You buy new stuff. The old stuff piles up. Your closets are full, your garage is a maze, and you’re one impulse purchase away from needing a storage unit.
Three ways to clear it out.
1. Hand-me-downing
Free is the fastest route. Ask your neighbors, family, and friends if they want it. Be specific about what you’re offering. "Free stuff" gets ignored. "Free IKEA bookshelf, good condition, you haul" gets responses.
Text photos if people can’t come look in person. Actual images move stuff faster than descriptions. Someone who wouldn’t drive over for "a chair" will show up for a photo of a decent mid-century piece.
2. Garage Sale
Whatever doesn’t get claimed for free, sell. Make flyers (paper and digital) and post them everywhere you can. Price things to move, not to recoup what you paid. You’re clearing space, not running a boutique.
Expect negotiation. Someone offering $3 for your $5 lamp isn’t insulting you, they’re helping you not have a lamp anymore.
3. Sell Online
Amazon, eBay, Craigslist. Whatever’s left after the garage sale goes here. Write actual descriptions (condition, dimensions, any flaws) and include multiple photos from different angles. Blurry pictures and vague listings sit unsold for months.
Online selling takes longer but reaches more buyers. Good for anything with niche appeal or higher value. Just factor in shipping costs before you commit to mailing someone a 40-pound desk lamp across the country.