I’ve sold clutter out of my basement $5 and $10 at a time using facebook marketplace. Would you believe I earned $300 in one month from selling little things I wasn’t using anymore?
Selling items on Facebook Marketplace can feel like a chore, but with these simple tips, you’ll be a pro! I don’t sell items every day on Marketplace. Instead every couple of months I’ll do a larger wave of listings and manage the pick-ups and messages within a few days. It’s one of those tasks that always seems harder until you get started and then once you start making cash it can become kind of fun!
I like to make everything into a game (that’s the Enneagram 3 competitor in me!) so I often print out a copy of my free Savings Tracker. One month, I set a goal to make $300 just by selling small decorative items collecting dust in our basement (old vases, picture frames, that sort of thing). Turning it into a challenge is a motivating way to have some fun with decluttering!
Looking for more organizing ideas? Take a look at these blog posts:
- Declutter Your Closet: 9 Questions To Ask Yourself When Getting Rid Of Clothes
- No More Paper Clutter! How To Organize Coupons In 15 Minutes
- Decluttering Clothes With KonMari – How I Got Rid Of 50% Of My Closet
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Selling your clutter on facebook marketplace
Tip 1. take Nice photos on a clean background
Always take the time to get nice photos on a clean background. Items that have a bunch of clutter in the background or poor lighting typically don’t sell very well. A set of white curtains or solid-colored fabric is a great backdrop.
Tip 2. include A screenshot of the product listing for new items
If it’s a brand new item or something still available for sale, include a screenshot of the product listing from that retailer’s website. People can see a good photo along with the retail price and a lot of product details like dimensions, etc.
Tip 3. include specifics in the title
Especially if the item is new, I will include NEW in the title of the listing. Dimensions, size, or color can also be key. If it’s a brand name item, I’ll include the brand in the title, too.
Tip 4. add lots of details in the description
Take the time to measure your items and include the dimensions in your description. Always, ALWAYS include dimensions to reduce the number of questions you’ll get. I keep a tape measure by me when I’m posting photos so I can measure everything.
Tip 5. set up a shortcut on your phone keyboard
Using shortcuts on my iPhone, I set up my keyboard to automatically type out a certain description when I type “fbmp” (Facebook Marketplace). This saves so much time! Here’s my description: “I will update the listing with pending/sold! If it’s still listed, it’s still for sale. Porch pick-up in (corner of town). Cash, Venmo, or PayPal accepted. Cross-posted.”
I only mark the item as “pending” when someone has agreed on a time to pick it up and a price. I’ll mark the item “sold” when I have money in my hand. Listing the description has saved me from answering “Is this item still available?” a billion times!
Tip 6. Porch pick-up is amazing
Porch pick-up means I will leave the item in a plastic shopping bag on our front porch and ask the person to pick it up whenever they can that day. They’ve either already sent me money on Venmo, or I trust that they will leave the cash in the shopping bag and then leave it in between our front doors (like we messaged about).
This is amazing because I don’t have to set up an exact time to meet someone. And it’s more appealing to people because it’s flexible. This saves so much time messaging back and forth. PLUS it saves me from answering the door with a crying baby and dog who won’t stop barking.
Tip 7. Encourage Commitment
When someone messages you about an item and they are the first one, reply back! I always reply “Great! It’s yours for $10. Can you come to pick it up tonight?” Or if it’s late, I ask about tomorrow. I don’t wait around for days or a week. I don’t meet people somewhere else. I restate it’s available for pick up and I kind of force them to pick up in 24 hours, otherwise, I move on to the next person.
Tip 8. Price on the low side
I tend to price things low. People in general value items higher than other people want to pay. Take the $10 vase I sold. I had multiple people interested and I could have listed it higher. However, having a lower price cut down on negotiations and the item got out of my house. Plus people are looking for a deal on Marketplace!
Tip 9. If it doesn’t sell within a week, just donate it
If an item isn’t selling, you could try reducing the price. Facebook Marketplace makes it easy to show the original price and the new price. However after a week or two of trying that, just donate the item. The whole point is to declutter…remember??
I want to hear from you! What’s your favorite tip to sell your clutter? When will you be trying it out for yourself? How high are you setting your first goal? Comment below or send me a DM through Instagram!
Looking for more organizing ideas? Take a look at these blog posts:
- Declutter Your Closet: 9 Questions To Ask Yourself When Getting Rid Of Clothes
- No More Paper Clutter! How To Organize Coupons In 15 Minutes
- Decluttering Clothes With KonMari – How I Got Rid Of 50% Of My Closet
Have a fantastic day!
