As the sun starts to shine for the spring, it can be tempting to clear ago the garage, basement or even the living room with a huge yard sale. But before you sell off your stuff for pennies on the dollar, it’s time to ask yourself some questions.
Will I need it again?
There are some things that actually belong in storage. Your winter sports gear, your luggage and Christmas decorations can all be frustrating when you are tight for space, but you’ll need them again sooner than you think. For seasonal items that get used just one or twice a year, you certainly don’t want to have to replace them every time you need them. And selling those Christmas decorations that you have such fond memories of for a few dollars will make you just as unhappy as having them sitting in the guest room.
Instead of selling things you’ve used once for a tiny fraction of what you’ve paid, consider the option of a small storage unit. A unit the size of storage closet can handle most of those small things that you just don’t have room for at home, but be far mo0re affordable than replacing your cooler every time you want to go to the shore.
Do I know what it’s worth?
When we get on a strong spring cleaning streak, it can be easy to throw all kinds of things into the get rid of pile without actually knowing what they’re worth. If yo9u don’t have time to check eBay and other collector’s websites right now, it might be better to put the china, old toys and other miscellaneous stuff away until you do. The things that other people will buy from you and pay a good price for can be very weird. For example, my husband and I collect board games. Recently, he told me that one we bought several years ago for $12 is not selling for more than $50 on eBay. Everything from old Scrabble games with wooden tiles to your kid’s Mousetrap game that they somehow kept all the pieces too, could be worth the effort to sell on eBay instead of at a yard sale.
Before you decide to just sell it, make sure you aren’t giving away the profits!
Does it hold precious memories?”
Deciding to clear out the kid’s bedroom and get rid of the toys they’ve outgrown can be very tempting, but do you really want to throw out the teddy bear that was a last gift from a grandparent that is no longer with us? Or the afghan crocheted by a beloved friend?
When thinking about a tag sale, consider what items have special meaning to you or might have special meaning to your children. Consider putting them in a tote with some cedar balls and storing them instead. Keeping those memories is more important than the 25 cents they’ll get at a garage sale.
Call Spacemall
Storing the things you love may be more affordable than you think! We have units of all different sizes and this is the perfect time of year to take advantage of our air-conditioned indoor storage. Call us and see if we can help.