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Post by BetsyMarie on Dec 13, 2009 11:02:50 GMT -5
Hi all, I keep going back and forth between the two. I've been carting stuff off to goodwill, but nothing I consider really valuable. Yet I have things I no longer want that have value, and that I'd like to get some money from.
It's now the middle of December and not a good time for a sale here. It probably won't be for a few more months. Do I want to keep the stuff till then, or just donate it all? Wish I could make up my mind. I'd love to just purge it all, but a few hundred dollars in cash is nothing to take lightly.
I dont especially want to deal with ebay for most of it. Craig's list is a possibility for some of it, but not most of it. Too much stuff.
What are your thoughts on the subject?
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toni
New Member
Joined: August 2008
Posts: 73
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Post by toni on Dec 13, 2009 11:24:15 GMT -5
I wish I had some brilliant advice to give you, but I'm in the same boat.
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Post by mellowyellow on Dec 13, 2009 11:30:29 GMT -5
goodwill goodwill goodwill If I got a dollar for everytime I saved something for the "one day" garage sale that I never had... I have just learned that letting it go for free gets it out of my life, and makes someone else happy. Sometimes, I direct things to particular friends or family members (with the instructions to pass it on if they can't use it, or just don't want it). But usually I just send it to my church's charity group that distributes it to families in need, locally and internationally. If you can afford it financially... go for it.
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Post by 60isolderthanithot on Dec 13, 2009 11:43:09 GMT -5
Take the most valuable things you think can sell - and advertise them on the nearest craigslist. If you don't get any offers in the first 2-3 days, give it up. Donate it.
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Post by sporadic on Dec 13, 2009 11:44:07 GMT -5
Donate it. Get rid of it. The longer you put it off, the less likely you are to get rid of it. Don't justify keeping it - go ahead and get it out of your life. Less stuff = steps closer to freedom!!!
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Post by 60isolderthanithot on Dec 13, 2009 11:45:39 GMT -5
One of the things I've finally got right about my decluttering is knowing when to quit trying to SELL the stuff that clogged up my life the last few years. When I emptied a room of "valuable things that I might sell one day," I got a chance to rent that room for _certain_ money. What I realized, going through the piles, was that hardly anything stays in good condition, no matter how you store it. A room without anyone in it, with closed door and window, somehow still attracts bugs that eat everything up or ruin it somehow. Further, in this economy, people are really being vultures - if they HAVE money, they feel entitled to nitpick until they buy the family silver for less than the cost of melting it.
Spare yourself the aggravation.
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Post by phoenixcat on Dec 13, 2009 11:46:02 GMT -5
I typically weigh out the pros and cons of both sides and usually -what I "really" want to do starts to come out. For example, you have to weigh all the "costs" of the garage sale option. One, your time has value. There is the time to prepare for the sale as well as the time to have the sale. I find garage sales a bit painful to do so I would say that my sanity has value . The cost factor would also include storing the items in your home. Is that space being used "costing" you anything? And, the actual expense of the sale if you were to advertise or post signs - get cash for change, stickers, maybe hire a kid to make sure no one does the five finger discount, etc. My parents were going to sell some stuff and I did a quick check on various websites and found that it was only worth a small amount in the market today. They ended up donating it. Also, in this economy, there are more sales with more stuff so competition is a little tougher. I know I'm sounding "pro-donate" - as you can tell this is my list of pros and cons for a garage sale around my neighborhood. To add to my list, we have a very poor neighborhood for this - it is on a side-side-side street and no one ever has them so you can't even get up a "neighborhood" sale. However, if you are experienced in garage sales and you enjoy it - you might find more pros in that area. So no real answer for you - just the way I look at decisions like this. Good luck PC
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Post by canna on Dec 13, 2009 11:50:00 GMT -5
Goodwill, St. Vincent, Salvation Army, Amvets (which will pick up) are all good. And, search around your area for some of the smaller resale shops which may be affiliated with hospitals, assisted living facilities, or charity organizations. Another thing to think about if you have some nice things of value is consignment sales. Some of the smaller resale shops also do consignment sales - split the price with you - seller usually gets the bigger share of the sale ; and usually your items will be on display for a month - or more. I have done this; and am now getting a nice tea set of dishes ready to take to one of the consignment shops nearby. I have just taken another set of dishes and a pretty old cookie jar and a very large crackleglass vase (these are all from the 1960's very good condition) to another consignment shop. I've had success doing this in the past. I don't do garage sales, don't want to bother with that, but it is also a good idea if you don't mind the hassle.
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Post by greenfuzz on Dec 13, 2009 12:17:55 GMT -5
I think it depends on what your goals are. I've done a lot of and street sales and one local swap type sale and an eensy bit of ebay in the past couple years. Sometimes I've made quite a lot of money, last swap sale I went to I made $200. My experience is that about 10-25% of the stuff actually sells. You need to bring a lot or put out a lot to sell 10-25% of it. The goal of the sale is always primarily going to be about making money, getting rid of stuff is great, but you won't offload as much bulk as you think.
