After helping many clients prepare to move, I understand how long the list of to-dos can be and the last thing you want to deal with is what to do with the stuff you don't want. Here are some suggestions to ensure all of the items you have decluttered leave the home so you can prepare for moving.
Getting the items you don't want out of your home quickly needs to be a priority. The longer they sit around in bags and boxes waiting to be sold or given away, the more it will feel like you are getting nowhere with your decluttering.
Here are my tips for you if you are planning on donating/recycling:
If you know you will donate most of what you sort, look into local pick-up donation organizations. These places give a list of exactly what they pick up and most of the time you don't need to be home for the pick-up, you can just put it on your front porch with a sign saying what pick-up it's for. Sometimes they don't pick up for a few weeks so it's good to research before you declutter and then set up a time for pick up to motivate you to get your decluttering done.
Some organizations and companies will pick up other items such as shredding or larger items that can't be donated or recycled. If this is something you think you will need, research before you declutter so you aren't stuck with piles of paper to be shredded. If anything, you will know where to drop everything off.
If your area doesn't have pick-up options, set up a plan for when and how you can drop items off at donation and recycling places. Maybe it's once a month or every weekend after you declutter. Having a plan helps keep the clutter from staying in the home.
If you choose to sell the items you declutter:
If you are short on time, I wouldn’t recommend FB Marketplace, Craigslist, Poshmark, etc. as the first option for selling – hear me out. These are all great ways to sell your stuff, but they can take a while to get everything sold. Instead, I'd suggest you take them to consignment stores or send them to a company like ThredUp. The main goal is that you will be able to get your items out of the home quickly.
Another option is to do an estate sale or garage/yard sale. Estate sales are great if you have appropriate items (check with your local agent about these). Garage and yard sales are also great BUT they require a lot of work. If you choose to go this route, I'd suggest you have a plan for everything that doesn't sell. If the goal is to get everything out, don't worry about people haggling for items, just let them buy it. Once the sale ends, take everything that doesn't sell to the donation center.
If you are set on selling on FB Marketplace, etc., this is what I did with a client to help her sell furniture (she sold all but 1):
Before listing anything:
Take multiple photos of each item. If there were any scratches or marks, take photos of them as well - full transparency is the best way to sell on FB.
Take exact measurements and any other important details.
Figure out the basic price ranges you want for each item. Start at the top price and if it doesn't sell within a week, reduce it by $5-10.
For each listing:
Edit the photos on your phone to show what you are selling and not extra stuff in the room (unless that is helpful for size information). If needed, use the light filter on your phone but do not alter the color. Being transparent will help get the item sold faster (completely changing the color, etc isn’t going to help you sell it).
I would then use between 3-5 photos for each item. The more you show, the better off you are because most people will look at all photos to see if it is really what they want.
When listing the item, be very specific. Here is what you can include to help potential buyers:
Item name
Item size/measurements
Any additional information on the item
If there is any wear/tear, I’d mention it here and say what photo the issue can be seen in
The status of the item ie Used or new New
Pick up information (ie if it needs to be carried by more than one person and if it’s in a walk-up etc)
Pick up town (with cross streets) - don’t give the actual address
MSG me if interested
If you want to have the item sold by a certain date, say that here
Cross-posted (if on multiple sites)
I hope this helps you on your decluttering journey.
If you want to clear the chaos in your home but feel stuck, I've created a FREE download of the decluttering system I teach just for you. This will help you declutter in a simple, manageable, and achievable way. Click here to download it today
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