The process of decluttering my home is taken me years and years, and it seems to be a never-ending cycle. Whilst I work hard to break the cycle of decluttering only to bring more items into my home, I also sell unwanted items to free up some money. In this post I am going to share my top tips for decluttering as well as selling your unwanted items to make some cash.
The benefits of decluttering your home
Decluttering your home isn’t just about making it look good—it’s a game changer for your well-being and quality of life! Imagine less stress and more headspace because you're not drowning in stuff or constantly looking for lost items. Getting rid of the clutter can actually make you rethink your shopping habits, saving you some cash and helping the planet at the same time. Plus, with a tidy space, you’ll probably find it easier to think clearly, focus, and let those creative juices flow. So, decluttering? It’s like a breath of fresh air for your life!
How to declutter
Decluttering is a long process. It won't be accomplished in just one weekend, it could, in fact, take years. Be patient throughout this process and realise that making the decision to cut the clutter is an achievement in itself.
- Do little and often – decide on a small area to tackle instead of an entire room, for instance, a wardrobe instead of an entire bedroom.
- Have a few empty containers at your disposal. I have a box for selling, a box for donating, a box for recycling and a bin. This means if I come across something to declutter as I'm going about my normal daily routine, I can easily place it in the designated box.
- Don't get too sentimental with your old items.
- Stop bringing more items into your home.
#TheMinsGame
#TheMinsGame is a really fun way to declutter. You start on day 1 (I like to tie it in with the first of a month) and you get rid of one item. On day 2, you get rid of two items. You continue this until the last day, and you see almost 500 items leave your house for good!
The challenge sounds difficult, but it is really fun, and I have now completed it three times…and I still have a lot of clutter to still get rid of. It is a great way to clear some stuff if you've decided that you need to cut the clutter.
You can also share photos of the items you declutter using the hashtag #theminsgame on Twitter or Instagram.
Turning your clutter into cash and and sell unwanted items
Once you've decide to cut the clutter and you have sorted your unwanted items into your selling pile, it is time to get cracking.
There are so many options when it comes to getting to and sell unwanted items.
List on eBay
eBay is a massive online marketplace for buying and selling, and with so many buyers looking for items you stand a good chance of selling your unwanted items on eBay.
On eBay you can choose to run an auction where buyers bid for your item, or you can choose a selling price with a ‘buy it now' listing.
eBay fees are on the heavy side, so look out for the 70% off fees promotional weekends that tend to happen every fortnight, or consider these alternatives to eBay.
Sell on Vinted
Vinted is a great place to sell unwanted items such as clothing, shoes, accessories, homewares and beauty products.
Listing and selling is free on Vinted, with buyers paying postage, so selling on Vinted is easy.
Sell your DVDs, CDs, games and books easily
You can get a quick win by selling your DVDs, CDs, games and even books to sites like Music Magpie, Zapper and Ziffit. This won't earn you the most money, but it is the quickest and easiest way to get items out of your house and cash in your pocket. Be sure to compare the prices for items between each website, as they will vary – there's nothing to stop you from splitting your items into a few parcels to different companies. You also can sell your unwanted electronics, including mobile phones, to these websites.
Sell unwanted items on Marketplace
Facebook Marketplace is a great place to sell unwanted items.
It is usually good for bulkier items that aren't worth the hassle of posting, such as furniture, exercise equipment, etc.
Don't discount the smaller items too – many people have success selling clothes, DVDs, games and more on Marketplace.
Sell old tech
Your old tech, no matter the condition, could be worth some money.
Turn old unused electrical items into cash by using a gadget recycling site. Got some broken GHDs? You can sell them too.
You can also visit a CEX store and sell your electronics, games, DVDs and CDs – I've even sold an old iPhone to CEX.
Do a car boot sale
A car boot sale is a great way to sell unwanted items in one go.
Many people visit car boot sales looking for a bargain, and if you price your items fair for a car boot sale (e.g. cheaper than eBay!) then you can shift a lot of items and sell unwanted items quickly.
Some of my tips for a car boot sale include:
- Take lots of change – you don't want to lose a sale because you can't offer change.
- Pack lunch – your hard work won't be worth it if you're spending your profits at the burger van.
- Place your items on tables, not the ground. Make it as easy as possible for your buyers to look at your items.
You can see more of my car boot sale tips here.
2 responses
Great post! I definitely have some clutter that I need gone, so this post was really helpful 🙂
Great tips – Gumtree is worth trying if you don’t get a response on Facebook. And I had no idea there was a service which pays for broken GHDs, definitely hunting down my old ones!