5 tips on what to do with unwanted stuff

World-renowned tidying expert Marie Kondo is sparking joy among shoppers feeling the urge to clean out their homes.

But once you master the Japanese organizing expert's novel approach to de-cluttering, what do you do with all the stuff you don't want?

Charitable organizations like Goodwill have cited how Kondo's popular Netflix series, "Tidying up with Marie Kondo" has led to a surge of donations. And sites like OfferUp and thredUP also note an uptick in the number of items being sent to them for sale. Kondo recommends getting rid of items that don't spark joy, and she calls for decluttering by category, not by location.

FILE- In this July 11, 2018, file photo, Japanese organizational expert Marie Kondo appears at a media event to introduce her new line of storage boxes in New York. Kondo is sparking joy among shoppers feeling the urge to clean out their homes.But once you master the Japanese organizing expert’s novel approach to de-cluttering, what do you do with all the stuff you don’t want? (AP PhotoSeth Wenig, File)

Still, there's a lot of angst in figuring out the right home for unwanted items.

"I think we're living in the age where people are taking the stress out of their lives so Marie Kondo comes at a perfect time," said Wendy Liebmann, founder and CEO of WSL Strategic Retail. "But there's a lot of stress in trying to find all these places that will take all these things."

Liebmann recommends getting rid of the easiest items first. Then, deal with the harder items to give away or sell.

FILE- In this July 11, 2018, file photo, Japanese organizational expert Marie Kondo appears at a media event to introduce her new line of storage boxes in New York. Kondo is sparking joy among shoppers feeling the urge to clean out their homes.But once you master the Japanese organizing expert’s novel approach to de-cluttering, what do you do with all the stuff you don’t want? (AP PhotoSeth Wenig, File)

Here are five more rules to embrace:

— BE SMART ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE SELLING: Study a variety of sites from thredUp and Poshmark to find out what they accept, what carries the best value and any fees. Make sure to sell in-season items and only clean garments. For those who have a closet full of Chanel and Prada bags, check out luxury consignment online retailer The RealReal.com.

"This is not a way to get rich. But it is a way to clean out your closet," said James Reinhart, co-founder and CEO of thredUP.com. At thredUP, only 40 percent of received items are accepted and sold online; the rest are donated. If interesting in selling secondhand items on thredUP, request a cleanout bag. New this year, customers can request a shipping label that can be used on any box. Many of the sites including thredUP and RealReal list recently sold items so customers will know their worth. Many sites set the pricing based on quality, style, and the available inventory. Check out selling fees, which vary. For example, for all sales under $15, Poshmark takes a flat commission of $2.95. For sales of $15 or more, Poshmark's commission is 20 percent. The fee at selling app Mercari is 10 percent.

In this Tuesday, March 12, 2019, photo thousands of garments are stored on a three-tiered conveyor system at the ThredUp sorting facility in Phoenix. Charitable organizations like Goodwill have cited how Marie Kondo’s popular Netflix series, “Tidying up with Marie Kondo” has led to a surge of donations. And sites like OfferUp and thredUP also note an uptick in the number of items being sent to them for sale. (AP PhotoMatt York)

— CONSIDER APPS THAT HELP YOU SELL LOCALLY: Move over Craigslist. A growing number of marketplace apps like LetGo and OfferUp let you sell locally the big sofa or other large item that would be too expensive to ship across the country. EBay also allows customers to post local listings.

Many give the option to register with your Facebook account, helping to verify its members and make it a safer exchange. OfferUp says it's the biggest mobile marketplace for local buyers and sellers. Last year, however, it began allowing sellers to ship item across the U.S., widening the market of prospective buyers, says Natalie Angelillo, vice president of community at OfferUp. OfferUp allows users to create a custom profile link and lets buyers and sellers leave reviews for a particular deal.

— STUDY WHAT CAN BE DONATED: You don't want to waste time carting a big piece of furniture to only find out your local thrift store doesn't want it. Best to call the local Salvation Army or Goodwill store to make sure they can either pick up the item or you can drop it off. Goodwill's main website says acceptable donations include clothing, shoes, books, small appliances and small furniture. But starting Jan. 1, Goodwill Industries of Great New York and New Jersey has put a temporary hold on accepting book donations at their Goodwill stores, says Lauren Lawson-Zilai, a spokeswoman at Goodwill Industries International.

