Selling things online is technically a side hustle, but for me it’s a way to reclaim space and get some money back.
During the pandemic, I really started living in my space, and when things opened back up, I didn’t exactly pick the habit of putting everything away back up with the same energy. Either way, I somehow ended up with a lot of things.
I’ve always been a casual online seller. It was something I would do during spring cleaning or when I felt like clearing things out, but now it feels different. I’m about to move into my childhood home, and I’ve inherited a lot from my mom. As much as I’d like to keep everything, I don’t want to move a bunch of boxes of things I forgot about. Also, I’m convinced my mom didn’t wear the same outfit more than once.
It’s a lot, and it’s a little overwhelming, so my plan is to list everything online.
My Experience
I worked at an auction house for five years as a photographer, and I really liked it. I was there until the owner sold the business, and I learned a lot just by being around it. It changed how I look at sorting through things and deciding what’s actually worth selling.
It also made me really efficient at taking photos, which is probably why selling things online feels pretty manageable for me. Our auction house worked off volume, not detail, so we were trained to move quickly. When I sell online, I’ve found a happy compromise that doesn’t have me agonizing over photos.
After doing it for so long in a controlled setting, I actually miss it. It was fun meeting the people who ended up buying really cool things. There was also something fulfilling about helping move items through the secondhand market. I like secondhand because it’s cheaper, and realistically, most of this stuff already exists anyway.
Space > Money
Since I tend to keep a lot, when I get into the mindset to sell, I make it a point to prioritize getting my space back over making a profit. I take care of my things, but I price to move them as quickly as possible.
There’s something refreshing about getting space back. For me, I think it comes from the fact that I used to buy things to make myself feel better. Then I’d be lighter in my bank account with too many Adidas tracksuits and literally nowhere to go. Also, I’ve lost weight and I’m 40 now, not 20, so a lot of the clothing I have just doesn’t make sense for me anymore.
At this point, this is just part of how I’m Medium Maintenance about my life. If it felt harder than it was worth, I wouldn’t do it.
I think people who don’t like the idea of selling online actually don’t like the process of getting some money back. A lot of people will donate after sorting through their things like a tornado, only to end up buying the same things again. It’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon. If you do it with intention, you’re less likely to rebuy something you already let go of.
The Stigma of Selling Online
I don’t think the stigma is as strong as it was 10 years ago, but it’s definitely there. When I started selling my clothes and purses online, people assumed I was broke.
The reality was, I was selling things I didn’t wear.
A lot of people are comfortable buying secondhand to save money or find something unique, but there’s still this hesitation around being the one selling it. If thrifting is okay, I don’t really see why being part of the online market wouldn’t be.
Other people assumed I was putting in a lot of effort just to make a small portion of my money back. But the market is what it is. It’s unrealistic to expect to get close to what you originally paid for something. You have to be honest about that.
That said, the more you do it, the better you get. Just like anything else, you learn how to price, what sells, and how to move things more efficiently.
Conclusion
A lot of content about selling online is geared toward people trying to turn it into a full business. And I get that. It’s good to be responsive, take clear photos, and be realistic about pricing.
But not everyone is going to invest in a full photography setup or a thermal printer for labels.
There’s an in-between.
And for me, that’s where selling online actually becomes practical.
Leave a Reply