When my client told me she was moving out and wanted to sell her belongings, I suggested having a house party for her friends to pick through her wardrobe and kitchen cupboard, and make some donations… She came up with something even better!
May I present to you…
The homemade shop!
Decluttering is never just about getting rid of things. It’s about creating space for the things you love, whether you are staying or you are going.
Leaving the country or moving out often means leaving some things behind. Furniture, clothes, food, it all adds up. Dragging them across borders just isn’t practical. Also there is only so much you can pack away in long term storage spaces, and food goes against most storage policies.
But here’s the upside: downsizing is a great chance to raise a little cash and travel lighter.
These days, the second hand market has become very popular thanks to marketplaces like Vinted, eBay, Facebook groups, and more. You can sell tech to second hand shops like CEX (see Project: Finding hidden cash in tech), and furniture can be traded on local Gumtree groups or other marketplaces.
Thou not everything is worth listing online. Like the spices you loved but sit in your kitchen cupboard mostly unused, or the extra canned food you got on offer and don’t have time to sort out a meal with… Not to worry, here is when YOU can help your own friends.
I suggested to my client to have a house party. Perfect opportunity to say her goodbyes before leaving the country, and get her friends to pick up some shopping along the way. Guess what? My client did one better: She turned her flat into a mini pop-up shop!
Using her spare wardrobe she set up a little shop in her living room. She labelled everything with colour-coded sticky notes showing prices, with clothes hanging on a rack, kitchen items lined up on a table, and baskets full of little bits and bobs ready to go.
Next to it, she added a donation piggy bank and a printed Monzo QR code for both cash and digital payments. Friends dropped by, browsed, and bought what they needed. It was social, fun, and a whole lot faster than posting listings one by one.
A brilliant idea that allowed her to raise some cash while giving her clothes a second life and her leftover food a new kitchen!
This is just an example of how we can get creative with our things when we no longer need them. We don’t always need to rely on online marketplaces, sometimes your own friends can help you out.
Another example? One of my clients and their partner were part of many friends’ group chats. Posting and selling directly there was an easy win. Their mates picked up their items when they saw them next, and gave them a little cash or bought them dinner before they moved outside of London. Sometimes, getting creative can save you time and money!
My client set up an actual shop rack in her home (so proud of her)
Complete with colour-coded suggested price list!
“Last month I was overwhelmed with the impossible task of packing up my entire life in the space of a month with the goal of getting rid of approx. 80% and fitting the remaining into a tiny 15 sqft storage locker. As a neurodivergent person I struggle with getting started on big tasks, and I am very particular about how I approach tasks, however Fran completely understood this without confusion or judgement. Fran broke things down into smaller tasks and started alongside me which made all the difference in getting momentum going, and productivity to snowball. I especially recommend Fran if you are neurodivergent, she knows how to work with my brain and not against it. She’s incredibly patient, offers consistent positive reinforcement and opts for encouragement instead of putting on pressure (which would cause me to freeze). She asked my friends to be gentle with me, acknowledging how difficult the project would be for me, and she offered emotional support and regular check-ins. Fran goes above and beyond for her clients, even finding potential buyers for some of my items - a particularly memorable example was when she found a buyer for my entire makeup collection in literally 30 seconds. She also encouraged me to reach out to friends and family for support, and practical help which turned out to be a real game changer as asking for help is something I’ve always struggled with, but really need during times like this. The project was entirely successful, I moved out on time, with the storage locker filled exactly to requirement. I couldn’t have done this without help and I haven’t hesitated to recommend Fran to several friends already - particularly my neurodiverse friends. Thanks again for everything ?”
E., 29 years old, South London
Sometimes, when moving out, selling your things is a perfect opportunity to give them a second life. Just get creative with it!