So if the goal is decluttering, you are going to be most effective at that by giving the majority of it away. The bulkiest stuff in your house is probably the least valuable. If you are going to have a sale, think about why you haven't done it yet, and if you are likely to do it in the future. Do you live in an urban area where there's a good place to bring your stuff rather than having people come to you? Do you have other friends that want to do this with you? That is how you make the most sales by doing it in a group, at least with one of your friends.
Also I have a lot of silver and at one point even had gold jewelry to sell as my mom and grandmother were jewelers. I have liquidated actually valuable stuff and made money. At one street sale where I had gold jewelry I made $750. I've privately sold things for up to $2500, but this is jewelry, ivory etc. This is the stuff that is going to make you the most actual money. Evaluate your things to see if really any of it is high value, the internet is an incredible resource for finding value, there are sites where you can learn the value of individual record albums and books.
This all takes a lot of time and energy. If you have that time, then you may want to do it. But if you don't then it's probably not worth it. It's good to do if you've lost your job and are broke, then you have time and motivation. Otherwise maybe not
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Post by paperpiler on Dec 13, 2009 12:25:28 GMT -5
I had a garage sale and really needed any money I could get. But I'll be honest. Had I had it to do over again, my answer would have been 100% non-garage sale.
I donated a lot of odds 'n ends at first to Goodwill. But if it was something of value (for instance, I had a comforter I'd never used), I freecycled it. I not only freecycled it but since it was MY right to do so, I specified that it would be given to someone who could really use it/couldn't afford a new one, etc. The reward in doing something like that for several things was priceless to me. I was helping someone...and that made a huge difference to me.
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Post by Chris on Dec 13, 2009 12:26:31 GMT -5
Take the most valuable things you think can sell - and advertise them on the nearest craigslist. If you don't get any offers in the first 2-3 days, give it up. Donate it. I totally agree with 60s advice -- this is what I'm doing. Then the money comes in handy -- if it's gonna sell it will sell quickly normally -- if it doesn't sell you can donate it guilt free.
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Post by Peach on Dec 13, 2009 15:01:04 GMT -5
The quickest way to declutter without guilt is to donate or give away. Get it out of your house and sight ASAP. You get immediate gratification from the empty space and it's gone forever. You no longer have to clutter up your mind thinking about what to do with it.
Clothing and linens go to our local Goodwill. Everything else is offered on Freecycle. If you're unfamiliar with how to freecycle, see the link under my SooS signature below.
In the past 9 months, I've given away many bags of clothing, linens, kitchen stuff, books, furniture, a sewing machine, unfinished yarn projects, etc.
I have yet to miss or need one single item -- because none of it was being used, it had all been packed away out of sight or was in sight but in the way.
Do something nice for yourself. Get it out of your life for good. That is worth much more than the hassle of trying to get a few dollars.
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Post by greenfuzz on Dec 13, 2009 15:11:00 GMT -5
I totally agree with 60 and Chris. Bringing items to sell several times is one way I realize it's time to pitch them. It's actually a drag for me to donate, the only place close is the SA which I don't give to for specific reasons related to selling clothing in the third world. So I actually just leave other stuff out in the stairwell one item at a time. The super will trash it if no one takes it.
Selling things is it's own process, and only if you are interested in that process and have time for it should you do it. It's not a great way to declutter, it can be part of a decluttering process, but as I said, you can only expect to sell 10-25% of what you bring. If you are a huge collector, which I am not, then it's not fully a way to address this.
Yes I have a storage unit, but I got it mostly because of the death of my mom and grandma in short succession. One of my goals is to get rid of it.
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Post by BetsyMarie on Dec 13, 2009 15:29:22 GMT -5
Thank you all for the replies. You have given me something to think about. I dont know what my final solution will be, but for now, it's going to be a combination approach. I've already taken 2 loads to goodwill, and will continue to put more into goodwill boxes - anything I would ask less than $1 for. The other things, some worth a fair amount, I'll put into other boxes and put aside. This is a large house, so I wont be tripping over them. I have given yard sales before and actually enjoy the sale process itself. I enjoy interacting with all the people and know how to say 'no' if offered too little. Every year local realtors set up a neighborhood yard sale day. They do the advertising, put up the signs, give out maps, and all I'll have to do is put out the stuff and take the money. I realize I'll only sell part of what I put out, but the rest will go to goodwill. The realtors also arrange for a goodwill truck to pick up what isnt sold the next day. A pretty good deal. I realize everyone will have different opinions, and for different reasons. I must be true to my frugal self. In the end most will be donated, and I'll be happy with whatever cash and human interaction I'll have gotten. And I could still change my mind and donate it all. If these sorts of decisions were easy, none of us would have extra stuff.
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Post by mythreecats on Dec 13, 2009 15:47:00 GMT -5
Everyone I know who's had a garage sale in the last six months has made very very little money. I agree with Craigslisting of anything that will go that way, and then deciding if the time a garage sale would take is worth it.
(edited to say, oops, I started this reply and then got distracted. You replied in the meantime. I think any way you want to do it is really fine, and as someone who loves going to yard sales, I'm glad people continue to have them)
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