De-cluttering and Teaching Kids to Save for Something They Want

My boys are masters of collecting clutter. I have tried to limit the number of toys that come into our home, but we have still ended up with many things that my boys no longer use. Kids are always reluctant to get rid of toys and gear, but today I am sharing a fantastic way to convince them to de-clutter while teaching them a valuable lesson about saving for something they want.

My boys were recently given an old Playstation, and they are currently using the TV in my bedroom to play it. They really want a TV in our basement, but the area is currently full of toys. So, I gave the boys the option of selling some of their things to make room for a TV. I also told them that they can use the money from the sale of the items to fund the purchase of a new or used TV.

I made a cute label, and I attached it to a jar. Every time we sell something, I will put the money in the jar. Clever, right?

The first item I sold was a Little Tykes workbench, and I added the proceeds ($25) to my boys' TV fund. (You can read about my first sale here.) 

Are you considering de-cluttering some of your kids' clothes, toys, and gear? I had success posting an ad on Kijiji. Here are some fabulous tips to help make your Kijiji ad stand out:

1) Give it a good title. Include things that will get the buyers' attention like brand names, size, price, etc...

2) Give detailed descriptions. Provide the answers to the questions an average buyer is going to ask. e.g. give measurements, condition of the item, etc...

3) Take a good picture. A picture is worth a thousand words, and the buyers are going to want to see the item. Make sure the item is clean, the lighting is good, the picture is clear, and the image is close up. (When creating a quality ad, it's helpful to have a white backdrop and iPad/iPhone holder, but the most important thing is to have a quality digital camera or smart phone).

4) Specify the conditions of the sale. Let buyers know if it is "first come, first serve", type of payment preferred, etc...

5) Respond to email inquiries promptly. Buyers lose interest quickly, so provide good customer service. (Note: Replying to another buyer or seller while using the Kijiji app is now even easier with "In-Ap Messaging", an instant messaging feature available on iOS and Android devices.)

6) Be creative! Many of the most viewed ads on Kijiji are different than the rest. One way to achieve this is with humour, and another is creative storytelling to pique interest in your item.

I love that embracing the second-hand economy allows me to: de-clutter my home, help the environment, make money, and teach valuable lessons to my boys. Do you love buying and selling used items as much as I do? What are your best tips?

♥

Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Disclosure – I received compensation from Kijiji for writing this post and for sharing my honest opinion. As always, the opinions on this blog are my own.