Spring Birds

4 Simple Ways to Make Money Through Spring Cleaning

It’s official, springtime has arrived. From going on evening walks to gardening, there can be many things to look forward to with spring. My family and I live in the Midwest and the opportunity to spend time outside in the winter is generally limited so we love to do things outdoors once we hear the birds chirping. Springtime can also mean spring cleaning. Some may love it, some may hate it, but it can be a good practice. Not only can you reduce junk in your house but you may also find ways to make money while doing it. I’ll share some of our favorite tips to make money while spring cleaning.

Sell on Craigslist to Make Money

Ok, so I know selling things on Craigslist may be a given, but it can be a great way to make money through spring cleaning. We go through our house several times a year, especially during the winter, to find items that we can get rid of. We end up selling stuff (junk) on Craigslist and can usually make a decent sum of money several times a year. We do this nearly every spring as we know people may be thinking of how they want to redecorate and it seems to be a natural fit. A key point that a lot of sellers miss is not including pictures. If you include a decent picture then you have a much better chance of unloading the items. Just make sure you avoid the scams of people wanting to buy it without seeing the item or asking you to do something that reeks of money laundering.

Participate in Consignment Sales

I don’t know if you have many consignment sales where you live, but we seem to have a few new ones pop up each year, especially in spring. Most of them allow you to sell anything from kid’s clothes, to small appliances to books. We have a bucket that we place things in throughout the year and once the sales come around we take in our stuff. You’ll not get rich quick, but it’s a nice way to make some money and lighten the junk load at your house.

Check With Your Employer

Now that I am self-employed I do not get this option much, but I did at past companies I worked for. If your company has an intranet you can try to sell your unwanted wares there. We got our current dresser through an employer’s intranet as we bought it from a co-worker and have sold a few things that way to make money.

Give Back to Your Community

This is one of our favorite ways to benefit from spring cleaning. While you may not make money in the moment from giving to the Goodwill or Salvation Army, it can possibly count as a tax deduction. Keep in mind that this applies only if you itemize your deductions, but it can be a nice little way to reduce your taxable income if you have decent things to give away. Plus, giving to others always beats throwing things into the local landfill.

Will you be spring cleaning this year? What are some of your favorite ways to make money through spring cleaning?

Image by blmiers2 / flickr

7 thoughts on “4 Simple Ways to Make Money Through Spring Cleaning”

  1. I’ve previously sold stuff on Craigslist and eBay. Kind of a mixed bag. Stuff I would think should sell fast didn’t. I wound up donating more than I sold simply because I got tired of waiting for a real buyer.

    1. John S @ Frugal Rules

      We’ve found the same thing, and have learned a lot through our experiences. We can usually spot a scammer a mile away and just don’t waste our time on them.

  2. John, I once bought someone’s tires on craigslist and then resold them for an extra 20 dollars each. It was an awesome night because I got to eat steak 🙂

  3. I usually do Craigslist and eBay if I have items that are worth it. Other people do yard sales…but I never have enough stuff for that! If you don’t itemize deductions, you can get some cash on consignment. There are group sales where you rent a table, but there are also the independent consignment shops. Sometimes, you get more if you trade for store credit, so if you’re getting rid of outgrown kids’ clothes and want new kids’ clothes, that can be a good option.

    1. John S @ Frugal Rules

      I think we may be entering the stage where we have enough stuff to have a garage sale, but I do not want the headache of doing. Consignment sales can be a great way to make a little bit of money, my wife does them several times a year and can usually fund our clothes shopping for the kids for the entire year off of it.

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