How to De-clutter and Make Money

Removing clutter from a home in an effort to clean it up can be difficult for a lot of people because they cannot bear the idea of simply throwing away possessions that still work, but have not been used for some time. Wouldn’t it be easier to part with some of those belongings if a little money could also be made? These days, especially with the Internet, there are several options available to de-clutter a home and also make money.

De-cluttering

Many people want to remove the clutter from their home but become overwhelmed just thinking about where to start. Rather than give in to the impulse to put the task off to another day, remember some of these tips:

• Start – The most important thing is to begin doing it, and begin as soon as possible. It is surprising how easy it is to keep de-cluttering after it has started.
  
  
• A room at a time – Pick one room and start there. It could be the room that is the most cluttered, or the least. Only after a room is finished, move on to the next room. Jumping from room to room will make it seem like nothing is ever getting accomplished.
  
  
• Collect the possessions – If the secondary goal is to make some money selling the unwanted possessions, they will need to be collected and stored somewhere. The best chance of making money is to sell items that are in still good condition.

Where to sell the goods

There are many avenues available for selling items that are no longer wanted by their original owners, but may be useful for somebody else.

• Garage sales – The traditional garage sale is still a good option to make some money on unwanted possessions. The advantage is that all the items can be collected and displayed in one place for others to view. Advertise the sale in the local newspaper by highlighting some of the best items to draw as big a crowd as possible.
  
  
• Classified ads – For some possessions, such as an older appliance that still works, offering it for sale in the classified ad section of the newspaper may be a better option. Often, people will list an asking price but accept the best offer.
  
  
• eBay – The online auction dealer provides a place for all sorts of items to be offered for sale. The advantage of eBay is the fact the seller can set an amount of time for the auction to last and those that are interested bid on them, with the highest bid being the winner. The disadvantage is that items may sell for less than expected, unless a reserve price is set.
  
  
• Facebook – Several groups have popped up on Facebook in which people list items they want to sell and those that are interested make an offer or agree to the price. The groups are usually regionalized.

Making money while de-cluttering can make the process easier and seem even more worthwhile. If done on a regular basis it can be a new source of extra income for the family.

This post was contributed by Karen Barnes, who writes for a site with tips on how to avoid bed bugs. One of these tips is to reduce clutter so these pests have nowhere to hide! Karen tries to de-clutter regularly and enjoys making a little extra cash from selling her unwanted items.