Learn British English And Upcycle Clutter Into Cash Ep 661

Learn English And Make Money With Your Old Stuff!

Second-hand doesn't mean second best. Are you brave enough to deal with your cluttered life? Today we explore how you can use online platforms to declutter and cash in on those unloved items while enhancing your English skills. Ready to uncover a surprising, eco-friendly, and profitable way to accelerate your journey towards English fluency?

Unlock an experience that:

• 🎧 Improves your English proficiency with practical, everyday topics.
• 🚀 Boosts your confidence in spoken British English.
• ♻️ Educates on sustainable practices to turn unwanted items into money.
• 💡 Provides insights into online platforms to maximize profits.

Want a unique way to improve your English? Try #adeptenglish and watch your fluency grow.

✔Lesson transcript: https://adeptenglish.com/lessons/learn-english-language-decluttering-home-improving-fluency/

Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.
⭐ William Morris

In our rapidly digitalizing world, clutter is more than just physical stuff. It can slow down your life, clog your mind, and rob you of the mental space you need to learn a new language. What if you could turn this problem into an opportunity?

Let's dive into an English lesson that's unlike any you've encountered before. We're not just going to arm you with vocabulary and idioms. No, we're doing something far more engaging. We'll talk about decluttering - a task you probably have on your to-do list anyway, and fuse it seamlessly with an immersive English learning experience.

The space in which we live should be for the person we are becoming now, not for the person we were in the past.
⭐ Marie Kondo

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Embrace a sustainable lifestyle while learning British English with our #englishlessons. 👉 Don't just learn English. Transform your world, one word at a time. Start the journey today!

Disclaimer: This episode is NOT sponsored by or a paid promotion for any of the companies mentioned.

More About This Lesson

Today we work on improving your English fluency while managing a common problem - clutter. We offer an English lesson unlike any other, where we teach you to declutter, cash in on unwanted items using online platforms, and improve your English simultaneously. So Dive into our newest lesson and experience a better way to learn to #speakenglish fluently. Learning is a thrilling adventure!

Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple.
⭐ Steve Jobs

Things you will learn listening to this English fluency lesson:, you will discover:

1. Learn to understand and use British English with engaging content.
2. Improve your English by learning about sustainable shopping.
3. Learn about 'hoarding' and its meaning in English.
4. Understand English phrases like 'underestimate' and 'pre-owned'.
5. Practical English use in everyday life – organizing, decluttering.
6. Dive deep into English vocabulary related to recycling.
7. Explore real-world English conversations about buying and selling online.
8. Learn about local culture in the UK through English.
9. Improve your English while exploring environmental consciousness.
10. Discover English language nuances in different settings, from home to marketplace.

Benefits of our listen & learn approach to learning

By engaging with this lesson, you'll gain English fluency through real-world scenarios. This connection between language and practical tasks like decluttering deepens your understanding, making you comfortable and fluent. You'll also be exposed to various accents, expressions, and tones, particularly in British English, enhancing your comprehension. This isn't just a language lesson, it's a cultural journey.

• Dual Cognitive Load Theory: Your brain can handle two cognitive tasks, such as learning English and decluttering, without compromising on either. This can reduce language acquisition stress, leading to improved fluency and comprehension.
• Sustainable Practices and Language Learning: Engaging in sustainable decluttering enhances your English understanding and vocabulary, as shown in the "Journal of Sustainable Education".
• Multimodal Learning: This lesson uses listening, reading, and speaking for a well-rounded language learning experience, enhancing knowledge retention.

We don't need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly.
⭐ Anne-Marie Bonneau

We understand your concerns about learning English:

1. Your English won't improve fast enough: Regularly listening to our podcast, particularly lessons like this decluttering lesson, trains your brain to recognize and understand real-world English usage.
2. Difficulty understanding the British accent: With consistent exposure to British English through our lesson, your comprehension will definitely improve.
3. Not being able to apply what you've learned: This lesson offers practical English use-cases, providing opportunities to apply your learning.
4. The lesson will be boring: Our content is not just about language. It's also about decluttering, being eco-friendly, and using online platforms - interesting and relevant topics.
5. You're too busy to learn: Our podcast is designed for on-the-go learning. You can listen and learn while commuting, exercising, or decluttering your own home.

Join us on this exciting journey! Transform clutter into cash, make your life tidier, and conquer English fluency. Don't miss this opportunity - follow and subscribe now for more exciting lessons. Let's start decluttering and learning together!

Questions You Might Have...

This English lesson is your "Garage Sale of Knowledge". It's where you begin to declutter the chaos of language learning, sift through the unwanted phrases, and cherry-pick those golden words. All while turning your clutter of doubts into a treasure chest of English fluency. Just like a garage sale, you never know what valuable finds you may come across as you dive deeper into your language journey. You're not just sprucing up your language skills; you're embarking on a sustainable journey to language wealth.

