How do you get rid of the stuff you no longer need? With my fiance and me moving into her smaller house, we both are unloading huge quantities of items large and small. Some of it sells well on craigslist, but we have had no luck with ebay. What works?
We have some interesting pieces of furniture, including a couch and one-of-a-kind table once owned by Clive Cussler, the author. It's a long story, but let's just say he now keeps his doors locked.
Anyone want to adopt a dog?
Primarily donate the stuff to local charities (clothing, dishes, etc) family,neighbors, or friends.
For the bulkier, less valuable stuff, I will often "set it out by the curb." It's amazing how quickly the scaevngers strike
We also have a bulletin board online at work.
E-bay, yard sales, friends, and consignment shops.
When compassion exceeds logic for too long, chaos will ensue. - Unknown
When Mrs. PBD and I got married we placed an ad in the news paper for a garage sale. In the ad we said "Just Married Garage Sale, 2 of everything, furniture, dishes...... Everything must go."
Mrs. PBD and her mom love garage sales and know how to sell things. They said if you advertise that it is a "Just Married" "Just Divorced" or "Moving" sale and you indicate that you are desperate to get rid of stuff, and it is prices reasonable you will make out like a bandit.
We gave up on rummage sales years ago. They are not worth the work for the return. (unless you have baby stuff so now we will probably start having them again) You might try a consignment auction.
If your just wanting to get rid of it, BKM's methods works well. Or post on a "free bulliten board" Yahoo has freecycle groups I have given away items and picked up items here. Some things people give away are actually very nice.
You're right Planner. If you say Moving Sale or even better, Estate Sale, people will line up in droves. It clues in the hardcore yardsalers (like me) that we're talking about more than kiddie clothing, toys and Grandpa's rusty tools from 1955. A Two of Everything Sale is great too. Be willing to dicker on the price - it's all about getting rid of it. Making a little pocket money is a mere bonus.
For everything that doesn't sell, St. Vincent de Paul takes clothing and small housewares and of course there's the Salvation Army. You might even find a local museum or historical society which holds an annual White Elephant sale. DH and I did that last summer. We cleared a ton of stuff out of our house and basement - stuff we either forgot about or didn't need anymore. I can't tell you what it was we donated - clearly we never needed it that badly to begin with.
I have one word for you my friend, bonfire. Make yourself some cocoa, light a match, and then sit back and watch that extra space appear.Originally posted by Cardinal
Once a year, some friends of ours have a "couch burning party". Everyone brings an old piece of furniture (and massive quantities of adult beverages) and sits around a bonfire. Every so often an chant starts "couch, couch, couch!, COUCH!, COUCH!!" Then someone gets out of the couch they are sitting on and tosses it in the fire. It is a very effective way of getting rid of unwanted furniture.I have one word for you my friend, bonfire. Make yourself some cocoa, light a match, and then sit back and watch that extra space appear.
Last edited by noottamevas; 06 Jan 2006 at 9:08 AM.
I'll echo what savemattoon said - taking the time/effort/haggling to sell ones crap is seldom worth the effort. Me, I like to donate my stuff to charities, list my own value and take the tax write off.
People will miss that it once meant something to be Southern or Midwestern. It doesn't mean much now, except for the climate. The question, “Where are you from?” doesn't lead to anything odd or interesting. They live somewhere near a Gap store, and what else do you need to know? - Garrison Keillor
Lighter fluid and a match.
"And all this terrible change had come about because he had ceased to believe himself and had taken to believing others. " - Leo Tolstoy
A poorly secured construction site?
Dumpsters at the nearest large shopping center?
BKM's favorite neighbor's front lawn?
Your 3rd cousin's basement when their not looking?
I'm sorry. Is my bias showing?
I personally don't know, althought the lighter fluid idea sound coolbut for other people they just call my wife or my father, both are masive pack rats.
Are you sure that you did not grow up in the UP? I have been to many of these when I... (I will plea the 5th amendment at this time).
When compassion exceeds logic for too long, chaos will ensue. - Unknown
Try to sell as much as you can and the things you just can't get rid of you can give them out to charity or something.
A garage sale is also a nice idea, and far more secure than things like e-bay in which scammers are begining to rise in numbers...
Well, I used to have bad habits like sending all my hand-me-down to relatives on welfare and such. Later, I donated to charity. And, as you undoubtedly know, when I was dealing with the horrible mildew problem and didn't wish to foist my problems off on others, I trashed tons of stuff.
