So, you’re moving? No matter the distance you are moving, decluttering your home before a move can save you a lot of time and money.
It’s best to start the pre-moving purge process as soon as possible so your valuable items can be sold. Luckily, there are several places you can sell your unwanted items from Facebook to apps and many more.
Let’s go into greater detail about why you would want to sell your items before moving and how to do this easily.
Why Sell Unwanted Things Before Moving
Whether you’re moving across town or across the country, there are many advantages to selling unwanted items before you move.
By selling your items off, you’ll save money by using fewer boxes, less packing paper, bubble wrap, tape, and, most important, less time. You’ll also save hundreds if you’re able to use a smaller moving truck instead of the largest one available.
If using a moving company, they will give you a quote based on weight or square footage that your things will take up inside their truck. The less you move, the less weight and square footage moving companies will need to offer.
Finally:
Selling unwanted goods not only saves money, but it raises money too!
Moving is expensive. There’s, unfortunately, no way around that. By selling excess goods that you don’t want anyway, you can take the money you make and use it to offset your moving costs.
How to Sell Your Items
There are many ways to go about selling unwanted items you have lying around your house. Each method has clear benefits, and below, we talk about six of the best options available.
Craigslist
For those unfamiliar with Craigslist, it’s an online marketplace that allows individuals to post classified advertisements that are accessible to anyone with an internet connection. The reason Craigslist is so popular is that posting your for-sale items is completely free.
You’ll need to sign up for an account but that, too, is free. Because there are so many people posting on Craigslist, it’s important to make your post stand out. How do you do that?
- Post a clear picture of your item with multiple angles if applicable. Multiple angles are helpful for bulky items such as dressers, TVs, bikes, and furniture.
- Set a deadline when you want your goods sold. Don’t leave it open-ended; motivate interested buyers to action.
- Write a concise and clear headline for your item.
- Include a short section of details about the item such as measurements, any flaws, and if it comes from a smoke-free/pet-free home.
- Group similar items together so an interested buyer can see multiple items at once such as children’s clothes.
One critical note: Craigslist is a popular place for scammers. Always meet a potential buyer in a highly public place and take someone with you if possible. Never have a stranger come to your house or meet you in a location you are not familiar with.
LetGo
LetGo is a popular classifieds app that allows you to buy and sell in your local area. The app is free and easy to use. The best features available with this app are:
- Image recognition and AI tags, tilts, and auto-adjusts your photos.
- You can chat with interested buyers through the app to safely discuss price, condition, and conditions for meeting up.
You can also list your items in more than one category and may list in multiple categories at the touch of a button. This is helpful to increase the reach of your items.
Facebook has a built-in local marketplace that allows you to post pictures, prices, and descriptions of items you want to sell. The advantages of using Facebook’s Marketplace feature are:
People local to you will be searching for your items.
- You have an incredibly wide potential buyer audience.
- Your post will contain a picture, price, and description.
- Buyers can securely message you to ask more about the item and meet-up options.
- Listing items is quick and painless through the Facebook app.
Also, you probably already look at Facebook daily so it would be easy to manage your listing.
eBay
eBay is a popular website that enables you to list and sell items on your own or offers a premium “valet” service that will take photos, list, and ship items for you. Here are some perks of using eBay:
- Valet service is available if you’re strapped for time. There is a premium for this service, and the expert who works with you will earn a percentage of your final selling price.
- You can set options for mailing or local pick up. When mailing an item, you can choose that the customer pays for shipping.
- Shipping prices will be automatically calculated for you and a shipping label printed out.
- Credit card payment is available through Paypal before you ship or hand over your item.
It’s important to note that there are seller’s fees for using this site, so expect a portion of your sale to be deducted whether you use the valet service or not.
Host a Garage Sale
This is time-consuming but potentially lucrative and only requires one day to do it all. Here are some general guidelines for hosting a successful garage sale:
- Check and abide by your city’s requirements.
- Pick a weekend and advertise well in advance.
- Place a few well-positioned signs around the neighborhood.
- Have plenty of small bills on hand for change if needed.
- Make your prices flexible but have a bottom-line figure in mind.
- Use tables and clothing racks to display items.
- When someone wants an item, let it go!
Consignment Store
If you have some time, consignment stores can be a good option to offload a large number of items for sale. Consignment stores are helpful because:
- High-end items such as clothing, purses, home décor, and furniture are sought out at these types of stores.
- You won’t have to list, take pictures, or ship, or meet up. The consigner does it all for you.
Keep in mind that the consigner will earn a percentage of your sales for the work they do. If you have a lot of high-end goods, however, it could be well worth it.
What Will You Do?
Once you’ve successfully sold your belongings, your moving load will be lighter and your wallet a tad heavier. You don’t have to feel so bad about all those moving expenses. If you have items that you couldn’t sell, you can donate to charity or drop off at a local recycling center.
Taking the time to declutter your home before you move properly will help you put your best foot forward.
