Share this
I may have told you before that I really try to limit my time on social media these days. I’m a lot more at peace and productive without all that drama and distraction. When I did pop over to my newsfeed a few days back, I saw a bunch of posts about some organizing show on Netflix. I don’t have Netflix and I don’t love organizing things, so I had no clue what these people were talking about. But, it was apparently “life-changing!”
I’m sure you have already guessed I’m talking about Tidying Up with Marie Kondo.
Now, I would have totally dismissed these discussions and went on about my day had I not seen a few discussions and news stories on how people – or businesses – are cashing in on this trend. The local Goodwill stores around here have reported a 40% increase in donations since this series started! Apparently, people have a lot of stuff in their homes that doesn’t “spark joy.”
What’s that mean for you?
It could mean a little extra cash. Maybe you need to declutter your own house. Maybe you are a flipper and can take advantage of those gently-used wares showing up in local thrift shops.
That’s what we are talking about today!
3 Ways KonMari Can Help You Make Extra Cash
1. Get Rid of the Things that Don’t “Spark Joy” in Your Life
This is obvious. The whole premise of this series is simplifying life and getting rid of clutter. Much of that clutter can likely be sold to someone for which it will spark joy.
If you aren’t watching the show, or maybe you are and are looking to take advantage of the trend, here are a few things that can possibly help you declutter your life.
- Books: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up and Spark Joy by Marie Kondo
- Printables: There are several KonMari decluttering printables available on Etsy
2. Find Other KonMari’ed Items to Flip
As I said earlier, the thrift stores around here are seeing a boom in donations. There are likely a few good finds ripe for the flipping.
- Courses: eBay selling courses on Udemy
- Courses: Flea Market Flipper
3. Become a KonMari Consultant
You can even become a KonMari-certified expert, but it will cost you a couple thousand dollars. 😀
The Best Things To Sell to Make Money
When it comes to digging for treasures, there are a few categories you likely have lying around the house that may be worth selling.
1. Clothes & Accessories
You have so many apps to sell clothing at your disposal today, depending on the item, however, you may get more money at your local consignment store. I’ve especially heard this about kids clothing compared to selling lots on eBay.
If you don’t care about getting top dollar and just want to get rid of it, thredUP is always an option as well.
2. Electronics
Gazelle and Decluttr will pay you cash for old smartphones and other electronics. Amazon Trade-In will give you store credit.
3. Vintage Toys
We all love nostalgia. Many people from our generation are now seeking out toys from their youth. eBay is a great place to list those items.
4. Books
I have sold books a few times to SellBackYourBook.com. They give you a price upfront. They pay for the shipping. Just print your label and ship them off. Payments are processed within three days of receipt.
5. Tools
If you have a garage full of tools no one uses, those are worth money. They can be heavy and difficult to shop, however. You may want to shop them around to local pawn shops or on Facebook Groups.
6. Antiques
Before selling off family heirlooms, I always recommend seeing if another family member is interested first.
7. Appliances
Craigslist or Facebook Groups can be a great way to unload appliances that are still in good condition.
8. Sporting Goods
Same goes for sporting goods. If your garage or basement is full of bicycles, gym equipment, fishing poles and kayaks no one uses, clear it out for cash.
9. Video Games, CDs & DVDs
It’s getting harder and harder to get rid of these items. You can try a website like Decluttr, but you may have better luck at your local pawn shop.
A Few Tips for Selling Online
Online reselling can be very lucrative and fulfilling, but it can also be very frustrating and overwhelming if things aren’t selling. Here are a few tips to help you make those sales.
1. Use appealing descriptions.
Use every single character available to describe why your merch is MUST HAVE!
Which sounds more appealing:
Scented mason jar candles in a variety of colors.
Or
Gorgeous hand-made scented candles in decorative mason jars perfect for every occasion. Give Mom Merry Mint for Mother’s Day; Warm Vanilla Sugar is sure to melt Aunt Vi’s heart; the smell of fresh cut roses is a perfect pick-me-up for any room, and what man doesn’t love the aroma of Whiskey & Jazz?!
By using descriptive words, you’re painting a picture for your prospective customer; sell them an experience and you’ll definitely stand out in the over-crowded online marketplace.
2. Use high-quality photos.
Because your buyer can’t access the item until after purchase, it is imperative that they are able to see every aspect and angle of it online.
Don’t simply snap one or two pics, with your phone, then quickly upload them to your site and expect stellar sales. Seeing is believing, online, so show them the world!
- Take numerous – quality – photos. Take photos of the front, back, top, bottom and sides of the item.
- Make sure the photos are clear and well-lit and taken against a plain color background. Use a dark background for light-colored items and a light background for dark-colored items.
- Offer multiple photos, and document any damage, the last thing you want to do is deceive customers about the quality of the item.
And DO NOT use stock photos! This gives the impression that you, either, don’t have the exact same item or that the one you do have is of lesser quality.
Show them exactly what they’re getting, every time, period.
3. Don’t overcharge for shipping.
If you’ve ever done any shopping on e-commerce sites, like Amazon, you may have experienced this strange and ridiculous tactic.
You type in a product you’d like to purchase, like a fidget spinner, and up pops 30 options from which to choose. Sort them by price, and you’ll see some for as low as $1.00! ‘Whoa! I’ve just hit the FS jackpot!” you think to yourself until you drop it in your cart and see the price jump to $25.00!
What gives?!
The seller lured you in with an unheard of low price, simply to make up the difference in over-inflated shipping & handling charges. (How much effort does it really take to drop a 70g toy in a box with no packing and no paperwork?!) The postage itself, sent domestically, is less than $5.00.
Working in this manner will not only cost you sales, (because it is seriously SHADY,) but it may cost you your entire store as sites, like eBay, may shut you down for using this practice.
Instead, offer quality merchandise – actually measure and weigh the item and packing – then include this information in the listing; buyers don’t like surprises!
Go a step further, and offer free shipping, and your platform may even reward you! eBay has been known to do just that.
These are just a few tips for cashing in on the KonMari Method. I don’t know about you, but few things spark joy more than cold, hard cash.