How to Make Money by Decluttering Your House

Would you like to get rid of the clutter in your house and make money doing it? It’s entirely possible to accomplish both of these at once. The steps in this article will walk you through decluttering your house and making money at the same time.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Go through your house room by room and create piles of items for trash, sell, and donate. Items for the trash are those that are broken, stained, or have no life yet. Items for donating are those things that have a useful life but aren’t likely worth the time to try and sell on your own. Sellable items are those that will bring money when sold through one of the methods discussed below.

2. Determine especially valuable items. If you suspect you have an item that has a high value, do your research. Ebay is a great place to determine the market price for many things. Check completed listings to see what similar items have recently sold for.

3. If your item is shippable, and has a good value, list it on Ebay. Examples include collectible books, household items, and name brand clothing.

4. If you have large items, like pieces of furniture, that are not easily shipped, consider Craigslist. Craigslist will let you list large items (even houses and cars!) locally for free. You can also check out consignment stores for furniture that is in good condition.

5. If you have an abundance of books, cds, or dvds that are not worth listing on Ebay, check out used book stores in your area. Many, including chains like Half Price Books, will buy your used books, music, and dvds and will pay cash on the spot. You could have clutter out of your house and money in your pocket today!

6. Take any items from your donate pile to a reputable charity like Goodwill or the Salvation Army. This need not be money lost, however. Value your items at thrift store prices and you can take a charitable donation on your taxes. Check out itsdeductible.com to determine the value of your items. You will probably be pleasantly surprised! Most people undervalue items for this purpose.

[missbeth]

on 5/2/2009 Great article! I've done all of these things whenever I feel my house needs to be decluttered. Now I just have a "declutter" box(s) and add things to it as needed. I find this works really well too. 5*s

[slphilbrick]

on 3/19/2009 I've been getting ready for the spring decluttering......these are good tips for making some cash while I'm at it !

[Upon-Request]

on 3/17/2009 Great article - I've used both eBay and Craigslist to help clients declutter! 5*

[Tidbits]

on 3/8/2009 In addition to monetary gain of de-cluttering your house, there is a sense of peace of mind that comes along with a de-cluttered house. Nice article!