Whether you want to pick up a few extra bucks or want to declutter, odds are you have thought about selling more than a few items you have had lying around since… well, too long ago. While it is easier than ever to get good money for your unused items, you need to weigh your own personal answers to two questions before you can determine what to sell, how to sell it, and where to sell it.
Question 1: Why am I selling?
Are you selling primarily because you need money or because you are decluttering and might as well pick up a few bucks while you are at it? If you are selling because you really need the cash, then it makes sense to put more effort into getting top dollar. If you are selling because you are decluttering, then it is probably worth it to get rid of things the easiest way rather than the most profitable way. An example might help here. Let’s say you have a couch that is fairly nice, and you think you can get $200 for it. If you are selling it for the money, then it is probably worth it to put up some advertisements, take a few offers, and help some newlyweds lug it out of the living room; however, if you just want to declutter, then you will probably be better off asking Goodwill or another local charity to come pick it up for you. Giving to charity is more of a win-win than most people realize because of the fact that charitable donations are tax-deductible, and you can pick a (reasonable) value for the item that is favorable for you.
Question 2: How much work am I willing to put into this?
Whatever the reason that you have for selling is, how you go about doing it depends on how much work you are willing to put into the process. This, in turn, usually depends on how valuable the thing you are selling is. For instance, say you are decluttering your jewelry box and think to yourself,
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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