I know spring cleaning is something most of us hate to do. The countless hours of cleaning your house from top to bottom can be overwhelming. Who wants to spend all day wiping down baseboards, shredding papers, and getting rid of things when you can be basking in the sunshine of the day? I know I don’t! But what if you can your purging into profit? Would that make it worth your while? I know it would for me. Let me show you how!
First start by going through your closets and identifying things you don’t wear. We all have them. Clothes hanging with tags still on them, a shoe that is a little too tight, or a pair of pants we are waiting until we lose that last 10 pounds before we can get back into them. This is your opportunity to turn those wears into cash. You can turn them into pennies or into $$$. Then, go throughout your home looking for items you don’t use, like that 2nd Crock Pot you got as a housewarming gift, or the unused bathroom set you have sitting in your attic.
You can turn those items into pennies by having a yard sale or taking them to a flea market to sell. The reason I say you make pennies off these is because people coming to yard sales are not coming to spend large sums of money on individual items. It doesn’t matter if you are selling your best wool coat, or your designer handbag. Nobody is gonna spend $200 on your purse, even if you paid $1000 for it or $150 on the T.V. you paid $800 for. It’s just not gonna happen. You can sell your dress for $4-$7 and maybe your television for $35, if it’s a really good one. I bought my first washer and dryer at a yard sale for $50 for the pair. Remember, people can go to a pawn shop to get cheap electronics, and if they want to spend hundreds of $$$ they usually just buy it new. Also, remember you have to be willing to negotiate your prices if you really want to sell your items. If your prices are too high, then you will just be packing stuff up later and that’s not the purpose of this activity.
So what about turning your spring cleaning into $$$. You can do this by taking your items to re-sale shops or consigning items. You usually make more money at a consignment store than a re-sale shop just because items at consignment shops tend to be higher end merchandise, but it just depends on the store. Re-sale stores also pay you money upfront, so you make less money where consignment shops give you a portion of whatever the item sells for.
Some re-sale stores to try are Plato’s Closet and Buffalo Exchange which have locations throughout the US. If there’s not one in your area, just do a search on, “Re-Sale Stores” or “Best Resale Stores” and you should be able to come up with some. Some consignment shops to try are, Labels in Atlanta, Inga’s in D.C., Sweet Repeats in Charlotte, Encore in NYC, and the Daisy Shop in Chicago. You can also do a search on, “Consignment shops that pay top dollar in your city.”
Another great way to make money off your spring cleaning is by donating. Not only can you take advantage of the tax write off, but you can help someone else who may be in need in the process. You can donate any and everything from clothing, to housewares, to cars and boats and if you have large items like furniture, many thrift stores will come and pick it up. Giving is one of the best ways to attract back things to you and the fact that Uncle Sam rewards you is an added benefit!
I hope this season you are able to spruce up your life while sprucing up your wallet! Happy spring cleaning!
