eBay

southernfriedbelle · ‎01-23-2018

Hey, you out there in the Land of Successful Selling! I need to get things listed and hopefully start selling again. I've obviously been in a slump for some time, only recently even coming back to the boards (missed y'all too much!), let alone even thinking about actually actively selling again.

I lost my job in December (yeah, my employer of 6.5 years decided they no longer wanted to avail themselves of my services). December was kinda crazy anyway, so I didn't want to list stuff then (out of town traveling, etc). Now, it looks like we'll be moving about 2 hours east of here as soon as we can find a place to buy there and get out of our lease here. Hubby has finally been given a 2 year contract, and money, for once, is not as tight as it has been for the past 2 years. (YAY!!)

Still... I have literally DOZENS of boxes still packed with the stuff I need to let go of. Do I want to start unpacking those to start listing the contents, only to have to repack and move what doesn't sell right away? It would be super to have less to move, but the prospect of creating all that disorganization, mess, and chaos when I should be striving for consolidation, organization, and order seems counterproductive and counterintuitive, and quite frankly, is overwhelming and paralyzing.

Added to all of this hot mess is that when I go to my eBay Summary page, it shows me all the stuff I still "need." (Royal Albert tea items soothe my soul and restore my spirit, so yes, I NEED them!!)

So, start listing or wait until after moving? What do y'all advise?

Any advice, wisdom and verbal kicks to my procrastinating, couch-adhered, and rapidly spreading derrière would be much appreciated!

Belle

partial*eclipse · ‎01-23-2018

Welcome back!

If you haven't even found a place to buy yet, then the move is at least several weeks away. You might as well make a dent in those boxes The work of listing won't be wasted, you'll have to do that sooner or later anyway, and the funds might come in handy for the move.

List just a couple of items, to get your rhythm back, and see how it goes. Perhaps be selective about what you list -- choose whatever is bulkiest (to avoid moving it) or what will likely sell the fastest, what will be the easiest to ship, similar items so the listing will take less effort, or just the two closest boxes.

southern*sweet*tea · ‎01-23-2018

I've lived in the same place for twenty years. If I had to move I think I'd throw myself off a cliff, just the thought of it makes me cringe

I would wait until I were settled in the new spot. If everything is already packed and boxed, it makes no sense to unpack it, repack it, then unpack it again when I got to the new place.

The easier you are to offend the easier you are to control.

We seem to be getting closer and closer to a situation where nobody is responsible for what they did but we are all responsible for what somebody else did. - Thomas Sowell

femmefan1946 · ‎01-23-2018

We retired a few years ago, sold our house and moved to the Canadian Riviera. (Victoria BC-- there are camellias blooming in my yard.)

I had ten bookcases and a dozen boxes of other stuff that I believed was actively listed.

Well, as it turns out a lot wasn't and that's another story.

But I went through each shelf, deciding which items were deadstock and immediately after taking down the listing, put those books in a donation box for the Friends of the Library.

We took 75 boxes of books to the FOL in three months.

This was part of the 'decluttering' process for putting the house up for sale.

Other books were worth keeping in stock, so those listings went into my Unsolds, and as they came down, those boxes went to the storage unit. Only about 20 boxes came west with us.

So.

Open ONE box. Is there a listing in your Unsolds? They stay there for about 60-90 days.

Is the listing up to date and mobile friendly?

Update it. Throw the listing on eBay. With luck, it will sell.

If not, you have an updated listing that when you move into the new place, you can put up as soon as you have an eBay space arranged.

thallidguy · ‎01-23-2018

When I really need the money, that generally works for as motivation.

Look through the stuff you might sell and start with the low-hanging fruit: The stuff that you know will sell, the stuff that will be easy to photograph and list and ship. Start where it's easiest to start, build up some momentum before you tackle the hard. labor-intensive stuff.

Find synergy wherever possible — list related items at the same time. More time-efficient to sell 5 items to one buyer than to pack and ship separately for 5 different buyers.

Good luck!

sam9876 · ‎01-23-2018

Open one box and sell it.

odditiesandantiquities1 · ‎01-23-2018

They always say that moving is one of the most stressful periods of our lives. It worsens as we get older.

I would wait You probably have far too much on your plate right now and eBay will be there for you once you are settled both physically and mentally. Seems to me your time right now needs to be about you and your family.

Good luck South. Hoping for an easy transition.

southernfriedbelle · ‎01-23-2018

@southern*sweet*tea wrote:
I've lived in the same place for twenty years. If I had to move I think I'd throw myself off a cliff, just the thought of it makes me cringe

I would wait until I were settled in the new spot. If everything is already packed and boxed, it makes no sense to unpack it, repack it, then unpack it again when I got to the new place.

