“Can I sell my clutter?”
Letting go of clutter is tough enough already—but add in the guilt of how much money you spent on that stuff, and suddenly, decluttering feels downright impossible.
If you’ve ever found yourself holding a barely used purse or looking at a stack of clothes with tags still on them and thinking, “Oh gosh, I paid good money for this, but I really don’t ever use them”, then you are not alone!
I’ve found myself in this very same boat!
Just this past week, my tween and teen daughters decided it was (sadly) time to part with their collection of dolls. I knew this day was coming, but my mama heart was not fully prepared!
Over the years, my girls have watched me declutter every area of their home, but they have especially paid attention to their old clothes and toys. Over the years, I’ve consigned their clothes (to buy “new” used clothes and “new” used toys). As they got older, I involved them in the process and let them keep the money for sold/consigned toys.
Their doll collection was HUGE, as it was their primary toy item, and they immediately saw the potential for making some money back!
Your clutter has value, and if you have expensive clutter, selling it can be a great way to get rid of stuff you might otherwise have kept out of guilt over the money spent. Don’t get me wrong. I love donating clutter. It’s the fastest and straightest line to getting rid of it, but sometimes, that isn’t enough. Sometimes, we need to explore selling and consigning clutter as another tool for getting it done!
Still, I was proud of their motivation—they didn’t just want to toss the dolls in a bin and say goodbye. They wanted to sell them.
Why Selling Your Clutter Helps You Let Go
There are lots of reasons we hold onto things we no longer use. Emotional attachment is one. The fear of needing it later is another – or “just in case syndrome”. But a big one? Money guilt.
You paid real, hard-earned money for that stuff – that excess. Getting rid of your junk excess without seeing anything in return feels like admitting defeat.
Ready for some tough love? The money is already spent. Keeping the item doesn’t bring the money back. It just takes up physical and mental space in your home. Your clutter becomes heavy.
When you decide to sell your clutter, you will often experience:
- A small financial win – YAY!!!
- Motivation to keep going
- A sense of closure (you used it—even if only financially)
- The ability to bless someone else who actually wants the item. (Think of that amazing find you found on eBay or at thrift store and how excited you felt.)
If you’ve got kids, involving them is even better. You’re teaching them how to let go, manage money, and prioritize their current stage of life over holding on unnecessarily to the past.
Real-Life Example: Selling Dolls and Growing Up
My girls spent an afternoon this week preparing their dolls for resale. They carefully cleaned them up, picked out matching outfits and accessories, and even tediously brushed their hair. They even bagged up outfit combos into clear food storage bags and labeled them!
I watched, feeling sentimental, as they worked. These weren’t just toys, they were a big part of their younger, playful years.
Yet, they were ready, so I needed to be ready. We decided to keep one doll each with her favorite outfit. For the rest, they were super-duper excited about they might buy with the money earned from their sales.
Here’s the biggest lesson to be learned by this example: decluttering doesn’t have to mean tossing everything into a donation bin. Sometimes, it just takes a little strategy to feel good about letting go – whether it’s saving your favorite item in a keepsake box, selling the excess, donating to a charity, or a combination of strategies!
What You Can Sell or Consign to Declutter and Make Money
“Can I sell my clutter?”
Not everything in your home needs to go straight to donation. Here are just a few things I’ve successfully sold or consigned over the years:
1. Clothes, Shoes, Handbags, and Jewelry
Both adult and kids’ items can be sold at local consignment stores or online platforms like Poshmark, Mercari, or Facebook Marketplace.
My favorite local children’s consignment shop is Once Upon a Child. I used to sell my adult women’s clothes to a place called Clothes Mentor. You can look for similar types of retailers in your area! Once the retailer made an offer, I would take the money or credit, and any items they didn’t purchase, I would immediately take to the local donation center – all as part of the same trip! (Nothing was coming back into my home.)
2. Books
Used bookstores are still alive and well! I love trading in old books for store credit—it fuels my book-buying habit without any of the guilt. Living clutter-free does NOT mean living without books. It just means keeping your books contained to the space you have available!
3. Sporting Equipment
Kids grow so fast that their sporting equipment often gets outgrown before the item has lived it’s full life. You can sell things like cleats, baseball gloves, bats, bikes, roller skates, skooters, etc. on local selling sites or at stores like Play It Again Sports.
Even adults often stop using sporting equipment before it’s reached its full life potential! If you’ve got old bikes, golf clubs, ski equipment, or things like treadmills, you can likely cash those items in for money, all while clearing out space in your home (and garage).
