Yahoo Finance 5 Things You Should Consider Selling Before You Downsize
When you make the decision to downsize, reduced living expenses, less upkeep and less clutter are likely on your mind. But before you can enjoy those benefits, there’s some prep work you need to do.
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Downsizing means getting rid of some of your stuff, but how do you choose what to sell and what to keep?
To help, here are five things you should consider selling before you downsize.
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Furniture
Furniture items can take up a lot of space, so when considering what should go, this is a good place to start.
If you’re downsizing to a place that won’t accommodate all of your current furniture, that means you either need to find a new home for the items or rent a storage unit. The storage unit idea isn’t a great idea long-term because it’s a recurring bill that takes a bite out of your budget each month. Instead, it’s a better idea to consider selling those items that you would otherwise store.
To decide what to sell, start with items that absolutely won’t fit in your new space, such as a sectional sofa or large wall unit, and sell them. Next, look for items you have duplicates of, such as nightstands or end tables, and decide if you can sell one. You might also want to sell both and use the money to buy smaller, less bulky items that will fit better in your new home. Finally, sell pieces that just won’t make sense in your new space, such as pieces that look odd by themselves if you’ve sold part of the set.
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Books and Media
If you have shelves of books, record albums or DVDs that aren’t doing much more than collecting dust, it’s time to curate your collection.
Regarding books, keep your favorite titles — or those that have sentimental value, such as a first edition that was gifted to you — and get rid of the rest. Paperback books and old college textbooks that are outdated should be the first to go. Books of value can be sold to a book dealer or auctioned on eBay. Only keep cookbooks you actually use.
For DVDs, sort through them and get rid of any that don’t trigger the immediate desire to watch again. Also, consider getting rid of titles you planned to watch but never have — especially if they are movies that you can stream. You can sell your unwanted DVDs on eBay as a lot or individually.
Evaluate your record collection and keep those albums that are valuable to you. Sell the ones that you aren’t attached to. You can set up a shop on Discogs, which claims to have cheaper fees than eBay, Etsy or Amazon.
Household Items and Decor
When you’re downsizing, it makes sense to streamline your current inventory of household items and decor. The best thing to do is to consider the aesthetic you’re going for in your new home and only keep things that fit.
If you’re planning to keep everything the same, however, you’ll need to decide what will work well in your new place and what you’ll need to sell. Try not to keep items you won’t be able to use and will have to leave boxed up unless there’s a good reason to keep them. Instead, sell those items locally on Facebook Marketplace or OfferUp to get rid of them. This will save you from having to pack and ship items like you would if you list them on eBay or Etsy.
Electronics
If you have older, bulky electronics that are still working, you might not be able to sell them, but you may be able to donate them. However, if you have newer electronics like large TVs or a desktop computer that you no longer need, you can probably sell those items. If you’re selling a PC, make sure you back up your files and erase its hard drive before selling to protect your personal information.
Small Appliances
If you have a collection of small appliances taking up space in your cabinets or on your countertops, it’s time to downsize. Take an inventory of what you have and consider whether you can find one appliance that does the work of several that you have. Then, sell those appliances and use the money to buy an appliance that’s a multitasker. Also, get rid of any appliances that you very rarely use and can do the job manually just as well.
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