Selling most of what we have is a process. There’s sorting through all of our items, figuring out which ones are worth selling and which ones are worth donating. Then, it’s which site makes more sense: eBay (which is good for clothes, shoes, decor, small appliances, and collectables) or Craigslist (which is good for furniture, rugs, and electronics).
It’s a tedious task sorting through things, taking photos, and posting them. And, with Craigslist, responding to emails and having potential buyers flake. But the hardest part of all of this is mental. It’s the letting go.
When we decided to go cruising, I started thinking about what to do with our stuff. My initial response what that all of it would go into storage. It was only relatively recently that I upgraded my furniture from post-college IKEA and garage sale finds to you know, actual solid wood pieces that are heavy and long-lasting. I had plenty of time to think about this and the more I did, the less I felt attached to my things. I looked at my dresser and thought, “Is it really important to keep this?” I looked at my Tori Amos collection and thought, “When was the last time I cracked open a CD case?” But the question that I repeatedly asked myself whenever I thought about keeping say, my Calvin and Hobbes three book volume collection that ultimately made the difference was, “Would keeping this make me happy?”
A lot of the times the answer was no. I started with donating clothes and shoes (Shyp had a two-month special where they picked up donations and transported them to Goodwill for free). Then, I I looked at all the things I’ve been keeping for sentimental reasons and asked if it would make me happy to keep it. And, when the answer was no, I started researching whether the item was worth anything to someone else.
So far, I have sold three Tori Amos limited edition CDs and Box Sets for a total of $108. I have five more limited edition CDs that are active on eBay. The Calvin and Hobbes complete collection apparently goes for about $90 used. I have clothes and shoes selling on eBay (that people actually buy pre-owned clothes and shoes was a total surprise btw. I donated many new with tags dresses in a purge. Regretting that right now), and every day, I take a critical eye to my things. I’m finding more often than not, they’re ending up on the chopping block. But, we’re not getting rid of every last thing! We are going to have a storage unit. It’s just not going to be large enough to hold a 96″ sofa.
The dresser that I saw as a symbol of adulthood is on Craigslist. So is the couch along with 18 other pieces. Yesterday, someone bought our nightstands. Tomorrow, someone is swinging by to check out our rugs, a table, and some chairs. And, as the apartment slowly empties out, it means we’re getting closer to leaving.