[Tips] 5 DIY Organizing Hacks To Declutter And Earn Dollars Along The Way

I like to live in vintage old houses. I love their quirky charm—but I don’t love their tiny closets.

This means I’m constantly challenged to declutter as I add new things.

If you need to downsize, these five tips can help you declutter and earn for your efforts. Each tip below focuses on a different category of “clutter.” To keep yourself motivated, remember—your clutter may be someone else’s treasure (a treasure they’re willing to pay you for!).

1. Clothing and accessories

For an all-around great resale outlet for adults and kids online, we like ThredUP. Not only do they make it super-easy to sell, but you can save 90% or more when you shop with them!

If your closet contains couture/brand name items, check out Shop Hers—they have one of the lowest commission structures around and also offer some great sales when you’re ready to shop.

For vintage and brand name items, try Buffalo Exchange, which is a nationwide network of local stores. You may want to call ahead to find out what items they’re accepting when you’re ready to sell since they are sensitive to seasons and trends.

For kids’ resale, you can’t beat Once Upon a Child (part of the Plato’s Closet network—Plato’s Closet is a great venue to resell tweens and teens clothing and gear!).

What to do:

Wash and press your items.
Take great photos (if you’re listing them yourself online).
Set your prices.
Follow all seller instructions carefully.

2. Electronics and gear

If you’ve got an obscure piece of music gear or electronics to sell (or an iPhone!) eBay may be your ticket to making some quick cash. It’s easy to list, and you can set your own pricing and shipping terms.

NextWorth is another great online venue to resell electronics, and in their new partnership with Target, you can drop off your items at any Target too!

What to do:

Give each item a once-over, noting any wear/tear or non-working areas.
Do your research to see what like items are listing for online (eBay is great for this).
Choose your reseller (many allow you to generate an online quote for comparison).
Follow the reseller’s instructions carefully to redeem your item for cash.

3. Home goods

While you may want to opt for a local consignment store (or a trusty old garage sale!) to resell larger items that may cost a lot to ship, lighter home goods find a ready market online, with eBay offering perhaps your best option to move your items quickly for a fair price.

What to do:

Clean and shine up the items you have to sell.
Take high-quality photos, taking care to note any imperfections or wear/tear.
Write a simple, clear description of the item.
Research the going price for similar items.
Create your listing!

4. Gift cards and gift certificates (even Groupons!)

Yes, you really can earn cash for that gift card you know you’ll never, ever use (and can’t regift!).

There are so many resellers who want to buy your gift cards, but one of our favorites is Gift Card Granny, where you can sell back the gift cards you don’t want and buy the ones you do. Here is a list of other resellers you may also want to check out.

Coinstar Exchange is a great local alternative to selling online—just pop your gift card into the machine’s slot, get your quote, redeem, and cash out! The one catch is they don’t accept every gift card, so just review their online list before you head out.

And if you’re still holding on to a Groupon you now regret purchasing, why not try reselling it for cash with CoupFlip orCoupRecoup? (Having trouble choosing? Check out this helpful post!).

What to do:

Because you have so many resale options in this category, it can be wise to gather some quotes online before choosing a reseller.
Also, pay attention to whether a reseller gives you a better deal to cash out or use credits to buy gift cards you do want (like Amazon or Paypal) instead!

5. Books, movies, magazines and music

Selling your used books and textbooks is easy-breezy with BookScouter, which actually scouts the prices for you and directs you to the site that will pay you the most.

For movies, games, magazines and mass-market books, Half Price Books is a fabulous option (in-store only), and they also have a donation program for any items they can’t purchase.

What to do:

Separate out your textbooks and all books with ISBN numbers, and try Bookscouter to find the online venues offering the best prices.
For the rest, put them in a box and take them down to your local Half Price Books to get a quote!

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