As a frequent Ramsey Network listener, one of the things that is highly recommended is increasing their income to get out of debt quickly. For some, this means getting a side job. For others, that means selling stuff.
I have been dipping my toes on what it means to be a minimalist. As a blogger, I often feel the pressure to buy things just simply for the sake of having something to talk about. However, sometimes, things end up staying unused. That’s when I take items to Poshmark or consignment shops.
I recently read a post from Plain and Simple Living about Why You Shouldn’t Sell Your Stuff After Decluttering. She raises good points, such as it leads to more clutter and it can become addictive. She also raises a very valid point of since certain things can take a while to sell, which leads to more clutter. And, I agree with her points to a certain extent, but I do disagree.
One of the ways that I am able to fund some of my items is through reselling one item in the efforts to fund another. For example, I sold some Kendra Scott jewelry to purchase my Pandora necklace. Or, I will sell some purses that I am no longer using in the efforts to have some extra money in the bank for my shopping addiction. This came into fruition a few weeks ago when I sold some of my Tiffany pieces to raise money for ones that I wear all of the time.
I also think that reselling items is a good way to make extra money for savings and for debt. I don’t sell mine to make all of my money back. I recognize that it is practically impossible to do so. I sell mine to get some of it back in the effort to become closer to being debt-free.
Another point I would like to add is reselling items have caused me to be more conscious of what I am actually bringing into my home. If I am looking at something, I do ask myself if I have had this item before. If I do and am not using it, then why would this other item be any different? Furthermore, if it was an item that I have previously decluttered, I know that repurchasing it again will not be the best of ideas.
That said, I do think it’s important to give away money and items as well. When it came time for me to clean out my mother’s closet, I gave them all to charity. For me, it didn’t feel right, and it warms my heart that many people are wearing my mother’s clothes that wouldn’t otherwise have clothing. I do try to donate as well, but if it’s in decent condition, I do want to try to sell the items. For me, that made it easier to give them away versus selling them.
To avoid having seller’s remorse, I try to look at the items I wish to sell in a pragmatic manner, and ask myself the important questions: when was the last time that I wore this? Do I still see myself using this? Will I regret getting rid of this? If I have questions, I am not going to list the item or bring it to the consignment store. But, I will monitor how much I use it.
Furthermore, if it’s something that I haven’t used or worn in half a year or more, then I will move it to another part of my home. If I don’t reach for it, it goes. That’s important, because if I am not using it, I likely never will.
