You, clutter, cash and karma. 
If you will never use it again, why are you giving it a home?

by Kate Holmes

Got some spare time? Clear your life of clutter and fill your wallet with a little cash, or your karma with a little good deed. It's really not hard to sort through your belongings and clean out. All you have to do is
go through your cupboards and closets with one thought in mind:

Will I ever enjoy using this again?

Much of what we own, whether it's a knick-knack or those plaid knickers, we did like... once. But do we still? If it doesn't fit your current life style, your decorating scheme or your body, chances are you'll never get any more joy out of possessing it. So you might as well pass it on to someone who will. 

How to find your no-longer-cherished possessions a second life? There are many choices available for something which still has some panache, style, and utility. The best choice, and the simplest, is to take them to a shop which will find a new owner with no fuss or muss on your part. 

What's worth offering to a resale shop? You'll hear all sorts of buzz words, from gently-used to slightly-worn, and piles of caveats like in style and in season. We certainly don't want to haul in a lot of things that aren't worth re-selling, but how to decide? We all can agree that a limp stained shirt or a figurine with chipped fingers is probably not resalable, but what about that tweed jacket you just had to have a few years ago, or the end table that you inherited from your in-laws? I have the complete fail-proof question you can ask yourself:

Would I wrap this with a festive bow

and gift it to a close friend or cherished relative? If your answer is yes, then it’s something that your local consignment shop might welcome, a buy-for-cash resale shop would value, and your favorite charitable thrift shop be delighted to have. Take the time to clean and polish them first so they look as good in reality as they do in your fond memories. Gently lave that adorable baby quilt, dust off the ornately-carved onyx vase, wash and press the silk dress that never was just the right shade of cerise for you, and take it to your chosen resale outlet.

If you take a good look at something that’s cluttering up your life and your immediate thought is well someone might want it...emphasis on someone might... chances are that your item would be better put in your next garage sale or club/church’s rummage sale for a quarter or a dollar.

So open that closet door, that drawer, that cupboard, and take a good look: if you won’t ever again use what you find but if it’s likely to delight another, recycle it by letting one of our Professional Resalers find a new owner for it. Whether you consign, sell, or donate things which are cluttering up your life, you’ll get the good feeling of sharing resources, of forward-thinking recycling by passing on something someone else is looking forward to using, and the clarity of less clutter in your life. Not to mention cash or karma. Pretty good trade, isn’t it?

See how Kate took the 52-Thing Challenge...and what she did with all (well. most) of those 52 items.

Find a Professional Resale Shop near you on our Clickable Map & Directory

© 1998, 2010 Kate Holmes, author of Too Good to be Threw: The Complete Operations Manual for Resale & Consignment Shops and web host of www.tgtbt.com and www.HowToConsign.com. 
Resale shops: whether or not you have chosen to list your shop on our Clickable Map & Directory so my readers are directed to your site, you are welcome to LINK to this informational page on your site or blog as a service to your clientele. You MAY NOT copy and paste this information onto your site. Please observe my property rights.
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