This post is part of a campaign with eBay and The Motherhood, who compensated me for my time.
I don’t remember what it was but on May 13, 2005, I made my first eBay sale (yes I was able to look that up on eBay.) Back then I did it just occasionally to rid myself of something here or there and not much has changed today except for how much I sell. Today I sell to de-clutter my home. I have stopped shopping so much not because I can’t afford to but because I found that I don’t need a new this or that to make me happy. Honestly what gives me joy now is when I can de-clutter a room or even a drawer, baby steps. I often ask myself “Where did all this stuff come from?” and “Do I really need two of these?”
Did you know that the average household has 52 extra or unused items worth over $4,000 in the home that can be turned into money by selling them on eBay? From clothing to handbags to tech gadgets, I know at my house just looking around I see five things right in front of me that I don’t need. I am not talking about junk or trash, I am talking about gently used items that I am not using. Items that are just collecting dust and even though they are relatively new I can’t remember why I bought them!
This fall, eBay has partnered with Marie Kondo, a world-renowned organizational expert and best-selling author of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, to develop 15 brand new tidying tips created exclusively for eBay. Her tips make it easy to de-clutter your home and discover money that may be hiding where you least expect it.
Here are some of KonMari tips for tidying up this Fall:
- Ready, Set, Go! – Tidy all at once, in the right order. Start with clothes, then books then documents and finally kitchen and sentimental items.
- Keep Only What Sparks Joy – Don’t chose what to get rid of, only what to keep.
Image credit: Jackie M. Graham for eBay
- Say Thank You, Then Goodbye – Never decide to keep something because it “might come in handy”
- Discard, Then Organize – Don’t think about where to store items until you have finished throwing everything away.
- Tidy in Your Own Space – Have everyone keep their own items in their own personal space so they are not spilling into others spaces.
- Tidying Begins With You – Let family members see how much you enjoy your new tidy space.
- First Up…Clothes! – Hold each clothing items and choose only the ones that spark joy.
- Must Haves Vs. Nice-to-Haves – Clothing, handbags and shoes are some of the bestsellers on eBay, so think about if you really need that designer purse or sweater?
Image credit: Jackie M. Graham for eBay
- Out with Old Gadgets – Out with the old and in with the new! Even if tech is ‘outdated’ it doesn’t mean its not wanted.
- Keep With Confidence – Keep only items that bring you joy even if its just looking at them which might inspire more use.
- Pass on the Sentiment – Don’t keep a beautiful item because it was passed down to you, let it be appreciated by someone else.
- From My Family to Yours – Pass on those classic comic books or sports memorabilia that has sat forgotten in the closet.
If an item no longer brings you joy, it might bring someone else joy. You can either sell it, donate to charity or pass it along to a family member or friend.
For me, navigating eBay comes easy but I know that is not the case for everyone or maybe you just don’t have time for listing on eBay.
eBay Valet is a professional selling service that offers new, simple ways to sell items on eBay. You simply visit ebay.com/valet, request and print a free postage-paid shipping label and ship items in any box.
For consumers looking to earn some extra money to fund their holiday shopping, eBay Valet offers access to experts who will showcase items in the best light and in front of the largest online shopping audience. They handle everything from estimating price of products to professional pictures of items and finally the quick and safe shipment of items to buyers. The Valets do the selling, you get paid up to 80% of the sale price if your items sell!
So before your house fills up with all those Christmas presents and you go broke buying them, why not start de-cluttering while earning some extra money?
Natalie Brown says
I have so many things I’ve thought of selling on Ebay but really didn’t know how to go about it. I was also not sure what to charge for shipping so I wouldn’t lose money. This is such an awesome service! I’m for sure going to check it out. Thank-you!!!
Melissa S says
I really need to set up a sellers account on Ebay. I have so much sitting here that I could be making money on.
vickie Couturier says
great ideal,,i have a friend that does thisa lot
Cathy Thompson says
I delfinitely could use come decluttering! thanks for the great advice!
Mia says
Good advice for a way to declutter and better yet that it can be combined with a way to make some extra money. I have bought on eBay but never sold anything. This makes me think I should give it a try.
Sara Zielinski says
I always use ebay to get rid of my unwanted stuff, I get the most money for my stuff that way even after fees.
Elisabeth says
I am obsessed with decluttering!
Patricia Delgado says
I really need to de clutter my home, what a good idea to try and sell some stuff!