Many times, in the decluttering process, my clients come across items of perceived
value, and the only reason they hesitate to get rid of them, is the money they spent on
it, and the monetary loss of giving it away. In some cases, selling these items can
lessen the blow, but there are a few things to keep in mind before committing to selling
an item, because sometimes the sunk cost is something worth accepting.
The first question to ask: is the item actually valuable? Outdated electronics, your early
2000s formal gown, or a massive entertainment center for example, were once quite
valuable, but some things do not age well, and no one will want these items, so unless
they are a collector’s edition, they are probably no longer of any real value. The same
goes for your collection of state quarters, or those few beanie babies you are still
holding on to. They never gained in value as some people expected.
Once you decide it is indeed valuable, you need to ask if anyone will want it? That last
remaining China plate from grandma’s dishes could be just the piece someone needs to
complete their collection, but it also may be an unpopular pattern and a quick search on
eBay or replacements.com will be able to tell you how much a single plate, glass,
platter, or spoon might go for.
And finally: Is it worth your time to sell it? This, to me, is the most important question.
Once you determine the actual current value of the item, you must decide if the hassle
of selling the item is worth the price you will get. Sometimes selling your item will
require a stop at a consignment shop, a trip to the post office, or several messages
back and forth navigating scammers and low-ball offers. To me, if an item will not bring
in at LEAST $50, I would rather donate it and take the tax write-off. You can determine
what that price is for you but take into consideration the value of your time.
If you have enough items to have a garage/yard sale, that is also an option, but you still
need to keep in mind that even if you sell 100 items for $1-5 each, that is only $100-
$500 for the day, and you had to do all the set up, publicity and pricing ahead of time
and will still need to find a place to donate or discard anything that you don’t sell. For
some that may be worth the effort, but it really is a lot of work, AND the weather doesn’t
always cooperate, so if you plan to go this route, set a deadline and follow through or
your potential garage sale, will just be a cluttered garage for the foreseeable future.
Are there any other areas that need a refresh in your house?
I would love to help you get your house organized for the holidays!
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