Cash In On Clutter

Do you want in on a secret? What you are seeing here are the skeletons in my closet. This is my secret for generating a good amount of spare change. Actually, a pretty penny. This is the fourth year I’ve participated in a great recycling program — that which clears my attic and adds something to my pocket at the same time. Thanks to the power of the internet, I don’t have to advertise on the community paper or the neighborhood newsletter anymore. I just do it on web classifieds that are local to my community.

Many folks go for the volume and set up a rummage (aka garage) sale on their driveway or front yard or even in some shared location where they can get together with their neighbors to do huge gatherings for the purpose of unloading or exchanging junk. I don’t even go to that trouble. I am one of those who prefers to clear my clutter on an annual basis — which helps, so that I don’t get overwhelmed with the work.

Here is basically how my system works:

• Separate your clutter into three categories: SELL, DONATE and KEEP. Make sure you have much more items to SELL and DONATE than you have in the KEEP pile. Otherwise you’re just being a packrat who refuses to part with your known clutter.
• Take photos of your items in the best possible light. Models are discouraged.
• Post photos of your items on craigslist or some other web classifieds site for your local area. Ebay or other online auctions should work too if you’re able to ship the item. Amazon is great for used books, CDs and DVDs.
• Price your item well. I do this by checking what the going rate is for the item then knocking off 5%. Rules would obviously be different for auctions — try no reserve.
• If your item does not sell in 2 to 3 weeks even after heavy discounting, consider putting it in your DONATE bucket. This will guarantee you will never see it again.
• When you are done parting with everything in your SELL pile, call up the Salvation Army or Goodwill and have them pick up the goodies in your DONATE pile. Here’s a nifty book I use to determine the cost of items donated for tax purposes.
• Count your bucks and enjoy your more spacious environment. I normally clear at least $500 a summer doing this!

Interestingly, my bestsellers are items like these:

A note about being a packrat. I know it’s hard to bid farewell to your old junk. I know too many people who are this way. I was one myself for a long time, until we had to pull up stakes and move to a new house. After filling up 4 driveway sized containers of old collectibles, equipment, papers and stacks of musty clothing and finally realizing that we can actually hide our cars somewhere where people need not see them, it was definitely a eureka moment for me. From now on, space is more valuable to me than stuff. Plus stuff pays my commute fares.

 
 
Technorati Tags: Craigslist, Ebay, Amazon, garage sale, yard sale, clutter, auctions, classifieds

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Categorized under: Frugality, Money Management