5 Best Ways to Declutter and Make Money

Why Declutter Your Home?

I am a busy mom who works from home, so I must declutter my house to keep my sanity. A clutter-free home helps reduce stress and creates a more peaceful and organized environment. Decluttering can save you time and energy in the long run.

When your home is organized and clutter-free, you can easily find the things you need, which can help streamline your daily routine. This can be especially beneficial for busy working moms juggling multiple responsibilities and often feel like they are constantly running out of time.

Decluttering your home can also make it safer for you and your family. Clutter can create tripping hazards for your kids and make it difficult to navigate through your home, increasing the risk of accidents and injuries.

That is why I decided to declutter my entire home this year and, in the process, make some extra money. Here are five great ways to declutter and make money selling your unwanted clutter, old toys, clothes, and even higher value items that you no longer use.

This blog post is all about the 5 ways to declutter and make money!

5 Great Ways to Make Money While Decluttering

1. Return Items

I recently decluttered my master closet, and I was surprised and a bit disappointed in myself to find clothes with tags still in them. I found a few long skirts and sweaters to return for a refund or store credit. My husband also had a few pairs of shoes that he bought but didn’t fit (so he never wore them), so I also returned those for store credit.

Did you know Target offers one-year returns on own-brand items, including Cat & Jack children’s clothing?

2. Sell Online

Nowadays, there are so many websites, apps, or online marketplaces where you can sell your stuff. I only have experience with Poshmark, OfferUp, and Facebook marketplace. However, here is a list of places to start selling your clutter for extra cash.

Online marketplaces for shipping items

• Amazon
  
• EBay
  
• Bonanza
  

Online marketplaces for local sales

• Craiglist
  
• Facebook marketplace
  
• Nextdoor
  
• OfferUp
  

Online marketplaces for clothes, vintage items, and crafts

• Poshmark
  
• Ruby Lane
  
• Etsy
  

Online marketplaces for electronics

• Swappa
  
• Gazelle
  

How I Got Started Selling Online

The first step is to start decluttering your house of unwanted items. At the beginning of the year, I made a decluttering schedule, where every month, I focused on a room or area in my home.

I took good pictures of brand-name clothing items (Lululemon, Gymshark, etc.) and listed them on Poshmark.

For bigger items like furniture and electronics, I placed those on the Facebook marketplace and OfferUp. I’ve sold several items on both platforms and have not had any issues selling the items or with the buyers.

3. Have a Yard Sale or Garage Sale

I’ve hosted a few yard or garage sales within the past few years, and here is what I learned.

• If you live in a neighborhood with an HOA, make sure they don’t have any rules against garage sales. My HOA loves doing neighborhood yard sales, so make sure you also know the dates for this to take advantage of the advertisement.
  
• You need to advertise; otherwise, no one will come. I joined a few local Facebook yard sale groups and put up signs during the week off.
  
• Set the date so you do not put it off. Otherwise, summer will be over, and you will have a pile of items you donate or throw away.
  
• Don’t miss out on a sale because you don’t accept digital payments. Download a free app like Venmo, Cash App, or PayPal to your smartphone. You can also check out services like Square or Stax to accept card payments.
  
• Price all your items before the day of the yard sale. Trust me. You will rush in the morning to get all your stuff out; the last thing you want is a crowd asking for prices.
  
• Make all the prices visible. Use these suggested price recommendations.
  
• Use a fanny pack to be mobile and walk around to speed up the purchasing process.
  

4. Consign

Consigning items involves selling them in a store or online platform, with the store or platform taking a commission on the sale price. Selling items you no longer need or want can make you extra money while decluttering your home.

To consign items, you would typically bring them to a consignment store or list them on an online consignment platform. The store or platform will then display the items for sale and handle the sales process. Once the items are sold, you will receive a percentage of the sale price, usually around 50-70%, depending on the consignment agreement.

Consignment can be a great way to make extra money while decluttering because it allows you to sell items without the hassle of listing and shipping them yourself. Additionally, consignment stores often have a built-in customer base, increasing the chances of your items selling quickly. It can also be a more sustainable option than simply throwing items away, as your unwanted items can find new homes and be enjoyed by someone else.

5. Sale to Your Friends and Family

If you are an extreme introvert or do not want to expose yourself or your family to strangers, then try selling your items to your family and friends. My sisters and I do this all the time. We buy each other’s clothes or electronics. This helps one sibling get rid of the item and make a little extra cash while the other enjoys the item for a small fraction of the original cost.

This blog post was all about decluttering and making money selling your clutter!