In the age of digital media and streaming services, physical media like DVDs, CDs, and video games are slowly becoming obsolete. Many of us find ourselves with a collection of unwanted discs and cartridges gathering dust, taking up valuable space in our homes. Rather than letting these items go to waste, there are several eco-friendly and responsible ways to give them a new lease on life. In this blog post, we’ll explore various options for handling unwanted DVDs, media, CDs, and video games that benefit both you and the environment.
Welcome to my Year Long Thorough Declutter Series. We declutter 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. Each day we do a daily task based on the room we are working on. Today, our task is to start decluttering your clutter in your guest room or kid’s room. If you prefer watching videos, check out my youtube channel here. Today, we’ll look at some tips to declutter DVDs, media, CDs, and video games.
The best way to develop a new habit is by slowly and daily application. We will begin a new daily declutter habit starting with the 2nd bathroom. In the Year Long Thorough Declutter Series, we will declutter 30 minutes a day, five days a week on weekdays. Sign up to receive daily encouragement and motivation.
Plus, you’ll learn your specific daily task to work toward completing the goal of a Year Long Thorough Declutter where you will declutter every space and learn how to start to purge your house. Are you ready to finally get organized? If so, will you join us? Leave a comment below to subscribe.
If you are new to the blog, welcome! I blog about cleaning, decluttering, and organizing. You can find my free printables to help you get organized in the drop down menu under the Printables category.
Currently we are working on decluttering the Guest Room or Kid’s Room. The daily task for today, Aug. 1, 2023, is to begin to declutter DVDs, media, CDs, and video games. Remember, we are focusing on just the guest room or kid’s room area, so don’t declutter your whole house. We will cover each room separately.
What To Do With Unwanted DVDs, Media, CDs, and Video Games
- Sell or Trade:
If your unwanted DVDs, media, CDs, and video games are still in good condition, consider selling or trading them. Online marketplaces and second-hand stores offer a platform to reach potential buyers or trade with others who share similar interests. Not only will you declutter your space, but you might also make some extra cash or acquire new items that pique your interest.
- Donate to Charity or Libraries:
One meaningful way to part with your unwanted collection is by donating it to charitable organizations or local libraries. Non-profit groups often conduct fundraisers or community events where they can sell or auction off these items to raise funds for their causes. Libraries may also accept donations, enhancing their collection and making these materials available to others in the community.
- Host a Swap Party:
Organize a swap party with friends or neighbors who also have unwanted DVDs, media, CDs, and video games. Such gatherings provide a fun and social way to exchange items, potentially finding hidden gems and discovering new interests. It’s a win-win situation for everyone involved, and you might even make some new friends along the way.
- Recycle Responsibly:
For damaged or scratched discs that can’t be salvaged, recycling is the eco-friendly choice. Many local recycling centers or electronic waste (e-waste) collection sites accept these items. Ensure that you follow the guidelines set by your local authorities to dispose of the discs properly. Remember to remove any paper or plastic materials from the cases before recycling them separately.
- Upcycle and DIY Projects:
Unleash your creative side by upcycling DVDs, CDs, and video game cases into unique DIY projects. Pinterest and various crafting websites provide countless ideas on how to repurpose these materials into home decor, coasters, wall art, and more. Upcycling not only reduces waste but also adds a personalized touch to your living space.
- Digital Conversion:
If you want to preserve the content but get rid of the physical clutter, consider digitizing your collection. Many software options enable you to convert DVDs, CDs, and video games into digital formats that can be stored on your computer, external hard drives, or cloud storage. This approach allows you to access your media conveniently and saves space in your home.
Instead of letting unwanted DVDs, media, CDs, and video games accumulate dust or end up in the trash, explore the numerous eco-conscious options available. Whether you choose to sell, donate, recycle, upcycle, or go digital, each step contributes to reducing waste and benefiting both your community and the environment. By adopting responsible practices, we can make a positive impact and inspire others to do the same, creating a sustainable and clutter-free future for all.
I personally have a bad habit of placing items that need to be donated in the laundry room behind the door. Out of sight, out of mind, right? Wrong. Delaying decisions means we still need to declutter.
Maybe you have a habit of delaying decisions, too. Let’s decide today where your decluttered items need to go. Do they need to be donated? Disposed of? Don’t delay that decision any longer. If they need to be donated, sort and put them in your vehicle. Then, make a note in your calendar to drop them off at your favorite charity.
As you are decluttering your items, I want you to try not to just move them to another room. You may be tempted to do that. However, resist the urge to keep everything. Decluttering means we actually part with these items. Otherwise, assign those items a permanent home where you can best utilize them.
