How to Sell Stuff You’ve Decluttered!

Selling stuff and actually making money from what you're decluttering can be soooo motivating!  It's like you're actually getting paid to declutter, LOL!  But it's not always worth it to sell.  It takes time and energy!  We've recently sold a LOT of items we've decluttered, and I've learned so much.  If you want to learn from my experience and mistakes, keep reading, or check out the video here!

Should You Actually Sell Your Stuff?

This answer really depends on your personal situation.  Are you so overwhelmed that the idea of adding one more thing to your plate leaves you ready to give up on decluttering before you even start?  If so, then I would forget about selling for now and just donate what you declutter.  Part of why you're so overwhelmed might be because of all the clutter, so it's worth letting the little money you'd make go and just get yourself in a better mental state first.  It's not worth stalling the declutter process to make $12!!

But, selling stuff and making money can be really exciting!  So maybe this will give you some extra motivation to declutter!  If that's the case, then really lean into selling and follow the tips below to be efficient with it and make the most money in the least amount of time.

Where Should You Sell Your Stuff?

There are several places you can sell things:

• Consignment Stores
• Ebay or Online
• Garage Sales
• Facebook Marketplace

I've by FAR found that the best/easiest place to sell has been Facebook Marketplace.  For one, it's local, so you don't have to worry about shipping, and you can sell larger items more easily than other online methods.  It also makes it easy for people to search for what they want.

Garage sales usually bring in less money than Facebook Marketplace because people can't search specifically for what they need.  You're just dependent on people showing up who may or may not be interested in what you have.  However, yard sales are useful for selling random “junk” that is easy to get or isn't specific enough for Facebook Marketplace.

The other advantage to Facebook Marketplace is that you can get it out of your house right away!  If you have a yard sale, you have to set a date and wait for the sale, price stuff, store it until the sale, etc.  Then sometimes that time never actually comes, and you end up living with boxes of clutter in your garage or basement.  That's not the goal!

Consignment can work, but it's usually very limited on the types of items you can sell.  Ebay is great for smaller, more valuable collectibles because your audience is bigger.  But then you have to deal with shipping, and they take a significant percentage of your sale.

Choose What to Sell.

The best things to sell are things that people specifically search for:

• Brand Names
• Certain Books (Usborn, now Paper Pie, for example)
• Brand Name Containers
• Furniture
• Appliances

People need something and will often go in to search for the specific item or for the brand name.  The more specific, the better!  Those Stanley Cups above sold WAY better than non-branded stainless steel cups would have!

Things that don't sell well:

• Dishes
• Generic Books like paperback novels
• Stuff that's easy or cheap to get
• Office supplies
• Clothes– kids do better than adults

Put Like Items Together in a Lot.

Sometimes you can put these items that sell less well into a lot with a bunch of things for one price.  They should all be related to each other.  I've had success with putting a bunch of kids clothes in one size all together.  Adult clothes do less well unless they're a very nice brand name.

I sold a bunch of OXO containers, for example.  I grouped them all together and sold for one price.  No one will go through the hassle of picking up one used OXO container, but they will for a bunch of them!  It also reduces the time you spend in taking photos and coordinating with a buyer– imagine doing that 20 times for 20 different containers versus once for the lot!

You can also sell things that might not otherwise be worth your time.  I sold a bunch of new candles together recently.  Individually, they're not worth much, but they were all new.  I just didn't like the scents.  Someone happily bought the whole box of candles!

Hobby items are also great to sell in a lot.  My mom recently sold a collection of thread (some used), and it sold super easily all together.

Take Good Pictures!

This is perhaps the best tip.  Facebook Marketplace is so visual that some people never even read the description before deciding if they want to buy.

Your pictures should be:

• Well lit, taken in outdoor lighting if possible
• Have clear photos from all angles
• Show all flaws, if there are any
• If new, have photos of the tag or box
• Include the box if you have it, even if not new

Clear photos are so important because people want to see everything.  Think about what you would want to know about an item before buying it.

You should ALWAYS show all the flaws if there are any.  It gives people confidence to buy from you.  There's also no point in hiding anything.  Aside from being dishonest, it does no good for them to show up to buy and then see the flaw and leave.  It just wastes everyone's time!

