As I’ve been working through my collections and thinning down, I’ve received many questions about moving (selling or donating) the stuff.  This can be the number one reason for holding onto things.  Decluttering and getting things physically out of your house is a lot of work!  It’s just easier to let it sit in a closet or the basement than to get rid of it.  It’s easier to make peace with it.  Donating can even be a pain in some cases when you don’t live near a thrift store with a convenient way to donate. I’ve been staring at those shelves of ironstone in the kitchen for months, and the idea of getting it all down, taking pictures of it, pricing, packing, and selling it all has prevented me from acting on the desire to purge.  But once you get going enough to feel the momentum and the benefits, it gets easier.  I feel like I’m on a roll.

Another powerful force that convinces us we should hold onto things is money. Money was spent on these things, and it can feel (and literally be) wasteful to donate or sell something at a loss.  This is hard for me, too, but I’ve tried to look at it from a different perspective.  Yes, I bought it, but it no longer feels like an asset.  It feels like something that is asking to be stored, that I no longer want or need.  My home is not a storage unit or a shrine to bad purchases.  It’s more of a loss to keep it and more of a gain to sell or donate it, even at a loss.  Let the thing go, but also let any guilt go with it.  Learn from it (or try your best to) and move onward.

So, let’s talk about moving stuff and some of the best avenues to clear your clutter at a profit, break-even, or a loss, depending on the amount of effort you want to put into it.

if you want top dollar

Sell directly to the customer (people who want to buy it at a retail/premium price). 

This takes the most time and energy, but it will also get you the best price.  I would suggest selling in an online marketplace like Etsy or eBay, or if you have enough stuff, selling locally by renting a space at a market geared towards your collection.  If you have antiques, consider selling at an antique market.  If you have sports memorabilia, a sports convention, etc.  The nice thing about selling online is that you can reach a broad market of people looking for just what you’re selling.  More customers = more competition = higher prices.

You do need to be realistic about your items, though, and look around online to see what comparable pieces are listed for.  Unless we have a Rembrandt we don’t know about, most of us value our pieces higher than they are worth.  It can be wishful thinking, it can be justification, it can simply be that we really like the piece, but those sentiments don’t make something monetarily valuable to others.  When I browse an antique booth with outrageously high prices and merchandise that hasn’t turned over in years, I think, This vendor doesn’t really want to sell this stuff.  They just want to feel like they are.  

Make a decision to see it and sell it at market value.  If you’re selling online, take good pictures (in natural light with a neutral background) and write a detailed description with measurements, markings, history, flaws, etc.  Make sure you have bubble wrap, good boxes, and packing peanuts for shipping valuables.  Like I said, it’s more work, but if making money is the goal, this is the way.

Sell at auction. 

If you don’t want to mess with selling items yourself, look into selling your collection or highly desired pieces through an auction house.  You do have to pay commissions to the auction house, but you can get premium prices for valuable items.  I’m not talking about “collectible” plates and such, but valuable items like original art, pristine antiques, and rare pieces that are in high demand, etc.  This can also be a good way to sell quality antique furniture.  You will make more if you sell directly to a buyer, but this is a way to reach a broad audience of specialty collectors and to get a premium price with the expertise of a reputable auction house.

if you want some money, but profit isn’t the main goal

Sell in bulk to vendors/dealers/collectors

This is what I’ve been doing so far and what I’ve done many times in the past.  I take pictures or video of what I have with details and prices, and vendors let me know what they want to buy.  In the vast majority of these transactions, I’m not making a profit on anything.  I’m breaking even or taking a loss.  I’m making sure I price the pieces at a “wholesale” price so the vendor can have a minimum of a 50% mark-up on average.  What’s great about this way of selling is it’s sort of like having a yard sale, but you don’t have to put up signs and sit in your driveway for two days.  It does still take work, but it’s much easier to exchange some texts, put things in a pile, and have them picked up.

As a vendor, I loved buying this way!  So, now, as someone selling off a bunch of stuff, it feels like a win-win.

This is a little easier for me since I am plugged into a network of vendors, but you can always go to a local antique shop and ask.  Look for vendors who are selling things similar to what you have, and ask to leave your information at the counter.

Sell on consignment

I forgot to include this initially, but one of my readers brought it up, and she is right!  Taking things to a consignment shop can be an easy way to sell new, gently used, or nice vintage/antique pieces.  In my experience, you might make a bit more than you would selling at a yard sale (depending on the pricing and consignment fees), but all you do is drop it off, and they’ll take it from there.  Just make sure you understand the terms of payment (do you have to pick up the money or do they mail you a check), how their pricing works, and what happens if a piece doesn’t sell within a certain timeframe.  Most consignment stores will continue to reduce the price in increments and then pull a piece if it doesn’t sell

Have a yard/tag sale

If you’ve ever had a yard sale, you know how much work it is!  But, it can be a great way to get rid of clutter and bring in some money in the process.  Unless you’re selling things that were given to you or you dug out of the trash or hauled off the curb, don’t expect to make money.  People are coming to yard sales expecting bargains.  You won’t move as much as you want if you’re trying to get like-new prices from things sold off your front lawn.  Give people the bargains they’re expecting, let them haggle, collect the cash, and celebrate sending something to a new home.

To have a successful yardsale, try to time it when other neighbors or the neighborhood/area is having sales as well, list it in the local paper, list it on Facebook Marketplace & Craigslist, put up good signs, let people know what will be in the sale ahead of time, put clear prices on everything.  Make sure you have plenty of change as well, since many people show up to yard sales with crisp $20s right out of an ATM.

Sell at an auction

This is going to show up in every category because there are different kinds of auctions.  If your items are nice, but a bit more average, or you have a massive amount of stuff to move (like an entire estate), let an auction house that specializes in estate clearances sell for you.  When I used to refinish furniture, I would send a huge haul off to the auction house now and then if my stash got out of control.  I didn’t make as much off the items sold in that format, but it was a great way to clear out a lot of stuff quickly and get some cash in return.

Sell online in local marketplaces

I list things for sale on Facebook Marketplace pretty regularly.  It’s a fairly easy way to sell just about anything.  You can get some good prices for things sold locally online, but I think most people who frequent those sites are looking for good deals.  If you have a reasonable local following on social media, listing things in your Stories or in posts can be a good way to unload things as well.

if you just want it out

Donate

Of course, this is the easiest way to get rid of things.  List it for free on a local online marketplace or drop it off at a thrift store.  I’ve put things up for free that I didn’t think anyone would want, and then they were gone by the end of the day.  Some thrift stores will take anything, and others are very particular.  If you have a lot of stuff, some thrift stores and charities will even send a truck over to pick it all up.

Sell at an auction

I’ve shopped at many auctions where the contents of an entire house were up for sale.  There were even boxes of half-used cleaners from under the bathroom sinks.  If you just want things out, look into auctions that do whole-house sales and have few restrictions on what they will sell.

Take it to the dump

Check with your local dump to see if they have a place to leave items that other people might want.  There are some dumps in the country that have “swap buildings” where you can drop off things that are still useful.

Of course, if you have a bunch of literal junk/trash that no one wants even for free, the dump is the best place to take it.  You have to pay by the pound to dispose of household items, but it gets the house (or yard) cleaned out.  It goes without saying that this should be a last resort, especially if things can be recycled or donated.

Yard sale & market season is about to go into full swing, so now is a good time to do some Spring Cleaning and purging!