In this Tuesday, March 12, 2019, photo Samantha Estes prepares garments to be photographed at the ThredUp sorting facility in Phoenix. Charitable organizations like Goodwill have cited how Marie Kondo’s popular Netflix series, “Tidying up with Marie Kondo” has led to a surge of donations. And sites like OfferUp and thredUP also note an uptick in the number of items being sent to them for sale. (AP PhotoMatt York)

— SCRUTINIZE DONATION BINS: Heading to a local donation bin may be convenient, but unfortunately, many items wind up supporting for-profit groups. Look for signs that spell out a clear mission statement. Also, look at what percent of sales are contributed to the charitable organization. Be wary of a donation bin without a clear mission statement.

— RECYCLE ELECTRONICS: Many electronics makers and retailers offer recycling programs. Amazon allows customers to receive an Amazon.com gift card in exchange for a variety of electronic devices including Amazon devices.

And, of course, there's always that garage sale.

In this Tuesday, March 12, 2019, photo Jasmine Valladares enters measurements as she itemizes clothing at the ThredUp sorting facility in Phoenix. Charitable organizations like Goodwill have cited how Marie Kondo’s popular Netflix series, “Tidying up with Marie Kondo” has led to a surge of donations. And sites like OfferUp and thredUP also note an uptick in the number of items being sent to them for sale. (AP PhotoMatt York)

"Check to see if your neighborhood or homeowner's association has a designated garage sale date," says Target Corp.'s home style expert Camille Styles. "If not, team up with a friend who may also be looking to sell some of their items."

In this Tuesday, March 12, 2019, photo Willie Walton hangs clothing on a three-tiered conveyor system at the ThredUp sorting facility in Phoenix. Charitable organizations like Goodwill have cited how Marie Kondo’s popular Netflix series, “Tidying up with Marie Kondo” has led to a surge of donations. And sites like OfferUp and thredUP also note an uptick in the number of items being sent to them for sale. (AP PhotoMatt York)

In this Tuesday, March 12, 2019, photo Yakaranday Arce packs sold clothing for shipment at the ThredUp sorting facility in Phoenix. Charitable organizations like Goodwill have cited how Marie Kondo’s popular Netflix series, “Tidying up with Marie Kondo” has led to a surge of donations. And sites like OfferUp and thredUP also note an uptick in the number of items being sent to them for sale. (AP PhotoMatt York)

In this Tuesday, March 12, 2019, photo Andre Hill prepares clothing for shipment at the ThredUp sorting facility in Phoenix. Charitable organizations like Goodwill have cited how Marie Kondo’s popular Netflix series, “Tidying up with Marie Kondo” has led to a surge of donations. And sites like OfferUp and thredUP also note an uptick in the number of items being sent to them for sale. (AP PhotoMatt York)

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United States vetoed a widely backed U.N. resolution Thursday that would have paved the way for full United Nations membership for Palestine, a goal the Palestinians have long sought and Israel has worked to prevent.

The vote in the 15-member Security Council was 12 in favor, the United States opposed and two abstentions, from the United Kingdom and Switzerland. U.S. allies France, Japan and South Korea supported the resolution.

The strong support the Palestinians received reflects not only the growing number of countries recognizing their statehood but almost certainly the global support for Palestinians facing a humanitarian crisis caused by the war in Gaza, now in its seventh month.

The resolution would have recommended that the 193-member U.N. General Assembly, where there are no vetoes, approve Palestine becoming the 194th member of the United Nations. Some 140 countries have already recognized Palestine, so its admission would have been approved, likely by a much higher number of countries.

U.S. deputy ambassador Robert Wood told the Security Council that the veto “does not reflect opposition to Palestinian statehood but instead is an acknowledgment that it will only come from direct negotiations between the parties."

The United States has “been very clear consistently that premature actions in New York — even with the best intentions — will not achieve statehood for the Palestinian people,” deputy State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said.

His voice breaking at times, Palestinian U.N. Ambassador Riyad Mansour told the council after the vote: “The fact that this resolution did not pass will not break our will and it will not defeat our determination.”

“We will not stop in our effort,” he said. “The state of Palestine is inevitable. It is real. Perhaps they see it as far away, but we see it as near.”

This is the second Palestinian attempt for full membership and comes as the war in Gaza has put the more than 75-year-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict at center stage.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas first delivered the Palestinian Authority’s application for U.N. membership in 2011. It failed because the Palestinians didn’t get the required minimum support of nine of the Security Council’s 15 members.

