Declutter Your Home Using Craigslist—Safely!
We all tend to keep “good stuff” that we don’t need. There’s that toaster you got from your aunt, a perfectly good mailbox you’ve replaced, books you’ve finished, clothes that don’t fit quite right—the list goes on.
Moving is an opportunity to unload these extra belongings. Decluttering before you move saves you the trouble and expense of moving items you don’t want. You’ll free up space and you can even make a little extra cash by selling these items on Craigslist!
Craigslist and online yard sales—check Facebook for sale sites near you—are an easy way to find new homes for your excess items. As you declutter your house before moving, post each item for sale and enjoy the extra space. Here are some tips for successful safe Craigslist sales.
Best Craigslist Practices for Decluttering
- Open a Craigslist account: If you will be posting more than one item, open an account on Craigslist. That makes it easier to republish ads (bringing them to the top of the list) and easier to add more items for sale.
- Provide photos: Take your items outdoors if possible and get good photos—photos, more than anything else, will help sell your merchandise.
- Keep descriptions short and honest: People would rather read a short description. Be honest about the condition and wear of your sale item; better that people know in advance that your lamp has a chip than you go to the trouble of meeting them and they don’t want it.
- Link to new item: If you’re selling an item that’s still available new, such as a technology or a toaster, provide a link to the new item.
- Price item fairly: Find out what others are charging for used items similar to yours, and price your item in the same ballpark.
- Use Craigslist etiquette: If you sell the item, notify others who have inquired. Once your item is sold, remove the listing. This will promote goodwill and reduce the number of additional calls.
Keep Safe While Using Craigslist
- Keep contact information private: Craigslist makes it easy to keep your personal information anonymous. When using Facebook yard sale pages, make sure all your contact information is set to private.
- Meet in a safe public place: Choose a public meeting place with lots of people around, such as a grocery store parking lot, to ensure your privacy.
- Bring a friend along: Especially with valuable items, bring along a friend or family member to observe and make sure things go smoothly. Most strangers you meet are just trying to buy your item, but it never hurts to play it safe!
- Keep your home address private: It’s best not to invite people to your home unless it’s unavoidable. In that case, talk to buyers on the phone first and make sure they’re serious buyers. Get their full names and phone numbers.
Never invite strangers to your home to buy expensive items such as jewelry. Find a professional venue to sell these items.
Few Moves Moving Company offer a full range of moving services for local or long-distance moving. Call Few Moves today at (919) 999-6201 in Raleigh or (910) 512-6999 in Wilmington, NC or request a free quote online.
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