Stuff. It surrounds me… though less than it did last quarter. I’ve continued to make progress getting stuff out of my house.
At the beginning of the year, I started an experiment to get stuff out of my house. My initial goal was to sell it and learn about the various platforms.
My goal shifted this quarter to focus more on ensuring I got my stuff to a new proper home. It would be incredibly easy to fill up our trash and the car a few times to Goodwill, but I don’t want to do that. I currently own this stuff and I feel it is my duty to get it to its proper place. If it still has life, I want someone to use it. If it needs to be disposed of, I want to do that properly.
This quarter was less about the experiment and more about the result. I knew the apps and sites I could use, but much of this quarter’s output had no monetary value. I was challenged to find proper ways to get things to the correct places.
Places I used
Local – Large or Unique items.
Craigslist
OfferUp
Facebook Marketplace
Curb in front of my house
Local Recycling Center
Online – Easily shippable items
Since this was the second quarter, my records aren’t as good. I kept posting items anywhere and everywhere, but I didn’t keep track as to whether what sold this quarter was first posted this quarter or last quarter. Sold is sold as far as I was concerned.
Poshmark
Sold : 8 // Last Quarter: 10
I sold 2 fewer items in Q2, but I made nearly $20 more. I don’t have any tricks for getting more money out of each sale, other than put up more expensive items! I’m not aggressive with the price drops, so that may help too. That could also be leading to fewer sales.
eBay
Sold: 3 // Last Quarter: 1
Yay 3 sales! I still have no idea what I’m doing on eBay, but I’m happy to have an additional market to sell my wares. My sales were split between Buy it Now and Auctions. For these, I require payment immediately. Unfortunately for me, I accepted an offer on a 4th item mid-June. Offers aren’t required to pay immediately and I’m still waiting on payment. I opened a case in eBay because Hey Guy! Dont say you’ll buy my stuff and not pay! I even gave the guy a deal! How Rude. I’m soured on the Offer function.
Where I Gave Away
Curb
There is this fancy place at the end of your driveway where you can put stuff and it’ll disappear! I had an old solid wood desk to get rid of – not a nice one – and I was under a deadline. Hubs cleaned up the garage and the crappy old desk the previous owner left in our house had to go ASAP. I had 1 week until Trash Day or it was going with the trash. (I know. Wood – in the trash?? He can be a real monster sometimes.)
I posted an ad on Craigslist, OfferUp and Facebook Marketplace. With Midwest summer weather and living on a quiet street, I waited for nibbles before I put it out on the curb. The next morning, I got an email from my neighbor across the street saying she nabbed it, she loves it and she can’t wait to fix it up. Turns out a quiet street doesn’t matter when my trash is literally my neighbor’s treasure.
Local Recycling Center
Also in the garage clean out, I had to find a home for 2 vacuums: One non-functioning old canister vac and a broken shop vac. My area has a recycling location where I can drop off certain items free of charge. I kinda knew this place existed, but had never used it. It was so easy! They even unloaded my car for me while I ran inside and scanned my license (Local residents only). I’m excited to keep future items out of the garbage heap and recycle or repurpose them now that I’ve confirmed this place exists.
Overall
The Second Quarter was incredibly productive in terms of volume moved out of my space. By nixing a desk and 2 vacuums, I have so much extra room! A deadline made all the difference getting the big stuff out. I’m happy to have more space, less stuff and more money.
Do you sell secondhand? Do you put in the time to find new homes for the things you no longer use? Or are you a Goodwill and done type of person?
