Monday, April 26, 2010

Selling used items

The May edition of Real Simple magazine had a great article in there about where to sell things, so I wanted to share some of the highlights of the article.

Best Place to Sell Stuff
clothes—ebay
shoes/handbags—consignment Try narts to find a consignment shop in your area
furniture—craigslist
electronics—yard sale if 5 years older (or more), sell newer items on craigslist
household items—yardsale
books/DVDs/CDs—amazon
antiques—auction
baby stuff—craigslist, classifieds
kid toys—amazon, swap w/ friends
collectibles—ebay (if not too heavy to ship), auction
decorative items—ebay, craigslist
jewelry—local shop, auction
instruments—music go round, craigslist
patio furniture/garden equipment--craigslist, classifieds
sports equipment—play it again sports, craigslist





Before you sell your items, there are some things you can do to them to help increase their desirability.

Make sure all parts are still there (game pieces, electric cords, etc)
Wash/iron clothes, polish silver, remove stains
Remove any names on books/clothes (this may mean removing the tag)
Delete personal info & wipe computer hard drive clean (download FREE disk-wiping software here)





If all else fails and you're simply unable to sell your items, consider donating for a tax credit:

Dress For Success—collects professional women’s clothes & distributes to disadvantaged women

Homeless Shelters—nonperishable food, clothes, personal care items
Go International Book Project—uses books in excellent condition for literary programs around the globe

National Cristina Foundation—distributes used computer equipment to local nonprofit organizations, schools & public agencies across USA

National Furniture Bank—collects good quality used furniture for local organizations such as women’s shelters & disaster relief organizations

Salvation Army—accepts clothes, furniture, household items & much more. Items are sold to general public & 82% of proceeds help fund 150+ adult rehab centers across USA

Vietnam Veterans Association—will come to your house to pick up clothes & house hold items, which are then sold to privately owned thrift stores. 68% of proceeds go to Vietnam vets & their families

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