Make Money For The Holidays By Decluttering Your Home

I love it when a project well done yields two great outcomes! You need to get your home ready for the holidays and you know you have accumulated a ton of stuff since the last time you decluttered – so let’s get started by going through the decluttering process again. This time we will transform clutter to cash!!

Wouldn’t it be very cool to fund your holiday season with revenue made from selling your old stuff that is slated for the landfill?

Of course, many of you donate nice gently used goods to local thrift shops and this is awesome! Some of us may be feeling the pinch, due to the rising cost of consumer goods, and will welcome the extra cash. 

Turn your stuff into cash

You can turn a lot of your things into cash. As an artist and someone who relies on sales for a living, I can give you some really good tips and tricks. 

The easiest way I sell is online sales -In this guide, we’ll explore a great way to make extra cash for the holidays by selling items you no longer need. From vintage clothes to kids’ toys, there’s a market for everything.

Let’s jump into your decluttering journey and discover the potential cash lying in your household items.

Identifying Valuable Items in Your Home

Start by scouring your home for items that will fetch a good price. Look for vintage clothes, stain-free, and immaculate, beauty products- unused please, and kids’ toys that are in good condition. Many people are willing to pay a lot for unique or well-preserved items, especially those with a nostalgic touch.

Make a list of these valuable items or put them aside for sale.

Storage unit

I have seen too many people pay rent for years for storage units because they have too much stuff they can’t squeeze into their homes. I have also seen a huge percentage of these people many years later decide to just get rid of all the stuff they have been paying rent on. 

If you love the things you are paying rent on for storage, keep them. If not and you are looking for opportunities to make a few extra bucks, go through your storage unit. Put these goods with the goods you have put aside in your home.

Electronics

Don’t forget to dig out any used mobile phones and devices you may have stashed away when you upgraded. People look regularly for used electronics. You will need to note what version or model your item is. An old cellphone that is no longer supported with software updates is worth a lot less than newer model electronics.
Swappa is an online venue specializing in electronics and phones.

Vintage Clothing

They may be your old clothes, yet to others your wardrobe can be vintage clothing.  Poshmark is known for good used clothing sales

Kid’s Toys

Selling some kid’s toys may be a good idea for a couple of reasons. The obvious reasons are you will make some money and declutter your kid’s toys.

Another reason, and possibly the most important, is you can include your children in this process and use this as a teachable moment.

You can explain to the kids some people would like to play with these toys and they aren’t as fortunate as you are because their mom and dad can’t afford brand-new toys. By giving up the toys you no longer use other kids can have a nice holiday season too.

Big tools and home equipment

This is the time of year to sell your used snowblower and other large tools. I can tell you with assurance someone would love your older model anything and after you sell yours you can purchase the new model you have been coveting!

Basic household items

Basic household pieces like lamps, ottomans, furniture, TVs, and kitchen stuff sell well online such as on Facebook Marketplace.

Valuables

Valuables like jewelry are great items to sell for a few reasons. People love to buy jewelry, especially for gift-giving. If you have brand name jewels such as Tiffany, Cartier, and Bulgari and less pricey jewels like Pandora it is easy to search the current value of your piece. You can look on EBAY for comparison pricing.

Shipping jewelry is the easiest among used goods to ship because jewelry is small and lightweight. Be sure to ask buyers if they want you to purchase insurance for the item they are buying. If the answer is yes you need to charge for this too, unless you are including shipping service in the item’s price.

Remind buyers when the item leaves your hands it is the buyer’s responsibility. Don’t forget to provide a tracking number.

Setting the Right Price

When you have all your things together the next step is to go over each item and make a note if there are any flaws. Believe me, it is best to point out a hardly noticeable chip in something or crack or stain, maybe on an inside seam, because if you don’t, you can be assured the buyer will. 

Determining the right price is crucial for a successful sale. When selling used goods the price will be commensurate on the condition of items. Research similar items on online marketplaces to get an idea of their value.

While you want to make extra cash, setting a reasonable price increases the chances of a quick sale. 

Consider the condition, rarity, and demand for your items when pricing them. You are likely biased in pricing your sentimental items. 

I recently saw some Hot Pink North Face rain jackets selling on Posh Mark for more than the original price because the color was no longer available.

I bought a pair of boots a year ago that were not cheap. They were too big and the window to return had passed. I offered the boots for half price. To validate the higher price I added a link to the company’s online sales page so buyers could see the original price and know I was offering a great deal.

You can price from your heart but it probably won’t result in a whole lot of sales. This stuff may have been priceless to you. I assure you this is not the case for buyers.

