Turn your clutter into cash

The first thing I always notice when I walk into a house is the amount of clutter there is. We are a nation of secret and sometimes not so secret hoarders. It’s rare for me to visit a home that is completely clutter free. If the surfaces are empty I can nearly always guarantee that there will be at least a couple of overstuffed cupboards. I understand, I like stuff too, but as a letting agent I know that clutter doesn’t sell. Yet even though we know that, even though we all revel in the minimalism of hotel rooms, we fail to manage to declutter when we get back home as most of us cannot bear to part with our stuff.

However, there is something that may motivate you to do just that. What if I told you that the stuff that is at the back of your wardrobe, the stuff you haven’t seen let alone used for years could actually help you to pay your rising energy bills or contribute towards a well earned break in the sunshine?

Plus we all know that second hand items are good for the environment as they reduce the amount of things that go to landfill. So decluttering can be good for your home, your wallet and the environment! So where do you begin?

Research

Gone are the days when eBay was your only option for selling your unwanted items. Now there are a whole range of sites, some of which specialise in certain items such as Vinted or Depop where you can sell clothes and accessories. Facebook marketplace can be a great way of selling items without having to pay any commission as can local sites like Nextdoor.

Be honest

If there is any damage to your item it is better to be upfront about it rather than have it returned to you.

Make sure the price is right

Be sensible when you are setting the price. If you set the price too high then there will be little interest and then your item will be further devalued when it sits unwanted on the selling site for ages. However, you also don’t want to set the price so low that it simply isn’t worth your time and effort to sell it. If you do think your item isn’t worth selling then try putting it on a site like Freecycle. You won’t benefit financially from selling it but you will be stopping it from going to landfill so there is a feel-good reward. To save yourself and the buyer time haggling if there is any damage then reflect this in the price.  

Photographs

Taking lots of photographs will reduce the amount of time and the number of “no thanks” that you will get when selling an item as ‘collection only’. It will also increase your chances of selling your items online as people like to see clearly what they are purchasing. To increase your chances of a swift sale good photographs are essential. Keep the background clutter free, make sure that the lighting is good and ensure that you take photographs from several angles.