Selling your Stuff Archives - Shift Your Stories: Release Clutter

3 Decluttering Tips Which Absolutely Maximize Your Return When Selling Your Stuff

Leave a Comment / Decluttering, downsizing, selling, Selling your Stuff / By maryv@shiftyourstories.com

It is essential that you understand the impact of the 3 expert decluttering tips shared here, when you’re ready to cash in on what you don’t need, use, or want any more.

When might selling make sense for you? You may struggle with letting something go because you spent a lot of money on it. Your children might have no interest in the item. Or you simply believe the item has high resale value.

Regardless of why you want to pursue selling, the key to a successful transaction is three-fold: the current market demand; the time/effort investment; and the available venues.

Knowing what to reasonably expect will shorten the sales cycle and optimize your price.

Can’t argue with that, right?! Let’s do this!

This post shares 3 decluttering steps to amplify the best return for things you sell in the present market environment!

Tip #1: Do Your Research

It’s smart to investigate if your items are in demand.

For example, Mid-Century Modern furniture is in vogue and has a good chance of yielding some dollars for you. On the other hand, Colonial furniture? Not so much, especially if you don’t live in the New England states.

And remember Precious Moments? What about Haviland china? Some of these collectables are worth more than others. However, many are collecting dust in resale shops, despite their high appeal a decade or three ago.

So start with exploring venues where particular items are often resold. For example, talk to local resale shop owners for their opinions on what type of furniture or which designer clothing is sought after in your town.

If it’s fine art that you’re looking to sell, check with a local art appraiser or art gallery for a professional opinion. In all cases, do a search on eBay for clues to prices of items similar to yours.

Ultimately, due diligence on your part will save you the disappointment of pricing items too high and having them sit idle in your home.

Tip #2: Understand the Return

Determine a realistic price point so you can decide if it’s worth the work needed to sell your stuff.

Ask Yourself the Following Questions

Which selling method(s) will you use?
Do you need to clean or repair the items pre-sale?
How will the buyers receive the items: do you need to ship them or will they pick them up?
Will you sell on-line or on consignment?

Unless you choose to sell on your own, utilizing any 3rd party will reduce your net dollars. It stands to reason since they are doing work for you, such as attracting, displaying and dealing with the buyers.

Most resale shops put a time limit on how long items will be offered. They typically have a rigid markdown policy enforced as time goes by, too. This may be hard to accept but the shop owners need to maximize the return on their merchandise.

It behooves them to have their displays refreshed regularly. After all, if things aren’t selling, they need to move off center stage of the sales floor.

Factor in the Cost of Your Efforts

It take time to inventory, price, and prepare for a sale!

You may need extra hands to deal with the buyers. The same goes for selling on-line, whether through Craig’s List, a FB group, or e-Bay. Your ad needs to be smartly worded, refreshed, and optimized regularly until the items sell.

Potential buyers will have questions that you need to answer promptly. Some will still want to negotiate price or show up with less money, hoping you will settle. Others will want you to hold the item until they can stop by. Finally, a few may be “no-shows”… so the process starts all over … sigh!

You might be pleasantly surprised with what you may realize from your selling efforts. Or, you may be disappointed to realize the deep discount required to sell belongings that have served you well.

However, “something is better than nothing” may become your new motto! Either way, be informed and prepared for what you need to do to capture some dollars.

Tip #3: Land on a Selling Venue

Ready to check out your options? Hang on ’cause there’s a lot of them!

Based on your research, (back up to Tip #2 if you didn’t do this yet, haha!) now you can decide if you want to do this solo or if you prefer some help.

If you prefer to sell on your own, you can do this one of two ways:

Using local apps such as OfferUp or Facebook Marketplace groups
Selling outside your hometown, using global apps, such as Poshmark, eBay, or thredUP.

With the first option, you’ll meet face-to-face to deliver the goods. But with the second option, you’ll be mailing the items somewhere in the world!

Otherwise, if you want help, any “brick & mortar” resale shop will do the bulk of the work for you. All you have to do is bring in your items and they will select what they believe will sell on their floor.

You can identify local options simply by Googling, “second-hand stores near me” or “resale shops near me”. Always call ahead to ensure they are interested in your stuff. Emailing pictures cuts back on wasted trips.

Finally, head down to the end of this post for related posts that share the latest various on-line selling sites! It’s an ever-changing lineup of possibilities but I’m always updating them annually.

I focus on sharing the best decluttering tips with you … because there’s always someone out there who wants to buy your stuff!