They went to the General Assembly and succeeded by more than a two-thirds majority in having their status raised from a U.N. observer to a non-member observer state in 2012. That opened the door for the Palestinian territories to join U.N. and other international organizations, including the International Criminal Court.

Algerian U.N. Ambassador Amar Bendjama, the Arab representative on the council who introduced the resolution, called Palestine’s admission “a critical step toward rectifying a longstanding injustice" and said that “peace will come from Palestine’s inclusion, not from its exclusion.”

In explaining the U.S. veto, Wood said there are “unresolved questions” on whether Palestine meets the criteria to be considered a state. He pointed to Hamas still exerting power and influence in the Gaza Strip, which is a key part of the state envisioned by the Palestinians.

Wood stressed that the U.S. commitment to a two-state solution, where Israel and Palestine live side-by-side in peace, is the only path for security for both sides and for Israel to establish relations with all its Arab neighbors, including Saudi Arabia.

“The United States is committed to intensifying its engagement with the Palestinians and the rest of the region, not only to address the current crisis in Gaza, but to advance a political settlement that will create a path to Palestinian statehood and membership in the United Nations,” he said.

Mansour, the Palestinian U.N. ambassador, reiterated the commitment to a two-state solution but asserted that Israel believes Palestine "is a permanent strategic threat."

"Israel will do its best to block the sovereignty of a Palestinian state and to make sure that the Palestinian people are exiled away from their homeland or remain under its occupation forever,” he said.

He demanded of the council and diplomats crowded in the chamber: “What will the international community do? What will you do?”

Israeli-Palestinian negotiations have been stalled for years, and Israel’s right-wing government is dominated by hard-liners who oppose Palestinian statehood.

Israeli U.N. Ambassador Gilad Erdan called the resolution “disconnected to the reality on the ground” and warned that it “will cause only destruction for years to come and harm any chance for future dialogue.”

Six months after the Oct. 7 attack by the Hamas militant group, which controlled Gaza, and the killing of 1,200 people in “the most brutal massacre of Jews since the Holocaust,” he accused the Security Council of seeking “to reward the perpetrators of these atrocities with statehood.”

Israel’s military offensive in response has killed over 32,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health ministry, and destroyed much of the territory, which speaker after speaker denounced Thursday.

After the vote, Erdan thanked the United States and particularly President Joe Biden “for standing up for truth and morality in the face of hypocrisy and politics.”

He called the Palestinian Authority — which controls the West Bank and the U.S. wants to see take over Gaza where Hamas still has sway — “a terror supporting entity.”

The Israeli U.N. ambassador referred to the requirements for U.N. membership – accepting the obligations in the U.N. Charter and being a “peace-loving” state.

“How can you say seriously that the Palestinians are peace loving? How?” Erdan asked. “The Palestinians are paying terrorists, paying them to slaughter us. None of their leaders condemns terrorism, nor the Oct. 7 massacre. They call Hamas their brothers.”

Despite the Palestinian failure to meet the criteria for U.N. membership, Erdan said most council members supported it.

“It’s very sad because your vote will only embolden Palestinian rejectionism every more and make peace almost impossible,” he said.

Algeria's Permanent Ambassador to the United Nations Amar Bendjama speaks during a Security Council meeting at United Nations headquarters, Thursday, April 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Gilad Erdan speaks during a Security Council meeting at United Nations headquarters, Thursday, April 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Palestinian Ambassador to the United Nations Riyad Mansour holds tears while speaking during a Security Council meeting at United Nations headquarters, Thursday, April 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Representatives of member countries take votes during a Security Council meeting at United Nations headquarters, Thursday, April 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Palestinian Ambassador to the United Nations Riyad Mansour, left, and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speak before a Security Council meeting at the United Nations headquarters, Thursday, April 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Palestinian Ambassador to the United Nations Riyad Mansour speaks during a Security Council meeting at United Nations headquarters, Thursday, April 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Representatives of member countries take votes during a Security Council meeting at United Nations headquarters, Thursday, April 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Gilad Erdan speaks during a Security Council meeting at United Nations headquarters, Thursday, April 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Palestinian Ambassador to the United Nations Riyad Mansour speaks during a Security Council meeting at United Nations headquarters, Thursday, April 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

U.S. Deputy Ambassador Robert Wood votes against resolution during a Security Council meeting at United Nations headquarters, Thursday, April 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)