4. Furniture
I’ve sold plenty of furniture pieces online, especially by selling on Facebook Marketplace. If you have quality furniture that no longer suits your home but is still in good condition, list it before dragging it to the curb. We’ve sold children’s furniture, an antique dining table, and other items.
5. Toys and Baby Gear
Kids grow up. Don’t save all of their baby gear and toys for future generations. It takes up too much space and will wear down from extreme temperatures in storage. For any items that are still in good shape, you can sell the excess baby and toy clutter through specialty consignment shops, garage sales, or online.
My Best Tips for Selling Your Clutter for Cash
Now that you’ve got a sense of what you can sell, let’s talk about how to do it well.
Tip #1: Make Sure Items Are in Good Shape
If it’s stained, broken, missing pieces, or has a funky smell, just donate or toss it. Only bother selling items that someone would reasonably want to buy.
When going through clothes, I usually have three boxes or bags. One is for donation, one for trash/recyling, and the other is for consignment. If an item is stained or damaged, it goes in the trash/recycle box (yes, there are places that recycle old clothes).
Ask yourself: Would I pay for this in its current condition?
Tip #2: Presentation Is Everything
Don’t just throw stuff in a bin and hope it sells.
- Clean it
- Fold it
- Iron it (if it’s clothing)
- Replace missing batteries or parts
Whether you’re selling in-person or online, the better your item looks, the faster it will sell—and likely for more money.
Tip #3: Bundle Small Items Together
No one wants to buy one baby onesie or one board book. But a stack of six? That’s appealing. Group like items together to create value.
You can do the same thing with movies, DVDs, shirts of the same size, or other “lots” of items.
Tip #4: Price It to Sell
This part hurts, but it’s important. That $200 winter coat may only fetch $30. But $30 in your hand is better than it taking up closet space for another year when you know in you heart you will not wear it again.
Think of the sale as “recovered money,” not a refund.
Tip #5: Use the Right Platform
- Facebook Marketplace is great for bulky items or local pickups
- Poshmark or Mercari are good for brand-name clothing and accessories
- Consignment stores work best for seasonal items in great condition
- Garage sales can help clear out lots of small stuff quickly
Match the item to the place where it’s most likely to find a buyer.
Tip #6: Set a Time Limit
This is key! If something hasn’t sold in 2–3 weeks, it goes to donation. Actually set a reminder on your calendar so you don’t forget.
Letting items sit around waiting to be sold just creates more clutter. Give it your best effort, then move on.
What’s Worth Selling vs. What’s Worth Donating?
Sell If:
- It’s in like-new or excellent condition
- It has value (name-brand, seasonal, popular demand)
- It’s a higher-priced item that feels worth the effort
- You’re motivated to do the legwork to get it listed
Donate If:
- It’s been well-loved or worn
- It’s not in great shape but still usable
- It’s not worth your time to list
- You need quick wins and mental relief
Remember: The goal is a decluttered home, not full reimbursement of all your prior money spent. Sometimes, letting it go for free is the bigger win.
Related Post: Should I sell or donate my clutter?
Should Kids Be Involved in Selling Their Stuff?
Absolutely! My kids have learned so much through this process:
- How to prep and present items
- How to set fair prices
- How to manage money from sales
- How to let go of sentimental items with purpose
It also helps them buy into the decluttering process—especially if they know they can use the proceeds toward something they want now.
If you’re overwhelmed with your child’s clutter, try this:
- Let them choose a category (books, toys, clothes)
- Work together to sort what they’ve outgrown
- Help them list the items or take them to a store
- Let them enjoy the rewards of selling
It’s a decluttering win and a life lesson all in one.
Selling Your Expensive Clutter
At the end of the day, the expensive clutter you’re holding on to because of money guilt is still costing you something—space, peace, mental clarity.
Selling your expensive clutter doesn’t erase the initial expense, but it gives you a sense of closure, puts a little money back in your pocket, and frees up valuable space in your home.
If selling feels right, go for it! Just don’t let perfection slow you down. You won’t be able to sell all of your clutter, and even the clutter you sell will likely not bring in pennies on the dollar. Remember, the money has already been spent. This is simply a way to recoup a little of it.
Take one small area this week—maybe a corner of your closet or one toy bin—and see what you can sell. Get a quick win, and use that momentum to keep going.
You’ve got this. Your future self (and your clutter-free home) will thank you.
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