A few blog posts ago, in Spring Cleaning Vol. 2, we did a deep dive into where to sell and donate gently worn clothing and where to donate everything from furniture to used sporting equipment to musical instruments to all your generally unwanted stuff. But let’s say you’re more patient and you’re willing to store and ship and take the time to sell your used items. Then what?
Here are some options:
Etsy — Generally regarded as the craftsy site, etsy is where people sell everything from jewelry, skin care lotions, gently worn vintage clothing, art and collectibles, and household items. Much of what’s sold here is bespoke and new, but some vendors sell their antiques and used household knickknacks here.
Ebay — Basically the internet’s everything-but-the-kitchen-sink emporium. Toys, clothes, books, electronics, sporting goods, electronics. The best thing about eBay is that everybody who is selling or buying something is on it, but the worst thing about eBay is that everybody who is selling or buying something is on it. But even if you opt to go a different route, know that eBay is a great place to do research on pricing.
Swap Meets — Although sitting around outside surrounded by your stuff surrounded by everyone else’s stuff outside, often in the hot sun or heat, doesn’t sound like a way to spend the precious moments we all have here on earth, especially when there is this thing called the internet, this is still a thing. Just pick wisely and know that you have to spend money to make money to participate in the ones that actually draw any traction like the Rose Bowl or the Long Beach Antique Market.
OfferUP — An internet app that allows you to buy and sell used items locally. Unlike Craigslist, the original internet classified ad killer, which also offers services, community resources, discussion forums, jobs, and housing, OfferUP has an app and a way of contacting sellers within the app so that you don’t have to give up your email address. It also allows posting of photos and has an internal rating system to avoid flaky sellers. Craigslist still has the largest market share, but OfferUP has a much nicer interface with better safety features.
Freecycle — While not necessarily a forum to turn a profit off your used belongings, Freecycle is a grassroots & entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving and getting stuff for free in their local neighborhoods to reuse and keep good stuff out of landfills. Membership is free, and you can both donate and find items…for free. So if you don’t want your old easel, but have decided to take up mountain biking instead, you can make requests as well as post items to discard or to lend.
PopUp CleanUP values the concept of reuse and recycling. One of the ways in which we aim to keep plastic out of landfills is by offering up trash can rental at events. Often overlooked, event planners don’t plan on enough trash bins, buy extra, then throw them away at the end of the event. For more on this service, read our previous blog post Talkin’ Trash.
PopUP CleanUP is a leader for all your event cleaning needs.
