“I want a hard-target search of every kitchen drawer, cabinet space, storage space, garage corner, outhouse or dog house in our residence.” No, Tommie Lee Jones isn't here looking for a fugitive. It's the U.S. MOM Marshal, that would be me, looking to clean out and simplify in 2009.
Last summer, my husband graciously offered to build me more shelves in our ever-decreasing basement space. I said, “Whoa, there. If we have to build more shelves, we have TOO much stuff.” I forced myself to spend a day cleaning out items we didn’t need or use. Sentimental packrat that I am, I came up with numerous reasons to hang onto all kinds of stuff that NOW I am ready to get rid off.
There are a couple of frugal advantages to cleaning out overcrowded spaces. One, the less you have, the easier it is remember you have it. If you are a stuff saver, getting started can be overwhelming. Starting simply, Ellie Kay from “In Living Rich for Less”says, “Take everything out of each drawer, and put each item in one of three piles: 1) Give Away, 2) Throw Away, and 3) Keep.”
I would add to Kay's list “or Sell It.” One popular website for selling used goods is eBay, an online auction site for anything from penny comic books to the used pickup truck my husband bought. eBay users have become incredibly savvy with pictures, online stores and payment options. Despite their expertise, there is plenty of room for one-timers. As a reminder, most users agree that a picture is worth a thousand words when it comes to selling most effectively. Pictures help detail any prior usage or damage and reduce the chance of misunderstandings. In your description, it is critical that you clearly spell out any problems with the item ahead of time to maintain your online integrity. There is a charge to using e-Bay, with additional fee-based options available to enhance your chance of selling your goods.
Another site for selling items online is Craigslist. This site is an organic, picture-less, less sophisticated, user-friendly page of classifieds sorted by categories, date and location. It is free but listings get buried quickly. However, it is increasing in popularity as more and more people enjoy the services. Craigslist is city-based and most useful if you are within driving distance of one of the major cities listed.
For books, consider Amazon. If you are buying, always look in the used section to see if anyone is selling a gently used copy. Savings can be significant. If you want to sell, the site walks you through the steps pretty easily. Like E-bay, how you package the book and communicate with the buyer will affect your rating as a seller.
Then, there is one of my favorites, Freecycle, which lets you list items to give away and will notify you of listings as they come up. Why fill more trash dumps if someone somewhere can use what you don’t want? Like Craigslist, it works best if you live close to the person entering the listing.
If all else fails, take a huge bag of STUFF you don’t need to thrift stores like Goodwill and Salvation Army and take the tax write-off. Make sure you make a list of what you are donating and the approximate value. Ask for a receipt and attach your list to it for your files. Those charitable deductions add up.
Time to go clean out and clear out the stowaways from yesteryear. See you the curb.
Article reprinted from The Phoenix. Picture by Templton Elliott.
Sarah blogs regularly at Genesis Moments. She is also a featured storyteller at Story of My Life, a college professor of journalism and columnist on Frugal Living for the The Phoenix.
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