Buyers want a decent product for a fair price.

Old fashioned garage sale 

Depending on the climate where you are located you could put on an old-fashioned garage sale. You could even serve a fun hot drink to lure buyers in! The buyers won’t be there that long so I would not worry too much about the temperature. People love a bargain and chilly weather will not be a big deterrent for sales.

You have seen footage of people wrapped around a retail store in frigid weather waiting for a good deal!

Car boot sale

A car boot sale is another idea, especially if you are in a remote area. You may need to check out local ordinances. You can load up your vehicle and drive to more a densely populated place, pop the boot, and make some sales. 

Exploring Online Marketplaces

My favorite way to sell my art is through online platforms. If you decide to take this route you may have to share a small percentage of your sales, depending on the platform you choose. Also keep in mind shipping items may be something you do not want to get into. 

Selling used goods locally on a website that does not take a commission is hands down the best route to go. 

Facebook Marketplace is a free online platform to list and sell items. This is a convenient and accessible way to connect with potential buyers locally. 

The key to selling online is great photography. Create eye-catching listings for your items, and provide clear photos and accurate descriptions. 

A few tips for taking good photography

Do not photograph using artificial lighting (or direct sunlight!) to shoot your pictures unless, of course, you have a professional photography set up. The best images I shoot of my artwork are in my light-filled studio on an overcast day. I also often use software to tweak images because photographing glass can be challenging. 

Shoot an item about a foot in front of a clean white background, a simple poster board will do. If the object is white use a different color background.

Unless you are photographing a bundle shoot each item one at a time showing the item only. You get points if you show the piece in its intended use. Clear a little area to shoot pictures so all you will see is the product itself and not the clutter surrounding the item.

For example, I make Venetian glass lamp finials and I photograph these on a lampshade where only the rim of the shade will be shown. The focal point of the picture of course is my artwork – the glass finial. By seeing the rim of the lampshade, I am suggesting to folks how my product will be used. People love and need visuals. 

I always take pictures showing multiple angles of my piece. Keep in mind if I am selling or giving away a cheap item, I would take one shot only.

For the boots I sold, I showed the full boot, the boot with a rolled-down top, front, back, and side view, and the bottom of the boot. If these were cheap boots I would have had only shown one front-facing image and the boot bottoms.

Highlight the uniqueness of your items in your photography to attract buyers willing to pay a lot for something special.

Good pictures attract attention. Great images make the sale! I cannot over-emphasize the importance of good pictures.

Don’t let this sway you from the ease of online sales with local pickup! Our phone’s camera takes easy great pictures! Try it using the few tips I gave you for a pleasant surprise and check out some more great photography tips!

Facebook Yard Sale Events

Another great place to sell without the hassle of shipping is on Facebook yard sale groups, in your area, which makes local pickup easy.

For instance, in my community, my town and the neighboring towns have their own yard sale groups on Facebook. Do a quick search on Facebook to find your town’s yard sale group. List your item in your own town and about a dozen other neighboring communities that you think people will drive from to pick up their purchase.

There are many online platforms to sell your things. EBay is popular for selling everything from pens to automobiles. Posh Mark is good for the resale of clothing goods.

Facebook Marketplace

I mentioned Facebook Marketplace and this is different than Facebook yard sale groups. I have posted furniture on FB Marketplace and someone 20 miles away purchased the set of chairs I offered and picked up at my place. So it all depends on what you are selling and for what price. 

A good rule of thumb to follow is to ask yourself if you would pay x amount for a specific item. If you would chances are others will too.

Other online platforms to sell.

Nextdoor

Nextdoor is a place to sell goods in your neighborhood.

5mile

5mile is a local buying and selling online market where buyers and sellers can easily trade goods from the palm of their mobile phones. You select the area you want to sell your product.

Decluttr

Decluttr is a popular platform to sell electronics such as phones, electronic games, CDs, DVDs, and books. Search for your specific item and include the specifics in your ad. The easier you make it for buyers the better your chances for a quick sale.

Collecting money from buyers

I collect cash from buyers. Some people use Venmo to capture sales. Some folks, like me, may already use credit card merchant services and will accept credit card sales. You will have to decide for yourself. When in doubt cash is king. There are ATMs widely available today leav

Selling to local thrift stores and secondhand stores 

The difference between selling online and at a brick-and-mortar business like consignment shops or local thrift stores is your bottom line. You have to pay a percent of the sale to the business showing your product. This is fair because businesses have overhead operating costs.

