Alternative UAE declutter methods
• Dubizzle
It’s super easy and any money you make is a bonus, right? If you find yourself short of space, have a look round at any saleable items taking up room in your home, snap a picture and put them on Dubizzle. Popular listings include white goods, video games, clothes, shoes and any electronics. Don’t expect to achieve the price you set: “what is your best price” is always the buyer’s opening gambit, but if your objective is streamlining your life this is a fine way to achieve it and make a bit of pocket money at the same time.
• Donate
If you don’t have time to wait for buyers, or to organise a time for them to come and pick everything up, then do some good, earn some brownie points and (as long as everything is in great condition) donate. There are charity clothes bins in most large residential areas and establishments including House of Prose will take in pre-loved books.
• Self-storage
Sometimes there are purchases you love so much you just cannot bear to get rid of them, no matter how little space you have. We’re reminded of an expensive surf board we illadvisably bought a few weeks before moving into a studio apartment. It was lovely, but constantly tripping over it as it lay there lengthways across the living room area wasn’t much fun. Enter self-storage companies. Essentially they provide extra space you can rent. It’s a decent enough solution, but one we feel may just postpone the inevitable. After two months in self storage, the surf board was sold anyway.
• Boot sales
Give it another month or two and we’ll be outside every weekend. If you can wait for the summer heat to subside, there are regular car boot sales being held around the UAE most Saturdays. Global Village has a big one and so does Safa Park. Make sure to follow City Times and we’ll let you know as soon as the first sale of the season is announced.
• Other boxes
If Marie’s boxes seem a little steep, places like IKEA, Daiso, Home Box and Mumso do a decent line in storage solutions. Air-tight boxes, cardboard wedges or even simply a new set of cupboards - get creative.