Sell your stuff online
Make money while reducing clutter
By Gloria Boyer
Sometimes, it feels like we’re all being buried beneath a mountain of junk mail, e‑mail, and phone calls, not to mention an ever-increasing pile of stuff that's been given to us or that we’ve managed to buy or collect. For me, clearing out the clutter has proven to be a great way to simplify my life, reduce stress, and make space for new and better (but not necessarily material) things to come into my life.
Another benefit of cleaning house has been discovering how easy it is to sell or donate the stuff I want to get rid of. Let me tell you about how I de-clutter and use Windows Live Expo—a free, online service where you can buy and sell used merchandise, find an apartment, search for a job, or find out about local events—to post ads and sell some of my stuff.
Clearing clutter—it pays to be ruthless
Start clearing the clutter by asking yourself some questions:
| • | Do you regularly use all your things? |
| • | Do you keep lots of stuff just in case you might need it “someday?" |
| • | Is everything in good repair? |
| • | Do you keep things that most people would consider junk? |
If your answers to these questions suggest that you're keeping things you don't need, here's what you can do. Professional organizers suggest that you use four bins (or four piles) to clear a closet, a drawer, or a room:
| • | One for things you definitely use and want to keep. |
| • | One for junk to be recycled or thrown away. |
| • | One for things you never use and want to give away or sell. |
| • | And one for stuff you can’t decide on. |
After you’ve gone through this exercise a few times, you’ll get better at deciding on those “can’t decide” items.
Where to sell (or give, or recycle) your stuff
Now that you’ve done some clearing, it’s time to do something with those items in your “sell or give away” bin. You've got a lot of options when it comes to selling your stuff online. You can use websites, such as Amazon.com
, Windows Live Expo, and eBay.com, to sell used books, CDs, and other items. You can even create videos to sell your stuff on sites like RealPeopleRealStuff.com. All of those options reach a lot of people all across the country.
Sometimes, you'd rather sell, give, or donate to people who live nearby. If that's the case, you can choose to post a local-only listing on Windows Live Expo. Other local sites, such as Craigslist.org, let you advertise merchandise in your area. On most of these sites, you can give stuff away for free, if that is your preference.
You can also be environmentally and socially responsible by using websites (such as Freecycle.org) and organizations (such as Goodwill Industries
and the Salvation Army) to donate your items to someone who can use them—and you might even get a tax credit in the bargain. If you have an old computer to sell or give away, you have several options. Because computers and monitors contain materials that can damage the environment, it's important to take extra care to dispose of these properly. For more information, see What should I do with my old computer?
First, take pictures
Let’s walk through posting an ad on Windows Live Expo by using an example from my own life. I have a nice stationary bike that I never use and want to sell. To sell it, I’ll need a good photograph. Trust me—when it comes to selling online, a picture is worth well over a thousand words, and probably a few extra bucks. Many people won't even look at an ad that doesn't have a photo.
To take good photos, make sure the lighting is good so prospective buyers can clearly see the item's details, and make sure you take the photograph from a good angle. You don't want buyers to have more questions than answers after seeing it.
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| An example of a good photo for an online ad |
Next, create an ad
You'll need a Windows Live ID to use Windows Live Expo. You can go online to sign up for one at the Windows Live ID
website. If you've already got one, open Windows Live Expo, and then, in the top right corner, click Sign in.
To start creating an ad, in the left pane, click Post a listing. Choose a category (I’ll pick the Merchandise category for my posting). There are lots of other categories, too: Autos, Events, Housing, Jobs, Pets, and Services. Then, choose a subcategory (Sports and Recreation, let's say) and a type of listing (For Sale).
 |
| Click "Post a listing" to start your ad |
After clicking Continue, you'll see a webpage where you can enter the text for your ad. I type a title, “Stationary bike,” enter a price in the Price box, and then type the text of the ad itself in the Description box: “Stationary bike with ergometer in excellent condition. Works great. Smooth and quiet action. ” Providing as many details as possible helps people make a decision about your items.
Next, fill in the address section (for your security, it’s best to just put the city, state, and zip code, rather than a complete address). Only the boxes with an asterisk next to them are required. Complete the information about the forms of payment you'll accept, your shipping preferences, and who should be able to see the ad.
When you're finished typing all the information you want people to know about your item, it's time to add the pictures. Click Add images, and then browse to the location of the photo on your computer. Add a caption, and then click Upload image.
Now sit back and wait for the money to roll in
Prospective buyers will contact you at the e‑mail address you put in your account profile. They might send you an e‑mail message asking for additional information about your items. When you find a serious buyer, let them know when you'll be shipping them their new stuff, or where they can meet you to pick it up.
That’s it! Not so hard, and I’m already planning what I’ll do with the extra cash I'll earn from selling my stuff: it’s going into the New Vacuum Cleaner Fund, or maybe the New Computer Fund, or perhaps the New Bed Fund, or….
About the author
Gloria Boyer is a writer on the Windows team at Microsoft. Formerly a network administrator, she now writes about Windows networking. She's also a poet, an artist, a dancer, a juggler, a gardener, a cat lover, and not particularly tall.
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