Let me guess. You're also trying to get rid of a bunch of crap while you're downsizing. But letting go is difficult. Also, who'd want to buy your crap?
I'll tell you... people on Craigslist. They're local, they're bored, and they happen to have $10 to spend on your plastic lawn chairs.
Fine, sell the lawn chairs. Sell the tea kettle. Sell the old couch. You're not taking it with you, and otherwise you would end up donating it. That's an easy decision, and Craigslist fits the bill. Plus, you don't even have to borrow you're buddy's truck to transport it to the Salvation Army! "Cash only. No deliveries, you must pick up" you write while composing your ad.
But what about those things that aren't so easy to give up? Aren't you selling your soul a little bit by taking cash for something you worked so hard for, or that someone special gave to you? It would almost feel better to donate it than to put a price on it...
No. Put a price on it. We are in a recession. This is about survival. Can you put a price on your credit score? Being evicted? Eating nutritious food? Staying healthy?
It's about letting go. That book your aunt gave you and inscribed that you haven't touched since... let it go. The craft project you only made it halfway through and spent all that money on tools three years ago... let it go. The beautiful glassware you got at the Turkish Bazaar in Istanbul and never ever used except that one time... let it go.
With that in mind, here are the steps toward selling your soul (and more importantly, stuff) on Craigslist!
Step One: Let GO.
The first step is to release your own notion of what it's worth to you. Take a picture. Hold it in your arms. You will always remember this THING. Now forget your ideas about what you paid for it or what it means. The person buying it from you is also experiencing the recession. So find out what they will pay, reasonably, and decide if you're willing to negotiate...
Step Two: Research.
Go online and search for other similarly priced items. If you are going to negotiate, price it a little high and make sure to include "price negotiable" or "OBO" (Or Best Offer) in your ad. If you don't feel like bargaining, set the price where it belongs and set your expectations right alongside it. The memory is a thing now. Keep the memory. Get rid of the thing.
Step Three: Take pictures.
Better yet, take GOOD pictures. If you don't have a great camera, just make the most of the one you have by placing the item on a blank, preferably white surface. The thing is surrounded by cleanliness, which gives the impression that you have kept it clean and maintained it. Something crappy can then become something vintage. Make sure the photo is well lit. Dark pictures make the buyer feel like you are perhaps shady because you spend all your time in the basement taking dimly lit photographs of your crap and putting it for sale on craigslist... that's not you,... right?
Step Four: Write the post.
Get your thoughts down on paper. People rarely read more than 75 words at a time, ever, so just keep it Short, Simple, and Searchable. If I were to add another S to that list, it would be Spell correctly. That way people won't take advantage of you. Sometimes I do add in a sentence that makes me seem (a) charming and (b) justified in wanting to sell the item. For example, "I'm giving up crafting for a while to focus on full-time blogging, so you can reap the rewards!"
Step Five: Post it.
You'll need a Craigslist account. Make sure it links to your preferred email address for receiving emails if you prefer not to include your phone number. Craigslist will then give you the option to make your email address anonymous to posters. Go to "my account" and select "new posting." Select your locale and continue. Keep the title simple and descriptive. Make sure the price and location are included. People use these to search for items. The text of your post is also searchable. Paste in the text you just wrote. Add the pictures. Continue and then approve the draft. Craigslist may ask you to verify your posting from your email account. Once you do that, your post will be up in about 15 minutes. Then... if people want your thing, you will start receiving contact.
Step Six: Seal the Deal
Set up a time to meet to make the exchange and make sure they know the price and location. Sometimes people just don't show, so be aware of that. Watch out for scams. If you're not sure about some weird communication you got, don't feel obligated to return the email or call. Most of all, don't hand out any of your information unnecessarily. If you feel at all unsafe, either don't set up an appointment or have someone with you, like your friend who's a bouncer. Be careful out there.
Congratulations. You are now prepared to make money on Craigslist and leave the material portion of your favorite memories in someone else's hands.
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