Is selling your stuff worth it? The pros and cons of selling your clutter: a hoarder’s perspective

That Hoarder: Overcome Compulsive Hoarding

Subscribe to the podcast

Today’s episode is all about the pros and cons of selling your stuff. If you've been following my journey, you know that I have been apprehensive about selling items in the past. But I've taken a tentative step into the world of selling my clutter. Today I'm going to share the lessons I've learned and explore whether selling is truly worth it. So, grab your headphones and get ready for an insightful discussion on the potential benefits and drawbacks of selling your stuff.

Selling stuff slows you down, hampers decluttering

Holding on to things instead of selling

Potential and creativity don't guarantee objective value

Saves money, extends life cycle, reduces waste, helps environment, satisfies hoarder brain

Time, effort, selling, selling process

Selling stuff may hinder hoarder's progress - delay, excuses

No guarantee of sales or payments; uncertain and time-consuming process

Setting parameters saves energy.

Selling slows down decluttering, creates excuses to keep items.

If we don't want to get rid of something, we might pretend we'll sell it without actually doing so

We use excuses to avoid throwing it away because we have a tendency to hoard

We believe someone else will want it.

Realistic value check.

We overestimate the value of our possessions.

Selling stuff can make money during tough times

Varies depending on what you sell.

Someone else can use them

Reusing is better than recycling or throwing away. It's environmentally beneficial

Selling can be both a motivator and an excuse for delaying getting rid of things

There is no guarantee of selling or payment for listed items.

Unpredictable

Listing and selling items require time and energy that could be used more productively.

Charity shops save time and effort compared to eBay

Not advocating selling everything

Previous stance on selling items and recent change in perspective

Importance of finding a balance and considering what is best for oneself and the items being sold

Making money while in debt or struggling with bills

Benefiting from the extra money, especially in a tough economy

Extending the life cycle of items by reusing them

Supporting the idea of reducing consumption

Sense of satisfaction in knowing that items will be put to good use by someone else

Uncertainty involved in the selling process

Difficulty in determining the right price for items

Frustration of receiving offers below desired price or dealing with non-paying buyers

Feeling demoralised if treasured items don't sell

Potential dissatisfaction with the final amount received after all the effort

eBay fees and the impact on the final selling price

Potential Hoarding Related Challenges of Selling

The tendency to use selling as a means to delay getting rid of items

The role of selling as a motivator versus an excuse to hold onto possessions

Assessing individual motivations for selling personal belongings

Considering whether the effort and time invested in selling outweigh other actions

Setting a minimum price threshold for Facebook Marketplace to avoid lowball offers

Taking into account one's overall personality and goals when deciding to sell or keep items

Insights and Lessons Learned from Selling

Realizing that overvaluing possessions is common for hoarders

Recognizing the importance of speed in decluttering and minimizing possessions

Learning about oneself and possessions through the selling process

Reiteration of the importance of finding a balance between selling and letting go

Highlighting the benefits and potential challenges of selling items

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.