I know. We have moved 8 times in the past 20 years, and each time, we just move boxes from our first move that never got unpacked. Consequently, we've had to rent storage units. We still have stuff in storage in Oxford, Mississippi, and we've been in Winter Haven, Florida for over a year now.

I literally have not opened the box containing my wedding china since it was packed up in 1996. Thought about selling it, definitely SHOULD sell it, but it's my WEDDING china, and it's so PRETTY!! 😄

I obviously have some possible hoarding tendencies.

Belle

ersatz_sobriquet · ‎01-23-2018

I've moved a lot too and have boxes I moved in...2001 that haven't been unpacked. They just end up at the back of the pack! Just goes to show us how little we actually need, what's practical, and what's just.....stuff.

Time capsules. One day I'll have fun when I finally get to them.

List one box of stuff. Put that stuff right back in the box and write on it--listed #1 box. Then list another, and another. Then guard those boxes with your life as you are moving because they can't, must not, absolutely not, get lost in the heap of boxes, or you may not see them again for another ...10 years...

You didn't say how long before you intend to move or how many more months are on your lease, so I'm guessing here you have time to list and sell 🙂

I listed 6 things so far today, sold one already...think positive!

dcintennessee · ‎01-23-2018

It really depends upon how well your boxes are organized. i.e., whether you'd actually have to go through multiple boxes to pluck out the items to list & sell now.

Although counterintuitive from the standpoint of making your move easier, I'd list only that which will fit in USPS PM envelopes or PM boxes, and requires minimal effort to pack & ship. Unless you already have a significant supply of bubble wrap, etc. on hand, I'd draw the line to exclude listing anything now that requires you to buy or accumulate MORE stuff in order to ship. ...like the wedding china!

sockmonkeydave · ‎01-23-2018

@southernfriedbelle

I would shut down before the move.

You have to pack.

Then move.

Then unpack.

and the change of addy.

Then try to find the thing that sold,

in a box you can't find.

I worked for a bit as "3 Men and a truck movers"

People go crazy when moving.

Take a time out to get in the new place.

Moving is high stress.

But remember to dance.

campesinoplastic2014 · ‎01-23-2018

Crank up the Russia national Song as loud as possible and eat a kabob or two.

This will give you super gopnik powers. Best of luck. Also, reach out to comrade Grady Judd for inspiration. He has not slept since 1978

sockmonkeydave · ‎01-23-2018

@campesinoplastic2014 @southernfriedbelle

Lou Reed is good, or

Van Morrison... no... nothing will get packed if you play Van.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kiLApX8FbQ

keep a stiff upper lip.

southernfriedbelle · ‎01-23-2018

@dcintennessee wrote:
It really depends upon how well your boxes are organized. i.e., whether you'd actually have to go through multiple boxes to pluck out the items to list & sell now.

Although counterintuitive from the standpoint of making your move easier, I'd list only that which will fit in USPS PM envelopes or PM boxes, and requires minimal effort to pack & ship. Unless you already have a significant supply of bubble wrap, etc. on hand, I'd draw the line to exclude listing anything now that requires you to buy or accumulate MORE stuff in order to ship. ...like the wedding china!

Oh, it's not that well organized. I always start out with such great intentions: put only like items together, do a detailed inventory of each box and save it in an Excel file (actually did the inventory thing pretty well this past move, even creating a cross-referenced numerical labeling system, at my brilliant husband's insistence), and don't just start throwing random odds and ends into any box in which they'll fit.

Unfortunately, as time starts running away, those good intentions tend to fall by the wayside. But, at least with the stuff packed during the most recent move, it's pretty good.

After reading all these varying suggestions, I think what I need to do is leave what's already well packed, inventoried and labeled alone, and concentrate on the more accessible unpacked items, utilizing the suggestions and the system you've just outlined, @dcintennessee.

I have a few items that didn't sell when I was actively selling this past Fall, so I can tweak those listings and just relist. I also have items such as NIB boots I need to get listed while it's still cold enough for them to attract buyers. I think if I can get a few items up quickly, it will spur me into action.

Thanks so much for all the great suggestions, everyone! Your input has really made a difference, and I no longer feel quite so overwhelmed and paralyzed.

Did I forget to mention I still have my inside Christmas decorations to take down.? Yeah. Including the 9.5 ft. Christmas tree and all the decorations on it.

*SIGH*

Belle