Even if something isn't new, I always show the box if I still have it.  It gives the impression that you've taken care of something well enough to still have the box, LOL!

Pricing

This can be tough.  Something is usually never worth as much as you think it is.  My personal philosophy is to price low so the item will sell quickly and easily.  I already am decluttering it, and if I weren't selling it, then it would be donated.

You will never get back what you paid for it.  Usually you won't even get 50%!  It's more like 10-20%…which I know can be a bit discouraging, but keep in mind that $12 back is better than $0, and the money has already been spent, so try not to dwell on that.

It doesn't matter what you think an item is worth or what it's worth to you.  What matters is what the market thinks it's worth.  If you price too high, it won't sell.  And I want to get it out of my house fast!  It's already a win because you're getting rid of clutter.  If you can make a little money in the process, then all the better.

If I really can't decide what to price something, I'll try to check out the competition.  I'll search on ebay or Facebook Marketplace to see what other people are selling similar items for.  Usually that helps.  If you post something and don't get any clicks, and it still hasn't sold after a few days, then you probably priced too high.

On the other hand, if you get tons of messages and people wanting to buy within a few minutes, then you know you priced too low.  My mom did this with a thread collection she priced at $20.  The good thing was that she had several more sets like this, so the next time she knew to price a bit higher.

Write a Good Description.

Think about what you would want to know about the item if you were buying.  Detailed descriptions are great.  It also helps with search engine optimization if people are searching for a specific item.  You want to be sure all your key words are there!

If you're selling a skillet, for example, it's better to write “12” Lodge Cast Iron Skillet” than just “Skillet.”  The first one is so much more descriptive and will catch buyers' attention if they're searching for any of those terms.

Also be sure to note the item's condition– New, Gently Used, etc.  Always give all info about any defects, and clearly photograph and describe what's wrong.  People don't always need something to be new or like new.  They know they're buying used, but they still want all the details on anything wrong with the item.

Respond Quickly and Expect a Lot of Questions.

Giving quick responses shows someone you're a real person.  It also shows them you'll be easy to deal with.  And if they're messaging other sellers with similar items, usually the first response is the one that sells!

You'll probably get asked some annoying questions.  Often sellers don't respond, so buyers don't invest a lot of time into looking at listings before messaging.  You may get asked questions that are already addressed in the description.  Just answer them politely and try not to get annoyed.

Take down the listing as soon as it's sold so you don't keep getting questions about an item that has already sold.

You may also get asked to take less.  Some people do like to haggle.  Usually I'm okay with taking less because I just want the item gone, but you can use your best judgment here!

Do Porch Pickup for Less Valuable Items.

There may be differing opinions on this.  But if you want to meet someone in a parking lot to do an exchange, it can be a real hassle and take a lot of time.  You'll also have some no-shows!  It would drive me absolutely crazy if I had wasted time when someone didn't show just to sell a $10 item!

So, I decided to do porch pickups for the less valuable items.  I leave it on the porch with a note for who it's for, tell them where to leave the money (under the mat, in a mailbox, etc.), and then I don't even have to be home, and if I am, I don't have to answer the door.  It simplifies so much, and then if they don't show, I haven't lost any time or effort.

There's the concern that they might steal the item…but if they do, I really don't care much.  I was going to donate the item anyway.  However, in all my porch pickups, I've never yet had this happen.  The items I sit out are not very valuable.  I doubt thieves are cruising around looking for a box of candles or OXO containers, LOL!  If you have more rampant porch theft in your area, this might not work, but for the midwest suburbs where I am, it has worked great!

First Come, First Served.

I do not hold items.  I tell everyone that whoever comes first gets the item.  If you hold things, and then the buyer doesn't show, it can just become a big mess.  I also don't want to mess with taking the listing down and then putting it back up.  So I just tell everyone that the first person to come is the one I will sell it to.  It's fair that way, and it's a lot easier for me!  A $10 item isn't worth the hassle of holding it for a specific buyer.

Hopefully this gives you some tips if you want to try selling!  Let me know in the comments if you agree or disagree with the items I've suggested selling.  Have you had good luck selling other items or in other ways?  Also, if you're considering selling something but aren't sure if it's worth it, feel free to ask in the comments, and we'll all do our best to weigh in on if we think you should go for it!

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