How To Declutter Photography & Video Equipment & Supplies
Today's mission is to declutter photography and video equipment, supplies and gear that you no longer want or use anymore.
This mission helps us conclude the tasks we'll do this week, as part of the Organize Photos Challenge, as part of the 52 Week Organized Home Challenge.
What Types Of Equipment & Gear Does This Mission Apply To?
I've purposefully tried to leave this mission to be broad, so that it is an opportunity for you to get rid of whatever type of camera or videography gear, supplies or equipment that you've got in your home that has become clutter.
This could include cameras, video cameras, tripods, camera or video equipment bags, lighting, lenses, backdrops or other props, film, microphones, cables and wires, and more.
Recall that in yesterday's mission we also decluttered or organized memory cards, flash drives, and computer discs of whatever variety, which could also encompass some of this camera or video equipment.
How To Decide What To Keep Versus Declutter
As always, I'm not suggesting that you need to get rid of all of these types of items from your home today.
If you use these items, and have space for them, then they're not clutter.
If that's the case, use today's mission to instead organize the items you do have so that you can find them, and use them more easily, in the future.
But, I know for a lot of us, that we have a lot of this older electronic equipment laying around that we don't have room for anymore, or don't use, and yet we've never managed to get rid of it. Well, today's the day!
This is especially true if you find yourself, like many people, with old equipment they don't use anymore because it has all been replaced by the phone in your pocket, which doubles as a camera, video camera, and more.
Now you don't need that old point and shoot camera, which used film (my kids had to be told what film is, because they only knew about digital photos for example), or the camcorder that is gathering dust because it is so big and bulky compared to newer technology.
A good rule of thumb is that if you've gotten something newer that serves the functions of this older technology, or you haven't even bothered to use it in either 6 months or a year, it's clutter and should leave your home.
Don't Forget To Salvage Any Photos/Videos You've Got Saved Within The Equipment Before Decluttering
Once you've identified what you're going to get rid of, make sure you salvage any photos or videos you've still got on the devices before disposing of them in some fashion.
That might me developing that last roll of film, or popping out the video tape from the camcorder, or it might be backing up onto another device, or the cloud, digital photos or films.
Further, if there is stored memory on any of these devices you are decluttering, for your own privacy make sure this stuff is deleted before taking it out of your home.
What To Do With This Gear & Equipment You Decide To Get Rid Of
Once you've decided what items to get out of your home, the next step is to properly dispose of it, either by donating, selling or recycling them.
Because many of these items (not all, I know) are electronics, make sure if you're going to trash or recycle the items that you do it properly, as discussed in more detail in the electronics disposal guide here.
If you want to trade in this photography or video gear to recoup some cash, that might be a possibility, depending on what type of equipment you're decluttering.
One of the simplest trade-in programs I've found is the Amazon Trade-In program, where you can trade-in older equipment in exchange for Amazon gift cards. You have to make sure they will accept your exact gear, but when they do it can be a simple way to recoup some of your money.
You can find out more about the program here (scroll down the page until you see "other trade-in categories, and then search for the item you're decluttering to see if it shows up. Not everything will, but it can be worth it to check.):
You can also get ideas for decluttering cords and wires here.
Photo From Reader Who Has Already Done This Mission
Below is a photo from a reader, Lorna, who already did this mission, and then organized the equipment she had left.
My hope is that this will inspire you to see what you too can accomplish in your own home, and get you excited to tackle this task as well.
Want To Do More Decluttering Missions? Get Started With Declutter 365 Today!
Once you declutter one type of item in your home I bet you'll want to declutter some more. After all, decluttering gives you a great reward for even a small investment of time and energy.
The Declutter 365 system is designed to help you declutter, over the course of a year, your entire house, with just 15 minutes of decluttering each day!
Hundreds of thousands of people use this proven system to get rid of their clutter, and bring peace and calm back to their homes.
Declutter 365 works to guide you to clear the clutter without overwhelm, focusing on just one small area at a time, and without making a huge mess in the process, so you see consistent forward progress without all that "messy middle" that makes it even harder to function in your home than before you started.
In addition to building a daily decluttering habit, the Declutter 365 program, along with the accompanying 52 Week Organized Home Challenge, teaches you the skills, habits, routines, and mindsets necessary to maintain the clutter free and organized state of your home from now on, so it'll never be as messy and cluttered as it is right now, ever again.
If you haven't already, make sure to get your copy of this year's Declutter 365 annual calendar here (it's FREE!), find today's date, and do 15 minutes of decluttering on the day's mission. Then, repeat again tomorrow, and again and again. Over the course of the next year, if you do this 15 minutes per day, you'll declutter your whole house!
Check out lots of missions to get rid of media and entertainment clutter here.
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