!) and watched the process at work. Fascinating.
• The people who work at the facility we toured are part of Goodwill's mission to train and find jobs for people with disabilities and disadvantages. They get job training and will eventually move on to jobs outside of Goodwill, or may stay on at Goodwill in a variety of capacities. 
• Over 90% of the profit realized by Goodwill from selling donated items either through their retail stores or by selling items in bulk goes into their education, job training and placement programs.
• Their long term goal is to have 0% of what gets donated to Goodwill end up in a landfill. For now, they keep millions of pounds out of landfills every year. Each item goes through many stages and has many opportunities to be resold, reused, or recycled before it gets taken to a landfill. 
• When you donate items in good condition, you are helping keep things out of landfills as well as supporting the service projects of the organization. They especially love to receive e-waste, books and clothes, shoes, etc. that are in good condition. Don't donate your trash, please, as that ends up by costing them money to process and dispose of.

I learned much more, so don't hesitate to ask if you have any burning questions about Goodwill!

Poll # 1 results

The numbers are in and it looks like my loyal blog readers and Facebook fans are in agreement: 66% of respondents said they dispose of their clutter by giving it to Goodwill or another charity. Just 20% said they use Freecycle, while 6% said they unload it on their friends and family or simply throw it away. No clutter-holics responded by saying that's what attics, garages and basements are for. What a thoughtful  group of declutterers you readers are!

To find your local Goodwill, use their store locator. Don't forget to get a receipt if you itemize your tax deductions!

Freecycle is a great resource, and I've blogged about it before. Find your local chapter here.

Please vote now in the next poll topic: Do books about organizing make you more organized?

Lelah Baker-Rabe is a Los Angeles-based professional organizer. To discuss your organizing needs, call her at 818.269.6671 or email lelah@lelahwithanh.com. Sign up for Lelah's News, a once-monthly newsletter.

Electronic waste de-cluttering made easy

There are two things that almost everyone has lurking around their home or office: used-up ink cartridges we know we shouldn't throw away, and cords, used electronics, scratched or irrelevant disks, even computers that are no longer in use and just sit in a drawer or in the basement, waiting. What are they waiting for? What are you waiting for? The retail chain Best Buy will take any and all of your electronic waste and recycle it for you. I make a trip there at least once a month with various odds and ends that I no longer want or need and know I shouldn't put in the trash. Many Goodwill donation centers will accept broken electronics items as well. As far as ink cartridges go, if you have a Staples nearby you can turn them in there and they will send you a voucher worth $2 in Staples credit for every ink cartridge you bring in, up to 10 a month.

There's no reason not to put a box of e-waste in your trunk the next time you are running errands and simply drop it off at Best Buy or Goodwill. It's better for the environment and doesn't take much extra time at all.

Lelah Baker-Rabe is a Los Angeles-based professional organizer. To discuss your organizing needs, call her at 818.269.6671 or email lelah@lelahwithanh.com