The key is to learn what shops charge what commission before you schlep the stuff there. I have known of consignment shops that offer a 40/60 split of the sale price. The shop keeps 60%. I won’t pay a 60% commission.

In my area, we have many local thrift stores and consignment shops to choose from. If you have a lot of high-dollar goods check out the commission at different stores and make an informed decision. Some consignment shops offer 30/70, and 40/60, favoring the seller, not the shop owner. Some shops offer a 50/50 split.

If the online market isn’t your preferred place, consider selling your items to local thrift shops. Some shops specialize in vintage clothes, while others may be interested in household items or kids’ toys. While you might not make as much money compared to selling directly to buyers, it’s a quick and hassle-free way to declutter.

If you have a lot to sell it is well worth taking the time to do your due diligence to make the most money for your goods.

Diversifying your sale

Don’t limit yourself to just one platform. Diversify your selling strategy by exploring different online marketplaces and local venues. The more places you advertise your items, the greater the chance of finding buyers willing to pay a fair price for what you have to offer.

You are in essence advertising your items when you list your things for sale online.

Maximizing profit with bundle sales

Consider bundling related items to attract buyers looking for a lot at once. For example, if you have a set of vintage clothes or a collection of beauty products, offering them as a bundle can increase the perceived value and entice buyers to spend more.

Selling bundles of like items is easier too because you list fewer items for sale by taking a picture of the group of items and listing each item in the description text box.

Showcasing the timeless appeal of vintage clothes

Highlight the charm of vintage clothes in your listings. Use phrases like “timeless classics” and “unique finds” to capture the attention of fashion enthusiasts. Vintage apparel often commands a higher price, making it a valuable asset in your decluttering journey.

Share the stories behind these pieces to add a personal touch and make your listings more appealing. How about I wore this peasant dress to Woodstock!

Emphasizing the quality of beauty products

When selling beauty products, emphasize their quality and condition. Mention if they are brand new, gently used, or have specific benefits. Include expiration dates for transparency. People are willing to pay a lot for premium or hard-to-find beauty items, so make sure to showcase the value your products bring.

Appealing to parents with kids’ toys

Parents are constantly on the lookout for affordable and gently used kids’ toys. Use this to your advantage by showcasing the durability and educational value of the toys you’re selling.

Highlight any brand names or popular characters to attract the attention of potential buyers. A well-priced lot of kids’ toys can be a parent’s dream come true and a significant source of extra holiday funds for you.

Promoting sustainability in your decluttering journey

In addition to making money, take pride in the sustainability aspect of decluttering. Emphasize the eco-friendly benefits of rehoming items instead of letting them go to waste.

Buyers are increasingly conscious of their environmental impact, and knowing that their purchase contributes to a more sustainable lifestyle might encourage them to pay a lot for your items.

Promote your sale

You could have the best stuff for sale at the best prices with the best photography and if no one knows about your sale it is all for nought. If you are not making online sales put out posters around town for your garage sale or list the details of your sale in your local Facebook groups.

Express shipping for quick sales

I hesitate to mention shipping information because unless you have an expensive ‘small’ item you can easily ship, it is an extra step you probably don’t want to have to deal with. I have to ship all my artwork and it can be a nuisance depending on where in the world I am shipping and it can be quite costly. 

If you do plan to ship make it very clear in your listing that the buyer pays for the full shipping cost unless you want to pay for it.

That said if you’re selling online, offering express shipping can be a game-changer. Buyers often appreciate quick deliveries, especially during the busy holiday season. Consider including this option in your listings and adjust the price accordingly.

The convenience of fast shipping may entice buyers to spend a little extra for the immediacy it provides.

What I want you to take away from reading this article is that your presentation, as in good pictures and strategy is key. Whether you’re selling vintage clothes, beauty products, or kids’ toys, understanding your market and effectively communicating the value of your items will significantly increase your chances of making good money. So, dive into the decluttering process with enthusiasm, and let the extra holiday funds roll in!

Marj Bates is a life long ridiculously organized declutter-er and artist. Less is more are words Marj lives by in everything she does except collecting dogs. “Dogs are like potato chips! Can’t have just one.” says Marj. Marj wonders if growing up with a fanatically clean Jewish mom means her decluttering and organizational skills are in her blood.

For more Declutter Buzz & Freebies check out our safe and private Decluttering community on our Facebook page. We are a safe and private space of like minded folks tackling this all encompassing clutter thing once and for all. No shame allowed! We will have a few laughs too!

To see more articles like this, please like and follow me. Thank you!