Decluttering, what sells, what doesn't (and things I'll never buy new again)

[Nemo2]

This is why we can't have nice things, hehe! But I admire the giver's faith in humanity.

Perhaps they should have put the wine under the TV.

 

[Music Lover]

I once put a couple shelving units by the road plus an internet ad with pics saying "free must pick up". 2 people answered the ad asking if I'd deliver them

 

[Midpack]

I once put a couple shelving units by the road plus an internet ad with pics saying "free must pick up". 2 people answered the ad asking if I'd deliver them

I’m planning on putting a bunch of furniture (with pics & descriptions) on nextdoor for free when we move, with the stipulation ‘must pickup between 9am-noon on X date.’ I fully expect people to stop by and ask me to hold pieces, but anything that isn’t gone will be on our front lawn first come, first serve. I was putting stuff at the end of our driveway, but I put a piece out last week, and whoever took it dragged the piece across our newly redone driveway and gouged the asphalt. Really?

Maybe it’s just me being naive, but I think ‘free’ should put all the onus on the recipient.

I asked for realtor recommendations on nextdoor to sell our house, but made it crystal clear we weren’t ready to sell yet, need to find new house first. I got a few realtors offering their services, no surprise. But I had quite a few people who wanted pics and details, even wanted to come see the house NOW.

 

[John Galt III]

Ebay, but they should be designer frames.

OK, thanks! I'm pretty sure these aren't designer frames. And they still have the lenses in them, of course. Guess I could just donate them somewhere.

 

[samclem]

OK, thanks! I'm pretty sure these aren't designer frames. And they still have the lenses in them, of course. Guess I could just donate them somewhere.

The Lions Club accepts eyeglasses and makes them available to folks who need them. They have a drop box in my local library and I think they also have a collection box in many Walmart stores.
It's hard to believe that it is practical to assess the exact prescription of each lens in each eyeglass and match them up with recipients, but I guess they do it somehow. A set of proper eyeglasses could sure improve someone's life.

 

[travelover]

The Lions Club accepts eyeglasses .......

I think that Target optometries do, too. At least they used to.

 

[Elizrogers]

Will never have a garage sale again. People are so rude and so cheap. They want to haggle over working small appliances marked $2-$5 and offer $.50 for long sleeved white shirts in perfect condition.

I also would not like being available for people to come into my home to "look" at stuff or have to mail stuff, so no eBay or Craigslist.

I donate it and then take a tax deduction on my taxes. If you use It's Deductible online to track items, you'll find the pricing much better than you will get in a garage sale. Of course, only 25% of the price allowed is deducted, but it still adds up throughout the year to more than I'd probably get selling it and the inconvenience factor is worth so much more. I take pictures of everything and attached to donation receipt, just in case I ever get audited.

 

[iloveyoga]

I have had a few surprises on eBay also. I had good luck with used kitchen items, especially name brand stuff. My hubby's stuff seems to sell better than mine. Some name brand clothes, like the Buckle can sell well. I would guess overall the average is 20 to 25 cents on the dollar, for things in excellent condition. It feels so good to declutter and I have made a bit of pocket change along the way.

 

[ACEIV]

Options are everywhere

Howdy!


Ya'll need to think outside the box a bit. First rule I always remind people, is that "money has no memory." Chances are many of you paid more for a purchase than it was worth (ummm anything with the word Apple comes to mind), and we all do.



With that said, getting value out of your downsizing is fairly easy, just need to be creative. First, most posts that I have seen on Nextdoor or Craigslist lack any marketing savvy...just are basic descriptions. Many of your poor results maybe the word you chose, the pictures you took, or your annoyance with the whole process came out in your writing tone. Second, ask yourself "where is the demand for my widget?" For example, if you live in a college town, demand for furniture is at a peak about 30 days prior to the new semester. Values spike up, supply shrinks.



If you don't want to deal with the "hassle", then how about a consignment shop? Yes you will give up about 50%, but it gets it out the door, and at least there is a chance to make some cash. Another idea, if you are members of a church (don't have to be a member either), go ask the pastor/priest/whatever if they know someone who is down on their luck and is willing to work hard. Then you can offer to let them sell a few items and split the proceeds. If it works, great, if not what is really the harm (even if they lie to you - probably won't). High school kids need money, same deal. High school groups have auctions or fundraisers...another way to get rid of it at least. Finally, carefully document your donation and research "like kind" items, and take a tax deduction.



Hope that helps!

ACEIV

 

[Sconie]

People confuse what they paid for something and it's value. The two concepts have very little to do with each other.

Well said!

 

[Nemo2]

They want to haggle over working small appliances marked $2-$5 and offer $.50 for long sleeved white shirts in perfect condition.

When I lived on the BC Gulf Islands there was a young guy living close by who made reproductions of antique furniture.....when he was leaving the island for greener pastures, he took some stuff down to a local market.......one item was a beautiful map table which he offered at what was really a give away price.

Someone offered him perhaps a tenth of what he was asking, so he told them he'd sooner burn it than sell it for that.

 

[Pointby2]

I don't give a lot to charity. When I have DO have things that still have significant value but don't want to deal with selling them, I give them away on Craigslist. I hope they go to people who need them and we both feel good about it.

