How to make and save money from Decluttering

In these uncertain times it can be comforting to realise that there is money just sitting in your home. What a great incentive to get going! Here are a few places to look:

1.   Coins in jars, pockets, old bags, old purses or with one of my Clients, scattered across his entire house!  Include foreign currency that you won’t use again, especially now we are all travelling less. You can change notes at most beaureux de change points.  If you are in London there is a machine that will do that for you.   

Try to pay domestic coins into a bank to avoid a -9.9% interest rate which is the supermarket coinstar machines equivalent.   Whatever you do, get all your money rounded up.

2.   Sell one item.   Go around your home and find one thing that you don’t want or use that is worth more than £20.  List on FB Marketplace, Gumtree or Ebay.  I often find that the idea of listing seems so time consuming and stressful but once I get the first one on I remember how easy it is.   Once the money starts coming in you will hopefully start looking for a few more items. 

3.  Bills.  Sorting paperwork isn’t most peoples idea of fun (it is for me!)  However going through can save you a lot of money.  If you missed a letter about energy rates ending and went on a normal tariff you could be paying £100’s of pounds extra a year for gas/electric.  Have a check of your Direct Debits/Apps/Paypal to make sure that you are using each one, it will take 5 minutes and could save you money.  

4.  Gift Aid.  This isn’t money coming back to you but if you are a UK tax payer then sign up for gift aid when you hand over your unwanted goods at the charity shop, the charity will receive 20% more.   You will get an email/letter telling you what they raised.   

5.  Finding lost items.  This is a little tenuous but stick with me.  If you can find the things that you could not find before, you won’t buy them again.  In the long term knowing where everything is saves you time, effort and money.  

6.  Buying less in the future.  A large scale clearout can make you see the bad choices that you are making with your hard earned money.  Buying clothes in the sale that were never really right or kitchen gadgets that were used once, 10 of the same item, books you never opened, etc.   Better buying decisions lead to less stuff in your home and better quality items long term. 

Hopefully this will inspire you to have a look around your home, do a five minute walk around and see what you can find. Let me know if you make money!