Advanced Strategies & Expert Tips for Decluttering Unwanted DVDs, Media, CDs, and Video Games
1.Only spend time on your specific daily task.
2.Do not get side-tracked or distracted.
3.Work within a time of day that you have the most energy and stamina. This is one of the most useful declutter motivation tips. Listen to your body and work at decluttering when you feel the most alert and energized.
4.Avoid thinking too long about whether to keep or discard an item. This is one specific way for How to Be Ruthless When Decluttering.
5.Avoid cleaning during your declutter. The goal is to purge the dead weight. Getting rid of the clutter is your priority. Cleaning can be accomplished later. Read on for more declutter motivation tips and my room specific deep clean checklist, though, as you will begin cleaning after your declutter.
Advanced Strategies & Expert Tips for Decluttering Unwanted DVDs, Media, CDs, and Video Games
Supplies Needed:
1. boxes -preferably ones you can donate (Avoid plastic storage bins because you may be tempted to just store the items and not part with them.)
2. sturdy trash bags
3. marker/pen to label boxes
Decluttering Tip: Avoid using storage bins to declutter. Storage bins tend to tell your brain to “store” the items for later. That is just delaying decisions. If you aren’t getting rid of items when you declutter, you are not truly decluttering. This is why I recommend a trash bag, also. A trash bag tells your brain to “trash” the item.
Obviously, recycle if you have that option. The boxes you use should be ones you are willing to part with, so I recommend sturdy cardboard boxes. As to donations, there are many charities that will come pick up your items for you at your home.
I use one in particular where you can book an appointment for pick-up online. This is so convenient, as it saves you the hassle of hauling stuff away yourself. Scheduling that pick-up also motivates you to declutter by a certain date.
Steps & Expert Tips for How to Declutter Unwanted DVDs, Media, CDs, and Video Games
1. Start by eliminating trash first- use a sturdy trash bag
2. Sort items by category if needed so you can see what you have
3.Get rid of items that don’t work or that work poorly, expired items, anything you don’t love, anything that you’ll never use again
4. Box up the donations and trash/recycle the rest
5.Select a charity to donate your items and schedule the pick-up if that is an option
How Do You Declutter Your Entire House (and get it deep clean?): Need to deep clean?
First, My How to Deep Clean Your Kitchen list can be found here.
Second, My How to Deep Clean Your Bathroom list can be found here.
Third, My How to Deep Clean Your Kids’ Rooms list can be found here.
Fourth, My How to Deep Clean Your Living Room list can be found here.
Fifth, My How to Deep Clean Your Bedroom list can be found here.
You can get your printable Daily Housekeeping Routine and Deep Cleaning Your House Schedule here. This 15 page printable kit is delivered digitally to your email for you to print and personalize. What Does a Deep Clean Include? It includes a daily schedule, calendar pages, and deep cleaning checklists for every room and area of your home. Check out the link above to see a sample page of what you’ll get in my printable set designed to help you create your personal Homemaking Checklist.
Also, you can get the complete digital printable copy of the Year Long Thorough Declutter Series Calendar and Checklists here. The printable digital download is delivered to your email. It includes 25 pages of printable calendar pages and checklists to help you declutter every room in your home. You can find that here.
New to deemiddleton.com and don’t know where to start? I recommend going in this order:
Step 1: Check out this post on the 1st step you should take to get organized. If you don’t have a calendar, you can grab my free weekly printable calendar page here. It is in my shopify store, but it is totally free, so you won’t be prompted to put in any payment information. It is a free download and will be delivered straight to your email.
Step 2: Create a daily Housekeeping Schedule. You can use this series to start to set up your own schedule. You can also use this simplified weekly schedule.If you often ask: What is the fastest way to clean a dirty house? Or, if you struggle to get organized and have tried and failed time and again, you can likely find out which of these 11 reasons cause you to fail to get organized.
Step 3: How do you remove clutter? How Do You Declutter Your Home?.…Sign up for the Declutter Series and get your entire home decluttered in just 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week.”Declutter Your Home” checklists are provided in each email.
Step 4: What is the fastest way to clean a dirty house? Use a timer and use the Deep Cleaning Checklists above. They will help you get your home sparkling after you’ve decluttered.
Interested in becoming a full-time blogger like me? Check out my blogging series. At the top of every page on my blog, you’ll find a drop down menu. Just select the BLOGGING category.
Check out the most popular posts on deemiddleton.com:
14 Things That Make Your Home Look Cluttered
How to Create a Daily Housekeeping Schedule
How to Clean House When You Are Completely Overwhelmed By Clutter
Recent Comments