I have something to confess. Like a lot of other guys, I am a hoarder. Our house is filled with unused and unwanted stuff. Some of them are brand new but never used. This includes new clothes and shoes that didn't fit, old toys, clothes that your kids grew out of and more. Suddenly I was faced with the dilemma. Get rid of them away or move to a bigger house. So I finally made the tough but long overdue decision of getting rid of all the stuff. Throwing them at the tip was not really an option. Sitting down I thought of the various ways I could get rid of them. I came up with a list that might help you guys facing the same problem.
Online Auction Sites
The first one that usually comes to mind is eBay, the largest online auction site in the World. A great way of making money while getting rid of unwanted items. So far, I have sold baby clothes, books, toys and even furniture on eBay.
Recently got to know about another popular online auction site called eBid. The great thing about this site is that unlike eBay, you are not charged listing fees.Car Boot and Garage Sales
Never tried selling stuff at a car boot or garage sale before though I would like to try it out at least once before I leave the UK. A friend, who has tried it before, told me that it was a fun but a tiring experience. The weather is the unpredictable factor here, especially in open-air car boot sales. I would definitely hate to get caught in a chilly shower.Classifieds
You can also list up items on the local newspaper classifieds or online. Gum Tree is a very popular free online classifieds service here in the UK. It was acquired by eBay in May 2005. You might want to put up your items under the category, "Stuff for Sale".Charities
If you can't be bothered with all the hassle of listing items for sale, posting, and so on, you can donate your unwanted items (in good condition) to various charities like the PDSA, Help the Aged, etc. Some of them will even pick up the items from your house. Contributing for a good cause does feel good.Others
You might also want to consider joining the Freecycle Network. With the noble goal of keeping "usable items out of landfills." All you have to do is join the discussion group for your area, (in my case it is the Coventryfreecycle under Yahoo! groups) and list up your unwanted items. Interested people will then contact you and you can then arrange for them to come and pick it up from your address or any other convenient place. Do note that everything posted must be free, legal and appropriate for all ages.
I had a huge hifi system I bought from a car boot sale for £3. It was working great for sometime until the CD player suddenly stopped working one day. The tape and radio still worked but it was taking up too much space. I was about to drop it off at the tip when I remembered the Freecycle group. I was surprised to receive two emails only after an hour of posting up the "offer" message. A lady studying in the University of Warwick took it.
All of these listed above works on the idea that "One man's junk can be another man's treasure". You are also doing your bit for the environment by helping to recycle.