1. How can I improve my British English fluency while decluttering? Through our unique podcast, we cover vocabulary related to decluttering, sustainability, and online selling. As you declutter, you'll simultaneously learn and practice relevant English phrases.
2. Are these lessons suitable for beginners in English? Absolutely! We cater to all levels. Our focus is on practical usage and comprehension of English, making the lessons perfect for beginners as well.
3. Can I really earn money while learning English? Definitely! The podcast provides insight into using online platforms to sell unwanted items, teaching you English as well as potentially profitable skills.
4. What sustainable practices are covered in the lesson? We discuss various methods to reduce waste during decluttering, like recycling and selling items online, helping you learn related English vocabulary.
5. Do I need any special resources or tools to follow along? No, all you need is your willingness to learn English and declutter your home. The rest, we've got you covered!

Most Unusual Words:

• Depop: An online platform where people buy and sell secondhand items.
• Hoarding: The act of collecting and storing a lot of items, sometimes to the point of creating clutter.
• Landfill: A place where waste is buried in the ground.
• Antique: An object such as a piece of furniture or art that has high value because of its considerable age.
• Decluttering: The process of removing unnecessary items from an overcrowded place.
• Underestimate: To think or guess that something is smaller, cheaper, easier etc. than it really is.
• Sustainable: Something that can be maintained over a long period of time, often with a focus on environmental concerns.
• Secondhand: An item that has been used and owned by someone else before you.
• Pre-owned: Another term for secondhand, meaning something that was previously owned by someone else.
• Gumtree: An online classifieds and community website where people can sell and buy a wide range of items.

Most Frequently Used Words:

Listen To The Audio Lesson Now

Transcript: Learn British English And Upcycle Clutter Into Cash

Do you have just too much stuff, too many possessions?

Hi there. In today's English listening practice, I'm discussing a common issue which touches nearly all of us. Having too much stuff. I'm talking about just having too many possessions. Things in your home which have multiplied on their own and are spilling out of cupboards and filling up rooms. As a bonus, we'll explore environmentally-friendly ways of getting rid of your stuff, that you no longer need.

And if you stick around, I'll talk about what online websites you can use to help you get rid of your unwanted stuff and make some money at the same time.

Did you know that in 2021, the secondhand shopping platform, Depop had over 21 million users and surprisingly, 90% of them were under the age of 26. Imagine that - the younger generation are leading the way in sustainable shopping! Let's explore this further in our discussion today. You could sell this or this, or even something like this.

I'll also share my personal experience and listen until the end to gain some valuable insights into decluttering. ' Decluttering' means 'getting rid of your stuff'.

Hello, I’m Hilary, and you’re listening to Adept English. We will help you to speak English fluently. All you have to do is listen. So start listening now and find out how it works.

And this is great English language listening

But this is also a fantastic listening exercise for anyone looking to improve their English. Particularly British English. So pull up a chair, pop on those headphones and let's get on with it!

If you're wondering how English learning fits into all of this, then visit adeptenglish.com. On our site, you'll have access to up to 500 Adept English podcasts. And you can buy them in groups of 50 of course. Just imagine how much your English will improve when you've listened to all of those! And if you're listening on Spotify and you enjoy what we're doing, do share our podcast. By doing so, you'll not only help Adept English reach more listeners, but you'll also be helping friends and family on their English language journey too.

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Are your possessions owning you, instead of you owning them?

Now, before you get concerned, let me make it clear first of all, I'm not talking here about serious 'hoarding'. That's H O A R D I N G. ' To hoard' means to store or to accumulate items to a point where it starts to impact your living spaces. You store lots of items, you keep everything and you don't throw anything away. That's 'to hoard'. Some people have rooms in their house that they simply can't use because they're too full of stuff. This is a serious issue and requires professional help and perhaps a separate chat. If you'd like to hear my thoughts on actual 'hoarding', then drop us a line, make a comment, let us know. Happy to do that.

Is your attic a treasure trove in disguise?

But today I'm not talking about serious hoarding. I'm talking more about the build up of stuff that most people have, especially if you have a family. Allow me to share something personal. In my family, I'm accused of being 'the hoarder'. I'm not a proper hoarder. If you came to my house, there are no unusable rooms and you wouldn't notice anything unusual. However, when you open drawers or cupboards, sometimes they're very full! And there are certainly a lot of things I could get rid of, if I spent time sorting them out. And I've had three children. So there are lots of things in the 'loft', L O F T or attic, A T T I C. That means 'under the roof', in the storage area at the top of the house. I've got children's toys, even a baby's crib, and possibly a high chair as well. Not going to be using those again!

Learn British English And Upcycle Clutter Into Cash Ep 661 Article Image

📷

An AI image of a young woman decluttering and selling second hand items. Boost English skills as you declutter! Learn while making your life tidier and greener. Tune in now!

©️ Adept English 2023

Too much stuff because of lack of time and the want to 'get rid' sustainably

The problem for me is not really that I want to hold on to the stuff, it's more giving the time to sort it out. Feels like a big job! It's the time, but it's also what do I do with the stuff I don't want? I don't want to just bin it, unless it is truly rubbish that no one else would want.

