When Spring arrives there’s nothing more liberating than decluttering your home and your finances. Instead of throwing or giving your unwanted goods away, earn additional income! Then invest the cash or put it towards something really special – a new piece of furniture, a holiday or whatever your heart desires.

Firstly, to declutter and collect the cash, you need to be organised. Sort the belongings you want to get rid of into five piles: rubbish, things you want to keep, donate, swap and sell.

There are lots of ways to do this:

Why not have a garage or car boot sale? It’s a cheap and easy way to get rid of your things and make cash. Word of warning: if you’re having a garage sale at home, ensure you have security or keep the sale in a place where strangers don’t have to enter your home.

Create a Pop Up Shop 

with some friends and raise money for your local school or charity (or yourself!).

Sell stuff online

(try Gumtree, OLX or even Facebook). Meet the buyer at a landmark like a shopping centre or a central location instead of inviting them to your home. If you need to send the item, remember to look into shipping charges – you don’t want to be left out of pocket.

Visit second hand shops

and see if they take things on consignment.

Call MovingOn

They will sell the contents of your house for you and prices are agreed on before the sale. This is perfect if you’re moving and want to clear out your house. Visit www.movingon.co.za to find out more.

Alternatively you can:

Have a “Swap party”

Organise a get together with like-minded friends (book lovers, fashionistas, cooks, etc.). Each of you brings a bag of items you’re willing to swap. You can end up with something you really want without having to pay for it. Even better – you can discard what you don’t need!

Give it to a good cause:

you won’t be making money, but you’ll be making someone’s day! For example: The Princess Project is perfect for getting rid of that old Matric Dance dress that’s taking up valuable cupboard space. It may be the fairy-tale outfit for someone less privileged.

Say goodbye to extra stuff and hello to making money. Now’s the perfect time to roll up your sleeves and get stuck in!