Your old phones, tablets and computers don’t have to sit around collecting dust in a drawer or a closet. You have a lot of options for getting rid of them and reclaiming that lost space. For gadgets that aren’t too old — maybe you bought them within the last couple of years — there’s probably trade-in value.
Here are some tips for removing your digital clutter:
Before you trade, sell, recycle or donate a phone or tablet, you should first wipe off your personal information. Here’s how to do this on an Android phone or iPhone (and iPad), but you’ll want to check the user guide for gadgets like cameras (usually just pop out the storage card) and laptops. The website iMore has a good guide for resetting a Mac, and Laptop Mag has recommendations for resetting a Windows 10 computer.
Here’s how to reset an iPhone:
· Open Settings.
· Tap your name at the top of the screen.
· Tap iCloud.
· Choose Find my iPhone.
· Turn off Find my iPhone.
· Go back to the main Settings page.
· Tap General.
· Tap Reset.
· Select Erase All Content and Settings.
Here’s how to reset an Android phone:
· Open Settings.
· Tap System.
· Choose Advanced.
Select Reset Options.
·Choose Erase all data (factory reset.)
If you need a new phone or a new tablet, you can often get credit by trading in an older one.
When I was buying a MacBook Air a couple of months ago, for example, I traded in my iPad Pro 10.5 to cut about $375 off the price. While the model I had still sells for more than $600 new, it was the most convenient option for me and I wasn’t using the iPad as much as I expected. I took the iPad out of my bag and handed it to someone at Apple. I then walked out with a MacBook Air at a discount.
You can also send old products to Amazon for store credit by using its trade-in site, or to places like Best Buy and Gazelle. These days, most phone makers and cell carriers offer deals if you’re willing to trade in an old product, so just ask. Be sure to shop around and see which place is willing to give you the most money. If you aren’t offered what you think a product is worth, you can make more by selling it outright.