Make Your Extra Stuff Pay for Itself

A classic Tip of the Week from August 29, 2004, originally republished May 24, 2016

Although the desire to live or work in an uncluttered environment can be a great motivator, the knowledge that you can easily turn your extra stuff into cash doesn't hurt, either. Late summer is a great time to go through your home or office to cull what you no longer need or want and then get rid of it, either by selling it online, selling it at a yard sale, or donating it for a tax deduction.

(I should note here that I'm in no way advocating that you sell items in your office that don't belong to you; when clearing out your office, focus only on those things that you own, not on company property.)

One of the most popular methods of selling online is, of course, eBay. The beauty of eBay is that it allows you to sell almost anything, from clothes to power tools to LPs; the downside is that you need to have a digital camera to post pictures of the items you're selling, and that the selling process can be somewhat involved, depending on the options you choose. Another option is to bring your stuff to a company that will list and sell it for you on eBay for a portion of the profits.

Yard sales are another great way to get rid of stuff and make some money for it. Planning for and running a yard sale takes some work, but consider asking friends and neighbors to pitch in and help; multi-family or neighborhood sales can be a big draw for yard sale patrons, and splitting up the work between several people means no one gets too overwhelmed. There are numerous Web sites offering tips on running a successful yard sale; the Yard Sale Queen is one of them.

Finally, consider donating your unused stuff (as long as it's in fairly good shape) to a charity, school, or other organization that's meaningful to you. Some organizations (such as Goodwill) sell the items they receive, while others (such as homeless shelters, after-school programs, and women's programs) use them directly. Either way, you get the double benefit of knowing that your things are being put to good use and getting a tax deduction for the value of the things you're donating.

There are many ways of making your extra stuff pay for itself; you just need to choose one that works for you to start reaping the benefits.

Keeping Your Car Organized

A classic Tip of the Week from August 22, 2004, originally republished April 21, 2016

Cars can often become one of the last frontiers as far as organizing goes, especially for those of us who use them often, have families, or simply have a lot of stuff we keep with us when we're on the road. 

The glove compartment is a great place to start, as it tends to be a catch-all for any bits of paper or random items that might enter the car. Try this trick (from Martha Stewart Living): use a check organizer or other small accordion file to store registration and insurance info, auto club information and numbers, the car's owner's manual, maps, and directions. You may also want to file the records pertaining to the car's latest check-ups and oil changes. 

In addition to an accordion file, I recommend keeping in the glove compartment a tire pressure gauge, a pen or two, a few moist towelettes, and an unmeltable energy bar or granola bar; a Ziploc bag will keep these things together and prevent them from migrating throughout the glove compartment. 

There are a wide range of products designed to help you maintain organization in the rest of your car, from dividers that attach to seat backs to those that strap to sun visors to flexible seat-top bins. You can find many of these products at your local hardware or department store, or at the Container Store. 

Finally, keep your trunk in order with a trunk organizer. Again, there are many to choose from, so you can select one that's small enough to fit in your trunk and large enough to hold what you need. The one I use tucks easily into a corner, features a strip of velcro on one side (to help it stick to the trunk liner) and a strip of reflective tape on the other (so it can be used to help others see me if I break down at night), and came packed with car-care basics, including flares, jumper cables, fix-a-flat, and a well-stocked first aid kit. 

Spend some time this week cleaning out your car and getting it organized; in less than an hour, you can make sure your chariot has everything you need to get where you're going. 

"But I Might Need It Someday!"

A classic Tip of the Week from July 25, 2004, originally republished March 17, 2016

"But I might need it someday!" These six words entice many people to keep things they aren't using, don't have room for, and might not even remember they have. What do you do about the stuff--often in perfectly good shape, and possibly even of some value--that you've been keeping around because you might need it someday? 

I encourage my clients, when faced with a pile of "might-need-its," to ask themselves these questions about each object: 

• When was the last time I used it?

• What might I need it for? When might I need it?

• If I did need this object again after I got rid of it, how easy would it be to get another one like it?

• Which is more valuable: knowing that I have this object on hand should I ever need it, or creating a living/working space that's free of clutter and of things I don't use on a regular basis?

These questions can be deceptively difficult, but they're often useful in terms of providing some perspective on the benefits of getting rid of the things you don't often (or ever) use, even if they might come in handy someday.