The Great Toy Purge
My kids are growing up, and let me tell you, the accumulation of their once-cherished treasures was reaching critical mass. Think Legos, bicycles, guitars—enough to open a small shop! The house was overflowing, and I had to do something.
We considered downsizing, and the momentum to declutter reached new heights. I didn’t want to just toss everything into the landfill. Perfectly good items deserved a second chance.
My son started the process by selling his barely used 3-D printer. He made it look easy so I decided to follow his lead and started to dabble in selling and gifting things online. Now, anyone who knows me knows I don’t just dabble with one toe in the water, I tend to dive in headfirst to test the temperature. As you can imagine, that’s how my online selling, gifting, and upcycling spree went as well.
Plastic-Free and Proud
In our quest to go plastic-free, my daughter and I began scrutinizing every item in the house. The thought of adding to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch gave me nightmares. So, we started sorting through everything—especially the pristine, barely-touched items just begging for a new home.
Guitar Hero to Guitar Zero
First up were the guitars. We had four, yes, four guitars—two electric, two acoustic. I tried selling them on Facebook Marketplace and some musical instrument groups. No luck. Then I discovered Reverb, a site specializing in reselling guitars and other instruments. Finally, success! Both electric guitars sold just before Christmas.
Shipping was more complicated than I expected. Who knew that guitar boxes cost $35?! Then discounted shipping is another $30 per guitar. Well, after way under-pricing shipping and handling on the first guitar, I learned (and now you know too)! Thankfully, my husband got crafty with some sturdy moving boxes, a box cutter, packing paper, styrofoam, and bubble wrap to custom-fit shipping boxes. Then after shipping the first guitar, I upped my shipping and handling fees to stem my unexpected out-of-pocket costs.
The acoustic guitars were more challenging. Shipping was not a success. They’re more fragile. Sadly the first one I sold arrived broken. Reverb has fabulous customer support and insurance which covered the loss. Lesson learned – maybe we’ll keep the other acoustic guitar for a future grandchild (decluttering fail!)
Poshmark: Electronics and Other Unexpected Wins
On Poshmark I started with clothing. Sales were hit or miss. Designer clothes and high-end items were supposed to fly off the virtual shelves, but that was not my experience.
Unused and barely worn shoes, still in the original boxes, sold fast. Yes, I admit I’m a “no mess = no stress” gal. An orderly closet brings me an inexplicable feeling of Zen. Which tells you that I keep my shoes all lined up in their original boxes. When priced right, Poshmark buyers snap these right up.
Next, I dabbled in offloading our mass of electronics. Fun fact: I accidentally became an electronics seller on Poshmark! Who knew headsets and unopened wireless telephone sets would be such hits on the resale market?
Learning the Ropes: Pricing and Shipping
I learned the art of pricing—aim for one-third of the retail price and be ready to negotiate. Most buyers expect a 20-25% discount, so I priced accordingly.
Shipping turned out to be a breeze. Poshmark prepaid labels make it simple. I just package the item, slap on the label, and drop it off at UPS. Easy-peasy. I aim for same-day or 24-hour shipping, sometimes roping my husband into running errands. Who wants to wait when you buy something online? Amazon has trained us to expect instant gratification!
The Freebie Frontier
I found that anything priced under $20 wasn’t worth my time in all this online reselling. So I gifted them on our local “buy nothing” Facebook channel and focused my online reselling efforts toward higher-value items. Teachers often post looking for free gifts of fidget spinners, markers, crafts, and art supplies for their classrooms. Boy, was I there for them!
Giving away items for free was a whole new world. I was nervous about strangers knowing where I lived. So meeting people at a public spot worked well for delivering coats, toys, and kitchen items (even egg cartons!) to new owners for a second life. I liked the personal touch. It really felt like there was a personal connection and the ability to make a difference.
I had some funny decluttering experiences too. I unknowingly violated protocols twice! And was locked out of the local “buy nothing” (free) site for a 2-week probationary period. Once was because I gifted children’s toys to a charity volunteer – at her request – through the community. It turned out that the charity wasn’t authorized to use the community, so by gifting them to a member of the online community, I had unknowingly violated the protocol. Who knew? So I don’t gift as much through sites as I used to. Although it doesn’t have the same personal connection, It’s easier just to drop things at the Goodwill or Salvation Army.
My Best Find Was Lego Upcycling
The quickest, easiest, and most rewarding reuse experience was donating our huge tote of Legos to Pass the Bricks. It’s a charitable organization founded by a high school student. It has expanded to locations in major cities throughout the United States. They clean up Legos and donate them to kids who otherwise wouldn’t have access.
If you’ve read my musings on becoming plastic-free, you know that this is important to me. We were guilty of years of Lego accumulation in the form of amazing structures, and vehicles proudly build by our children. I’ve heard that Lego is the biggest producer of tires in the world, and we had more than our fair share. What a relief it was to give them a second life
Conclusion: Declutter, Sell, and Smile
This journey into online re-selling and donating has been insightful. I have a new found respect for online retailers. Our house is cleaner and more organized, and the kids have a tad more money in their college funds. Plus, we’re doing our bit for the planet. If you’re thinking about decluttering, give online selling gifting and upcycling a try. You might just enjoy the process—and maybe even make a few bucks along the way!
Hope you enjoyed my tales from the cluttered side!
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