With These Tips You Can Declutter Your Home And Make Money At The Same Time

Decluttering is rewarding after the fact, but when you're in the thick of it, it can feel overwhelming, if not downright annoying. There are lots of strategies for decluttering your home, but what if there was a way to motivate yourself beyond the general excitement of a clean house? Fortunately, there is: you can inspire yourself to declutter with the prospect of making money. You can make extra cash by selling your clutter on websites like Facebook Marketplace because, after all, one woman's or man's trash is another's treasure. By sorting your items into four piles, one of which will be dedicated to selling, you might be able to make a profit from pieces you no longer need or want.

Your four piles will consist of a keep, donate, throw, and sell pile. It's important to start by separating all of your items and determine what is useful and/or sellable versus garbage or donation. Some items like toys, lightly-worn clothing pieces, and dishware can be donated, but a lot of items like unused electronics, new or unworn clothing, collectors items, and homeware can be sold for cash. These items should be in good condition and usable. You can also sell vintage antiques; while these won't always be in the best condition due to age, you can clean them and repair what is possible before listing. 

TikToker @itsginatok's rule of thumb is to try and sell anything you haven't used or touched in six months or more. If it's been longer than a year since you've utilized an item, use this as another sign that it's time to let it go. Another smart organization habit that will help you declutter is to ensure anything you keep has a home. When something you're unsure about doesn't fit in a drawer, pantry, closet, shelf, or other area, this might be a good choice for your sell pile. If the pieces you're sorting are still functional but haven't served a purpose for you, they should go straight to the "sell" pile, too. If you still have the original packaging and all accessories, make sure these remain together to make the item more valuable.

Next, you want to pick the platform where you'll be selling your items. Facebook Marketplace is popular and means you can ship within the U.S. or even meet people to hand items off. If you don't mind shipping internationally, you can also sell pieces on eBay. Consignment shops in your area may buy clothing or other items off you, although these can be trickier to navigate as they are particular about what they buy. Facebook Marketplace and eBay allow you to set your own price, but it's important to consider what you're selling, its current value, and the condition when choosing how much to sell it for.

Once you've finished cleaning out an area, take your "sell" pile somewhere where you can inventory each item. To help with pricing, go online to compare similar products. Facebook Marketplace, Mercari, eBay, and Poshmark are likely to have a variety of items within that category that could help you choose a price point. Of course, items will vary in quality and condition, so choose a price that seems fair to both you and potential buyers. You will also need to take high-quality photos of your items, so find a clean space where you can set them, snap photos, and create an accurate description about each piece.

Next, set a timeline for when you would like to have these pieces all sold. The longer it takes to sell them, the more time they spend taking up space in your home. With this in mind, as your end goal is to declutter, try to set realistic deadlines when you want to have each item purchased and delivered. If something doesn't sell within that, this is a good way to determine what can then be donated or tossed. Or, you may just need to alter the price to fit people's budgets. However, insisting on selling your items is one of the things you have to stop doing when decluttering. If you're holding onto more items than you're selling while you wait for buyers, this could result in more stress.