How To Turn Clutter Back Into Money

I have been decluttering and letting go of possessions for years now. The last two years I have let go of half of my possessions each year. I did a major cleanse in January, as I always do at the start of the year. And now in February I have been working hard at using up material and ingredients to free up space.

I have also begun selling some of the things I have decluttered. I decided to turn this into a weekly habit. To place a few more things up for sale, learn what sells and what doesn’t and earn some more money on the side.

I have sold a few things this week, and though there weren’t as many bids as I had hoped for, they did end up getting sold. But hopefully the buyers will be so pleased that they end up returning to my shop to buy more and pay more next time.

Rather than have to pay for storage to store clutter, I want to earn money off of letting go of it.

Living Simply

I rent a room and a lot of the things I use daily are in bags. While I do want to find somewhere more permanent soon, living this way has taught me a lot. I am almost at the stage where I could pack up to move in a few hours at most, and where most of my essential possessions will fit into my suitcases. I know there are minimalists out there that count and keep track of possessions, and there can be a lot of ego involved in that process. For me, it is more about reducing clutter around me so as to not create stress and mental clutter for myself.

Why I Declutter

If the things around me don’t have a proper place or don’t get used enough, they end up causing stress and I don’t want that. I want to know myself enough that everything I own is used regularly and make my daily life easier.

I have come to really appreciate situations where you have to be without something you thought you really needed. It teaches you to that there are few things we actually need. And it also teaches you that some items in our lives really are necessary and hold a lot of value. I think it is important to let go of the things that are tied to your fantasy self, to past endeavours that didn’t pan out or to memories you’d rather not relive. Konmari really did have it figured out with the whole “find what sparks joy” bit. Because if you own something that just sends a wave of negative emotions through you, you shouldn’t hang on to it. And if you have something that makes you feel really happy, then you should be using it more.

Simply put, this decluttering journey of mine is about simplifying my life, figuring out what I actually want out of life and what I need to live well. And then letting go of everything that doesn’t align with that.

I still have a small storage unit, but given that I live on a bit less than 10 sqm – apart from the pantry and 5 sqm outdoor – it is necessary to keep some things there and rotate them regularly. I am grateful that I have the storage unit, but I will also enjoy a future housing situation where I can keep my things with me. Still, there’s a time for everything and right now this is where I am meant to be at.

How do you feel about clutter?

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