It’s no secret – moving house can be pretty stressful. With packaging and storage, the last thing you want to deal with is tiresome, time-consuming process of getting rid of your unwanted belongings.

It’s not all bad, though. In fact, moving house presents a great opportunity to cut down on clutter and free up some spare space ready for creating new memories. In this article, we’ve collected 9 of the top ways to do it in 2019. Let’s take a look.

Cutter Cut Down – 9 Ways to Sell Your Stuff Before the Big Move

There’s more than one way to shift excess belongings – and not all of them involve bin bags.

1. Grab a bin bag

Okay, this one does involve bin bags, because as much as we may want to, sometimes things just can’t be salvaged. So, if you’ve been hoarding any belongings that are damaged, stained or completely broken, then now might be the time to point them in the direction of the appropriate bin.

Tips for the classic clear-out:

• Check to see if anything can be repurposed
• Always recycle wherever possible
• Question whether anyone else could find it useful (if so, sell it)

2. Repurpose old things

It might be easier to throw out old furniture and buy new once you move in, but upcycling and repurposing is by far more cost-effective. Old chairs can be upholstered, a table can get a new lick of paint, and if you’ve got any little ones running around, old plastics will be great for arts and crafts.

Tips for repurposing belongings:

• Be careful with colours
• Don’t be afraid to take risks – mistakes aren’t always bad
• Choose your materials wisely and don’t cut corners

3. Consider garage sales

Live in a neighbourhood with a good volume of foot traffic? There will be few easier ways to part with your old belongings than a moving sale in your front yard.

Not only will you not have to worry about time-consuming online listings, you won’t have to pay for costly shipping on your goods, either. With a few hours of your time, you could take a sizeable chunk out of your spare stuff.

Tips for garage sales:

• Spread the word to get extra attention – post about it on Facebook/in local neighbourhood groups, and text friends and family
• Clearly label all items you’re happy to sell – and remove any that you’re not from the area
• Make a sign that’s clear to see from the road, inviting people to come inside
• Be sure to stay on-hand to answer questions

4. Look to local flea markets, pawn shops or car-boot sales

Don’t mind doing a little driving to unload your excess items? Consider local pawn shops, or car-boot sales and flea markets and weigh up the benefits that come with each of them:

Pawn shops: Quick and easy, pawn shops will likely strike a deal on anything they deem to have resale value. You’ll get an immediate answer on whether they’re interested or not.

Car-boot sales and flea markets: These are a great option and give you a welcome excuse to take a break from the moving process and get some fresh air. As long as you don’t mind being haggled, car-boot sales or flea markets are top places to sell your wares, and can be fantastic fun, too. Just make sure you aren’t tempted to buy as much as you sell!

Tips for flea markets, pawn shops or car-boot sales:

• Get there early to secure a good spot in the middle of things
• Double-check to see if you need to book a stall/space in advance, and whether there’s a charge associated with it
• If it comes at a price, weigh up whether it’s worth it

5. Donate to charity

If you fancy doing some good and can afford to go without the spare cash, donating to charity is a great way to cut down on clutter whilst helping a worthy cause. National charities distribute their goods between stores, so don’t be put off if yours already has brimming shelves – they’ll find space for it somewhere!

Tips for donating to charity:

• If you file a tax return, ask your charity for a donation receipt. You can claim a tax deduction against the resale value of your donated items.
• Avoid green bins in car parks and make a conscious decision to donate to a charity that supports a value that personally matters to you

6. Word of mouth

You never know what people need until you ask. Reach out to friends and family and see if there’s anything they could do with. Sure, you might have to do mate’s rates but the hassle it’ll save you will make it worth it.

Better yet – if you’re looking to part with some of your clothing, host a closet raid. Invite some friends over for a few drinks or some food and let them sift through to see if they fancy anything. This will give you time to decompress during the moving process and have some fun, and who knows – larger pieces such as furniture might catch their eye and save you a job!

Tips for going by word of mouth:

• People forget – be sure to remind your friends and family that you’re looking to sell stuff and would appreciate their help
• Create a private chat on WhatsApp or Messenger and invite anyone you think would be interested
• Make an online list on Google Docs or an app like Evernote so people can see what you’re selling, and how much you’re asking for it

7. Put them up on Gumtree

Smartphone-savvy and got 20 minutes spare? Download the Gumtree app or visit their website and get your camera out. Thousands of eager shoppers in your area are bound to browse Gumtree every day, so it’s the perfect opportunity to get eyeballs on your items.

It might take a while to get a bite, but for the chance of shifting some trickier items such as furniture or wardrobes and getting cash in return, it’s well worth it.

Tips for selling stuff on Gumtree:

• Don’t skimp on photos – make sure the images you upload are high-quality and easy to view
• The more the better – Gumtree Australia allows up to 9 images per listing, so make the most of it!
• Be detailed – tell the reader what you’re selling, why you’re selling, and how much you bought it for, and you’ll increase the chance of getting a buyer

8. Try out Facebook Marketplace

It might be a newer player in the arena, but Facebook Marketplace is already generating a lot of interest. Over 800 million people globally use it on a monthly basis, so if you want to attract some extra attention, list your items on here, too.

Tips for selling stuff on Facebook marketplace:

• Pay attention to categories – if you’re selling a bookcase and file it under Appliances, you’re not going to get much interest
• Search for similar items to ensure your price is competitive
• Be clear on what you can sell – and what you can’t (drugs, weapons, alcohol counterfeits)
• People hate paying for shipping – include it where you can

9. Check out specialist apps

Struggling to shift some of your more particular pieces? Although you can sell pretty much anything on Gumtree or Facebook, you might have better luck with specialist, niche apps or websites. For example, whilst selling old clothing on Facebook might not be worth the time it takes to list them, fashion-savvy shoppers on apps like Depop or sites like Zouma might snap up some of your snazzier items.

Books can also pose a problem on general marketplaces, but tools such BookScouter will both list them for you and help you find buyers, taking time and effort out of the sales process.

Find other specialist apps:

Looking for more places to sell stuff online? Check out this article for 65 more marketplaces.

Not ready to sell? Explore our Flexible, Contract-Free Storage Solutions

PODS takes the stress out of moving house. If you’re looking for an easy way to move or store your stuff, get in touch with us at 1800 467 637.