When it comes to spending time with our client simplifying and removing clutter, anything not used, needed, or loved is considered clutter. You might be surprised to learn that much (not all) of it can be turned into cash.
If you’re looking to cash in on your clutter, here are a few of our tried and tested secrets as professional organizers.
Where to Begin
We always identify sale-able items and work down a hierarchy of options (from auction houses to Facebook sales and options in between). We look for the high-value items first because often this makes the most sense in terms of ROI.
What sells quickly (and for what price) depends on what it is and where it’s being sold.
Making the Most of Online Tools
Facebook is still a great option for lots of items and we always provide lots of photos, measurements, details about the condition, and close-up photos showing any wear and tear. We then suggest how it can be used or repurposed or re-invigorated to give buyers some ideas and to spark interest. We’ve even curated photos of similar items in chic settings to attract interest.
Recently, a client had a large, traditional green chesterfield sofa. Tons of possibilities, right? But potential buyers needed to see how this traditional leather sofa could be hip and fresh. A few photos from design sites on Pinterest showing a similar sofa in a cool Brooklyn brownstone created interest and enthusiasm for the piece. Taking this extra step helped attract buyers.
If it’s a large or unwieldy item we also try to make the purchase easy. For example, I once sold a hot tub for a client. We did research on the actual tub, shared tons of details and pictures, priced it appropriately, and provided details on who and how much it would cost to move it. Providing this information about actually moving the tub made the whole purchase easy for the buyer. And for the seller. Remove the hurdles and things sell.
It goes without saying that good photos are key. Light and bright from all angles give the buyer confidence the item is exactly what they see. Decluttering the space around the item is important and keeps the focus on the item being sold.
Online Sales Sites to Consider
Using online consignment sites like TheRealReal (luxury brands), KAIYO (furniture), Poshmark (mostly clothes), or Maxsold (whole home contents) are other ways we sell our clients unwanted items. We use each site for different purposes. TRR takes a broad range of super high-end luxury brands. The TRR rep comes to your house making the process easy for the consignor. They have a rigorous process to authenticate items but once accepted items sell relatively quickly. It’s a very objective process – items meet their standards or they don’t.
KAIYO has a great model for furniture and home decor. We use them for our clients who have large furniture items for sale that need professional movers. The benefit is that items are removed from our clients homes and then sold online. The revenue sharing structure is very clear and based on the final sale price.
Traditional Consignment Tips
Traditional brick-and-mortar consignment shops are also great resources for monetizing clutter. Knowing who the shop caters to helps with the consigning process. Some shops want only branded home decor items while others are open to more diverse items.
In the tri-state area, we work with various auction houses to handle estates, collections, and antiques. Christie’s and Sotheby’s are famous auction houses but there are many lesser-known but very successful auction houses in this area that accept items on consignment. This can be very successful. Mid-century modern pieces are very hot right now everywhere. Brown furniture (formal dining rooms, china cabinets, and the like) is less popular right but still desirable at the right price. We nearly always find something tucked away in an attic or closet that we send to auction. Select art, jewelry, furniture and furnishings can do very well when presented to collectors via auction.
We love finding new homes and avoiding landfills when it comes to helping our clients declutter, and helping them cash in on their clutter is always icing on the cake! I wonder what hidden treasures you have that can be cashed in on?