 

[COcheesehead]

Will never have a garage sale again. People are so rude and so cheap. They want to haggle over working small appliances marked $2-$5 and offer $.50 for long sleeved white shirts in perfect condition.

I also would not like being available for people to come into my home to "look" at stuff or have to mail stuff, so no eBay or Craigslist.

I donate it and then take a tax deduction on my taxes. If you use It's Deductible online to track items, you'll find the pricing much better than you will get in a garage sale. Of course, only 25% of the price allowed is deducted, but it still adds up throughout the year to more than I'd probably get selling it and the inconvenience factor is worth so much more. I take pictures of everything and attached to donation receipt, just in case I ever get audited.

The threshold to make it over the standard deduction is pretty high under the new tax law. You must have a lot of deductions.

 

[Teacher Terry]

If I use Craigslist I have the items outside so no one comes in the house.

 

[isisdave]

We had similar experiences. And then, after the sale was done, when we weren't home, someone came and stole a 5-foot, 500-pound concrete statue, and a 3.5 x 2.5 x 2.5 foot, 100-pound, up on a 12-foot pole, plywood owl box that our BIL had hand-made for us.

 

[COcheesehead]

If I use Craigslist I have the items outside so no one comes in the house.

Yep, or my wife prefers to meet them at a local Starbucks.

 

[Winemaker]

Not sure about the accuracy of the story but in the Anthony Bourdain 'Parts Unknown- Kenya' episode there's a discussion with a group of locals about how the textile industry in Kenya has been decimated by the import of used clothing from the USA, thousands of jobs have been lost. Apparently much of the clothing collected by the charity groups in the US gets sold in bulk to overseas distributors, supposedly a multi billion dollar industry. The clothing then gets dumped in countries like Kenya to be sold in markets at a cost that the local textile industry can't compete with.

I read an article a few years back when a college grad joined the Peace Corps or Americorps, and was working overseas in some godforsaken village in Africa. Lo an behold, if he didn't see a young man wearing his high school soccer shirt with his name and number on it. He had it hanging on his wall during college and donated it to GW or TSA, who then in turn sold it overseas. The US, the article said, was the greatest exporter of used clothing.

 

[audreyh1]

Have no idea whether it was deliberate distribution for publicity or just cast offs, but in our many trips to Africa, and photos or videos I see of Africa, the most common tee shirt worn there has to be "FLY EMIRATES" !!

Madrid was crawling with Fly Emirates T-shirts when we visited last year making us scratch our heads. Turned out there was a major soccer final match and Fly Emirates is a Real Madrid sponsor.

 

[audreyh1]

There are huge "Ropa Usada" (used clothes) warehouses in our area. I assume a bunch of it is exported across the border.

 

[Nemo2]

Madrid was crawling with Fly Emirates T-shirts .

They are everywhere you go. In vast numbers.

 

[NoMoreJob]

We've had some decent luck selling high quality furnishings, art, etc. through consignment stores. We seem to end up getting about twenty cents on the dollar which is worth the effort.

We also have made some good finds at these stores.

 

[BoodaGazelle]

When we renovated IL's house for sale, we tried selling a few things on Craigslist, but did not have a lot of time to wait. We ended up giving away some of the (decent) furniture to a couple from Hungary... they gave us a couple of bottles of Hungarian wine which was better than getting a few dollars.

 

[Winemaker]

When we renovated IL's house for sale, we tried selling a few things on Craigslist, but did not have a lot of time to wait. We ended up giving away some of the (decent) furniture to a couple from Hungary... they gave us a couple of bottles of Hungarian wine which was better than getting a few dollars.

Hey, do you have anything left to trade?

 

[John Galt III]

The Lions Club accepts eyeglasses and makes them available to folks who need them. They have a drop box in my local library and I think they also have a collection box in many Walmart stores.
It's hard to believe that it is practical to assess the exact prescription of each lens in each eyeglass and match them up with recipients, but I guess they do it somehow. A set of proper eyeglasses could sure improve someone's life.

Thanks for the tip, samclem!

 

[EarlyBirdly]

I’m planning on putting a bunch of furniture (with pics & descriptions) on nextdoor for free when we move, with the stipulation ‘must pickup between 9am-noon on X date.’ I fully expect people to stop by and ask me to hold pieces, but anything that isn’t gone will be on our front lawn first come, first serve. I was putting stuff at the end of our driveway, but I put a piece out last week, and whoever took it dragged the piece across our newly redone driveway and gouged the asphalt. Really?

Maybe it’s just me being naive, but I think ‘free’ should put all the onus on the recipient.

I asked for realtor recommendations on nextdoor to sell our house, but made it crystal clear we weren’t ready to sell yet, need to find new house first. I got a few realtors offering their services, no surprise. But I had quite a few people who wanted pics and details, even wanted to come see the house NOW.

"... (1 in 7) adults in the U.S. are considered functionally illiterate.”





Unfortunately, I am sure we have all spent countless unnecessary hours discussing things with people who make something very simple, very complicated, because of their inability to comprehend the subtle meaning and nuances of the English Language and/or the written word.