Are you looking ahead to the holidays and thinking a) it’s going to be expensive and b) I need to get this house cleared out?
You’re not alone. The holidays can be a very stressful time. Big expectations, big commitments and very little time to get to those to-do list items checked off. We work, work, work and then spend, spend, spend and find ourselves in a big post-holiday funk looking at all the bills and the new and old stuff that’s collected in our home over the year.
Is there another way to get to the holidays with more serenity in our home and cash in the bank? I think so.
For the month of November I’m hosting a Facebook Group to motivate all of us to turn some of our clutter into cash before the holidays. This is a space to set a goal and post your progress over the month. It’s a private Facebook group so once you click the link you will have to request to be added.
Members can post their progress and ask for advice on sales tactics. I’ll be checking in with everyone and awarding virtual gold stars every Sunday in November. The goal can be whatever you need it to be: make $300, sell ten items or finally find a taker for the broken pin ball machine so you can finally park in the garage.
Please: no selling on this group. It is a support group only. Any peer to peer sales posts or MLM posts will be deleted and the user blocked.
My clutter cash goals:
- $400
- Selling: mostly baby items (last baby!) and a few household items.
- Saving for: our grocery budget always blows up in December. I’d like to pad it with some extra cash for hosting and contributing to some big family meals.
The goal of the group is some cash, some clutter gone and some fun. Feel free to set an audacious goal. We will all cheer you on and applaud your efforts whatever the result may be. Join me over at the Turning Clutter into Cash for Christmas Facebook Group.
Please: no selling on this group. It is a support group only. Any peer to peer sales posts or MLM posts will be deleted and the user blocked.
P.S. Yes for those of you wondering, I’m on Facebook now. I made a personal account to sell things when leaving the Isle of Man. Am I loving it? Not for the personal side but it is a great way to get information for my neighborhood. I’m going to try and Houdini off of it again in the new year but have to figure out some technical parts for the blog’s Facebook page first. It’s been interesting to join after a four year break…
I am loving this project, just the extra push I needed to keep at the decluttering. I really want to live with just enough, not too much. And with 5 kids spread out over 10 years, we have plenty of excess still. 🙂
I am going to challenge the status quo on this one – why do the holidays have to be considered “expensive” and “high expectations”? Both are unnecessary things we create / put upon ourselves. Minimalism is about simplicity, and if you have to go into debt or sell possessions just to afford a holiday, isn’t that a bit against the whole spirit of the season? I agree with selling stuff for decluttering purposes, but would encourage folks to think about the holidays as something that’s about spending time together and relaxing – not buying “stuff”, setting unrealistic expectations and being stressed out.
Personally, we’ve bought tickets online to see the new Star Wars movie on Christmas Day. Are we getting a tree? Who knows. Are we buying gifts? This year probably not – we’re saving up our money for our international adoption which is more important than material things 🙂
Aimee – I agree with you and we’ve had gift-free Christmases in the past. I’ve also shared a lot of strategies and stories about simple holiday celebrations here in the last five years.
However, I know a lot of people find this time of year expensive. I thought this could be a fun way to declutter and save some dollars. Not for everyone, just those that want to participate.
Cheers, Rachel