EDIT: I have also sold things like furniture or major appliances via bulletin boards, newspapers, and the like aimed at the military community. As you undoubtedly know, the mobile lifestyle and the fact that folks aren't exactly wealthy yet also aren't paupers makes for a very healthy second-hand market. In Kansas there was a wonderful second-hand store that I sold some furniture to.
My wife and I made $500 in 2 days after merging our goods.
Who's gonna re-invent the wheel today?
I recently signed up for my local freecycle.org (mentioned on this, and an earlier, thread) group to start divesting myself of too much stuff! Already have a couple of commitments to pick up unwanted stuff.
I usually donate to my Mom's church rummage sale but they skipped the fall sale and I don't feel like waiting until April or May. In any event, it clears the house out somewhat.
1. What is this "local freecycle.org" that you speak of. Tell me when I get home.
2. Let me know when your Mom's chruch rummage sale is. The last time I went I scored some beautiful cobalt blue bottles for $3. Want to go back for the next one.
You darn tootin', I like fig newtons!
Well such things like speakers I sell to Budgie...
I am about sick of garage sales. We had one really great one but since then no big deal.
I hate the decision at the end of the day. What to do with the left overs.
We have a free web service. I have had great luck with searches for individual items.
Just this evening I got a lead on a super single waterbed for the youngest. She is to big for the twin bed but we can't get a bigger bed up in the attic. So we figure the waterbed will work well.
It is all a matter of perspective!!!
If you have something particularly nice, you could always consign it at a local auction. I scan the Calgary auction houses from time to time for good art and furniture deals (Hall's is pretty cool). I'm not a diehard auction person, but I do like to scan the Internet listings (especially at places that allow online bidding). I believe a lot of these auction houses do consignments, where you can specify a reserve and therefore protect your investment. I'm sure Colorado has lots of these small places, as they seem to be prevalent on or near the prairies where farm auctions are common (with great antiques).
I got sent this today (along with a whole bunch of other 'observations'):
Tips for selling stuff? Photos and good descriptions are really important for online auctions.Some guy bought a new fridge for his house. To get rid of his old fridge, he
put it in his front yard and hung a sign on it saying: "Free to good home. You
want it, you take it". For three days the fridge sat there without even one
person looking twice at it. He eventually decided that people were too
untrusting of this deal. It looked to good to be true, so he changed the sign to
read: "Fridge for sale $50". The next day someone stole it.
This is the first real "garage sale" thread I saw as I reviewed the Cyburbia archives. Let's pry it open.....
This Saturday Katie and I are having a garage sale. I am not a fan of garage sales, because (like others have said in this thread) not worth the effort. We have worked a ton of hours to prepare.....and she will be working more on Friday, doing the final prep. With what I estimate we will earn.....we are working well below min-wage.
But.....just having the "Swanton Community Garage Sale" day on the horizon has forced us to go through a lot of old stuff. We agreed that whatever doesn't sell is bound for one of two places.....charity or dumpster.
We will be selling furniture, lamps, very little clothing (and no baby clothing), "nick-nacks", dozens of VCR tapes, folding chairs, sporting equipment. Katie's sister and brother also have a few items for the pile.
_____
When I lived in Henry County, in the middle of nowhere, on a single lane country road that never had more than a dozen vehicles a day motor down.....I had a big garage sale. It included stuff from my disolved marriage, stuff from my parents, stuff from my diseased Uncle. I advertised in a slew of local papers.
I made nearly a thousand dollars.
Garage sales in Swanton (three in ten years) have been much-less profitable. The last sale was in the range of $150, or something like that.
_____
Whatever the result.....we will have more open space when all is said and done. And that is the real benefit.
Bear
Occupy Cyburbia!
One time, at a garage sale I was selling this very old picture of Jesus. It was 75 cents. A guy came up and attempted to haggle this price- "how about 25 cents?"
So I said sternly, "Sir, its Jesus." He felt ashamed and paid full price.
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I have an excavator... and an operator who really knows how to use it!
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Reminds me of the tag sale I had to whittle down my mom's estate. There was a VCR never used, still in the box marked for $5. A guy said he would give me $1 for it. I just looked at him and he said that he could get a new one at the store for $15. I said it is new and I'm saving you $10. He bought it.
I know what you mean. It was a pain when my mom died but at least we had a large carport under which to lay everything out on tables and we put all the furniture to be sold in the great room. I couldn't believe that people were out at 7am knocking on the door wanting to know when we were going to start
"He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well. Is that not what it means to know me?" Jeremiah 22:16
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