Declutter Your Crap

No one wants your overpriced crap!

Everyone is becoming a minimalist. Decluttering their space. I think that’s great. What’s really great about minimalism is that you can define it that best suits you. If having two cups, a plate and 3 forks, you do you. If it’s only buying things that need replacing, excellent. A capsule wardrobe? Fantastic. 

But here in lies the problem. Whether you’re becoming a minimalist or just decluttering. What are you going to do with your crap. I use the word crap on purpose. This is a video where I get judgy. I know I claim this to be a judgement free zone, when I get to the part, you will understand. Even after their death, I’m still angry at my parents for this one thing. 

We’ve watched all the you tube videos on joys of minimalism and decluttering. We’ve learned what to do with the items we don’t want. We separate it into three areas. Sell, donate, trash. Simple, easy. Deciding where the item goes isn’t always so simple but you sort of do it. 

You’ve gone through your things. You trashed a few. You set up a corner in the basement or garage of the things you plan to donate. You swear to yourself you will donate them. You will get to the church/women’s shelter/animal shelter/ or a senior center eventually.  

Now we have our things to sell. You look at it all and know you are going to get top dollar for that $30 casserole dish Aunt Kathy got you for your bridal shower.  

Are you going to do a garage sale or Facebook marketplace, Poshmark, Ebay, Mecuri? So many to pick from. 

My friend’s town does the best town wide garage sale. We go every year. We love it. There are some great sellers and some idiots. This is an actual experience I had at a home. I saw a very nice casserole dish. It was marked at $20. She sees me looking at it and tells me it’s $20. And I’m like “Ma’am, it’s $30 new.” Her response “exactly.” I'll give you $5. No it's $20. 

Sorry Stacy but I would rather pay the extra $10 and get a brand new one. No scratches, no mystery stains, no lingering scents from 2004’s Thanksgiving. A fresh out of the box, pristine perfection. They sell this at Macy’s so you know there’s a coupon, super sale day, blah blah blah, and you’ll buy it for $15 – NEW. 

Let’s break down why people do this and why you may want to rethink your pricing strategy if you’re serious about decluttering. 

All this applies to Facebook Marketplace. I was looking for a dresser. Nothing fancy, simple on the small side. Like the $20 casserole dish, what people want for a used dresser is ridiculous. 

Why do people overprice their stuff? Why does this happen? Why do people think their used items should sell for almost new prices? 

Here’s what the science tells us. 

1.   Sentimental Value. Just because you loved this casserole dish, doesn’t mean someone else wants to pay a premium for your memories. It’s not an heirloom, it’s a Pyrex. 
2.   I paid good money for this syndrome. I get it. You spent $150 on a dress you only wore twice. The world doesn’t operate on a “recoup your bad financial decisions system”. If it did. I’d be rich. 
3.   But it’s like new. Like new isn’t the same as new. If I have to ask “what’s that stain? Or why does this smell like nana’s house”, then it’s not new. 

The Good Deal Sweet Spot 

If you’re decluttering and actually want to sell your wares, price it to move and not to make your money back. 

Here’s what works: 

1. Price it at 30 to 50% of retail MAX!!! 

If it’s in pristine condition or new with tags, half price is your best bet. If it’s been well loved and owes you nothing, 30% and even that depends. People can buy it new. 

2. Check what it’s going for online 

Before pricing your used instapot at $80, check facebook marketplace. If it’s going for $40, then guess what? Yours is also going for $40. 

3. Bundle small items 

No one wants to haggle over a $2 item. How about a buy 3, get 1 free. That actually works well at garage sales with cd’s and dvd’s. 

4. Be open to offers. 

Don’t be the lady who scoffs at a fair offer. If someone offers you $5 for the casserole dish you got 17 years ago as a bridal shower present from Aunt Kathy but you wanted $20, maybe meet in the middle at $10 instead of making it your hill to die on. 

At the end of the day, if you were really serious about decluttering, you would price it to sell and not to reminisce. Otherwise, you’re just running a museum of your own crap. 

A few blocks away there were three houses with their stuff in the driveway. You immediately knew the three women from each house have been friends and neighbors for years. They were having the best time. They had wine, it was a party. Everything was priced to sell. I got a new with tags Eddie Bauer backpack for $10. They were smart about it. You know they were in no mood to bring everything back in the house at the end of the day. 

Have you ever walked away from a garage sale or Facebook Marketplace deal because the price was ridiculous? Tell me about it in the comments!