How To Sell Stuff You Don’t Want

ROCKVILLE, MD. — Whether your closets are filled to the brim or you need some extra cash to get creditors off your back, selling things you no longer want or need is a great way to clear clutter from your home and bills from your mailbox. But while having a yard sale or placing a classified ad may seem like a simple task, deciding on the best way to sell your stuff can be the difference between getting top dollar for your items and simply getting your items out of the house.

 “Many people who want to get rid of unwanted items don’t know about all the different ways there are to sell things or how to properly advertise and prepare their items for sale,” said Pam Rhode, president of Myvesta, a nonprofit consumer education organization. “There are a vast number of ways to sell items and with a little time, research and elbow grease you can make big bucks by selling things you find around your house.”

Ms Rhode said that yard sales, one of the most popular ways to sell household items, can often be the most lucrative.

“Yard sales are often hastily thrown together at the last minute and as a result people don’t make as much money as they could have,” said Ms Rhode. “Taking the time to properly set up, advertise and run your yard sale can turn a $250 day into a $1,000 sale.”

Some yard sale tips from Ms Rhode include:

*Place interesting items closer to the road to attract people driving by

*Make sure your items are visually appealing and group similar items together on tables

*Run an extension chord out into your yard so people can test electronic items

*When making signs to advertise your yard sale, use durable materials and drive by them to make sure they are easily visible from the road.

To assist people in the selling process, Myvesta has released a new publication called How to Sell Stuff You Don’t Want. The publication covers selling methods such as yard sales, flea markets, classified ads, online auctions, consignment shops, and more. The publication can be downloaded for free by visiting Myvesta.org online.