I’m doing a lot of selling on eBay right now.
It feels like I’m doing pretty good making a little money while decluttering but I’ll be the first to admit that it can certainly cause some problems.
If you already struggle with hoarding issues, then tread lightly into the world of selling on eBay or any other online platforms.
After years of watching hoarding shows on TV, I realized that in a lot of the episodes, there was a recurring statement being uttered by the hoarders. It’s one I hear myself saying often. “I can’t get rid of that. It’s worth money”.
But it’s true. You can make money selling on eBay!
So, if you can proceed without making more of a mess than what you’re starting with, then it is worth it. But if you can’t, then stop and continue on with decluttering until the amount of things you have is reasonable and manageable.
When I start decluttering and find myself saying that things are worth money, multiple times in a matter of a few minutes, then it’s time to take action and prove it!
If it’s really worth the money, then sell it, get what it’s worth, and get it out of the house!
There’s been many, many times when I thought I had something that was worth a lot of money but then when I went to list it, I noticed a flaw.
For example, I had a vintage jade jewelry box. They were selling for anywhere between $75 and $100. I was really excited and then I started listing it. While taking pics, I realized that one of the corners of the lid was broken and some other decorative trim was broken off.
New value $0.00.
So, this thing sat around for months waiting for a listing, taking up valuable space in my house, and then being worthless in the end.
If it’s worth money, then get the money and get it out.
The other thing about selling on eBay is the actual time it takes for things to sell. Be prepared to hang onto things for awhile. Some things sell quickly but there’s a lot that don’t. I’m talking six months to a year for some things so make sure you have the space to commit.
A lot of things sell very quickly on Facebook Marketplace but it stresses me out so much that I prefer selling on eBay. If you love all that commotion, and you want to get rid of things quickly, or you’re selling something too big to ship, then that might be a better option for you.
I promised to put a few things on here to show you the kinds of things I’m listing. It’s things that most people have sitting around taking up space.
- Dolphin lamp* that my son left here when he moved out. I always ask the kids before I get rid of the things they left behind. This is something that I wouldn’t have expected there to be a market for. It seems like such a novelty item.
- Fisher Price Stencil Set* that I was keeping because it’s Fisher Price. I love Fisher Price toys. I have a lot here though so I decided to let this go.
- Xpress Ready Set Go* Small fast skillet cooker. We all have small appliances around. They’re fun the first few times you use them but after that, they sometimes get to be a pain pulling them out, cleaning them, and then putting them away again. There’s usually an easier way to cook things!
And this sold last night….
- Tupperware Spaghetti Keeper. I am a Tupperware hoarder. I can’t seem to resist it! But I need to get rid of some so I listed this and it sold.
(*This post may contain affiliate links meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you.)
I’ve been selling on eBay for a very long time so if you have any questions, please let me know in the comments below. I love talking about eBay!
I’ll be telling about the ways that I save time and money in future posts so stay tuned!