The resale market is booming with buyers looking to save money on all kinds of items. In fact, there is a good chance that some, if not many of the things collecting dust in your home, are wanted or needed right now by someone else who is ready to buy.
Now is the time to cash in on your clutter because the longer you wait, the less you will make, especially on items like electronics and clothing that can quickly become outdated and lose their value. Best-sellers in the second-hand market include:
- Relatively current cell phones and electronics
- Brand-name items such as designer handbags
- Popular books, movies, and video games
- Necessities such as baby gear and housewares
- Timeless items such as musical instruments
- Collectibles such as art and antiques
- Valuables such jewellery
- New and like-new items in many categories
- Even handmade treasures
What have you got? Walk through your home room by room. Go through closet and drawers. Look for items you no longer love or use. Open up closets and drawers as well as boxes in storage. Look at what is displayed on your walls and elsewhere in your home. Take a stroll out to your garbage and visit your storage units if you have them.
Move everything to one location if possible. If not, make a list of items. This will be particularly helpful should you decide to sell items online. Include brand name, make, model, serial number, colour, size, and any other pertinent information. If necessary, make a note of the location of that item in your home or storage area.
As you’re looking for things to sell, you’ll likely come across some things that may not be worth selling, but could be donated. And you are bound to find other items that should be trashed or recycled. Give yourself permission to carry them to the curb from where your local provider of rubbish removal services will drive them away. I suggest trying the rubbish clearance services of . This is a company working in waste clearance and junk removal industry in London for many years now, and they will take care of your rubbish for a reasonable price.
Consider giving away items for which it would be difficult to find buyers, such as old magazines, outdated electronic equipment, and broken, but fixable items. I recommend posting to freecycling organisations. This is a community -based website where members “advertise” things they don’t want to other members who gladly come and get them.
On the other hand, if you have items that might be valuable, set them aside until you can do a little research and/or get a professional opinion. One easy way to get an estimate of the value of your antiques and collectibles is to search the collector’s price guide.
If you have a lot of antiques, collectibles, fine art or other potentially valuable items, you might want to hire an appraiser as a consultant. He/she can advise you about the value of your items, suggest the best places to sell them, and if needed, appraise selected items for an additional fee.
Tip:
Do not use an appraiser who offers to buy an item or wants to charge a percentage of its value. If you do get an appraisal, keep the appraisal report with other important legal and estate planning documents until such time as you sell the item.