So a part of the reason I'm not on top of my stuff is that I don't just like to take it down to the local rubbish dump. The noun 'dump', D U M P. That's where you take your unwanted items. Old TVs or computers, especially broken ones. Parts of trees you've cut down from your garden. Garden leaves, your household recycling, clothes and furniture that you no longer want. That all goes to the dump.

The trouble is, a lot of this ends up in landfill, L A N D F I L L. ' Landfill' just means 'rubbish that gets buried under the ground'. That's not sustainable. So it's much slower getting rid of stuff if you want to do it in a more thoughtful way.

In the UK, we're quite lucky as far as recycling services go. The local council, that means the 'local government', organise household rubbish collection. So they take from your door, not only your ordinary rubbish, but glass bottles, paper, cardboard, plastic bottles, tin cans. They'll also take used batteries and garden rubbish, and they provide bins for all of these things.

Ever thought you could turn your old stuff into cash instead of clutter?

But I don't like to throw things away if someone else might use them. I've used eBay in the past very successfully to get rid of big items like furniture, beds, double beds, desks, curtain poles or rugs that I no longer need, but which someone else might like. Often there's nothing wrong with them, it's just we've changed the room around for a different use and they're no longer needed.

You don't necessarily get much money back on something like a bed, certainly not what you paid for it. But it's nice to know that it's going to a place where other people will use it. And it means I'm recycling. I'm not causing new furniture to be made.

Whoops - eBay can mean buying more stuff!

I also like to buy on sites like eBay. For a sofa or a mattress, I like new, but for any other furniture, I prefer wooden and old. To me, that's more stylish and even better if it's 'antique'. That's A N T I Q U E, which loosely means 'something over a hundred years old, which has some value'.

You can pick up items of furniture like this on eBay and other places quite cheaply. I have an old Edwardian desk and chair, an old piano stool and a Thakat table, which I particularly like. And our dining table and chairs are all secondhand antique pine wood too.

I also like to buy secondhand clothes and eBay is the place that I found best for this. I like the category 'New with labels'. So this is usually an item that someone has bought and it's never made it out of the carrier bag. It's stuck in the bottom of the wardrobe. Or they've tried it on once and not liked it and forgotten to take it back to the shop. I don't think I'd ever do that. I always get a refund.

But this means that I can buy a nicer brand of clothes on eBay. And a bit of experience in buying things and you get to know what suits you and what size you are as well in different brands, different types of clothing. You can dress stylishly and pay a lot less money.

And eBay is good for technology items as well. Often new and much cheaper than in the shops. And it's great for selling your old phone as well if you're upgrading to a new one. I find eBay easy for selling because you can look and see what price items like yours sold for. This is a great advantage because you need to price your item right, so that it sells rather than sticking around for weeks and weeks.

On eBay, you have to watch for the price of shipping or posting, especially internationally. The intention is that the buyer pays this, so you don't want to underestimate what it costs to post - otherwise you lose out. ' To underestimate' means to give a figure that's too low - here for postage price.

Listening Lessons

What other 'selling sites' are there?

Now, eBay is international, of course, and is most popular in the US and Germany, China, Italy, Hong Kong, and Spain. But you can sell your goods on eBay in many countries. My daughter prefers UK-based site Depop to sell her unwanted secondhand clothes. Depop operates in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Italy. Not quite as international, that one.

Another website, formerly UK-owned is Gumtree, G U M T R E E. And on this site you can buy and sell all kinds of items. It was owned by eBay for a time, but now belongs to Norwegian company Advinta and operates in 20 countries around the world. You can even sell property, houses or cars on Gumtree.

Another place that you can sell your secondhand or pre-owned items is Facebook Marketplace. The term 'secondhand' means 'you've used it and now you're passing it to a second person'. And 'pre-owned' means 'already owned'. So those two phrases mean the same thing, really.

Download The Podcast Audio & Transcript

And there are other international websites which perform a similar role. eBid. EBID is very similar to eBay and operates in many countries round the world. The cost of selling isn't as much as it is on eBay, but the site doesn't have as many buyers or subscribers, so it takes a little bit longer for your item to sell.

Could your home be bigger than you think without all the unnecessary stuff?

So if you need to have a clear out of your unwanted possessions, your unwanted stuff, a 'decluttering', in other words, there are some ideas on how to get rid of your stuff and how to make a little bit of money at the same time.

This is one where I probably need to follow my own advice and get busy clearing out my house of all its unwanted stuff. If you have the problem of too much stuff, getting rid of it means 'travelling lighter through life' and having more space can help you feel good.

Goodbye

Let us know as ever, what you think of this podcast.

Enough for now. Have a lovely day. Speak to you again soon. Goodbye.

Thank you so much for listening. Please help me tell others about this podcast by reviewing or rating it. And, please share it on social media. You can find more listening lessons and a free English course at adeptenglish.com

Links

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• eBid
• Salehoo
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