If You’re Done Tidying Up With Marie Kondo, Turn the Clutter into Cash

Written By Mary Beth Eastman
Last updated November 22, 2019

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A person counting money to symbolize investment decisions
Money Saving Tips
January 22, 2019

Simple. Thrifty. Living.

Netflix has been grabbing attention recently with Tidying Up with Marie Kondo. Programming that focuses on this process can be a great source of inspiration. People are getting motivated all over the country to remove their clutter and clear out their space. Afterwards, everyone wants to turn their old or unwanted items into some quick money. So what are some common methods that will always work to turn junk into cash? Let’s look at a short list.

If you live in the suburbs, a garage sale right in front of your home can be also simple as putting up some signs and waiting for people to show up. This tends to work best with larger volumes of clutter and junk that can be moved at low prices, as shoppers at garage sales usually will not want to spend large amounts of money. Another advantage is you can sell anything you want without having to invest any additional money for space.

This method works best with specific items that tend to have more value and can be sold either individually or grouped into lots. There are a number of online platforms such as eBay, LetGo, or OfferUp that allow items to be listed, but keep in mind some of them require a fee or a percentage of the sale to be paid back to the site. Online sales can be very lucrative if you have certain collectibles that have high demand or items like books, movies, games, and music that always tend to sell.

Markets and auctions tend to get the biggest crowds on the weekends. You can invest a small amount of money for access to a table or to have your items listed in most venues. This is another good option for bringing lots of stuff at once and trying to get rid of it at low prices.

Directly contacting people you know who may have an interest in the things you find also works well. Did you just find an old set of golf clubs and have a good friend who plays golf? Those kinds of matches can translate into easy sales.

About the Author

Mary Beth Eastman

Mary Beth Eastman serves as the content manager for Simple. Thrifty. Living, where she is dedicated to helping readers use money and credit wisely. Mary Beth believes that access to the right financial information paired with a growth mindset are essential tools for getting out of debt and building wealth. Mary Beth has a degree in Journalism from Bowling Green State University and has focused her 20-year journalism career on putting readers front and center, carefully considering their concerns and presenting information that will help them in their everyday lives. She has won numerous statewide journalism awards. Her writing on personal finance as been featured on numerous websites in addition to Simple. Thrifty. Living, including Huffington Post and Lexington Law blog. Mary Beth resides in Pittsburgh, Pa., with her family and two rescue dogs.

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