If you’re anything like me, you’ve had that moment where you look around your apartment, and you’re like, yeah, I have too much stuff. And also, yeah, my debt is not playing with me.
I’m not here to pretend I’m a finance expert. I’m just a regular person who wants more breathing room. And honestly, selling my stuff has been one of the only things that feels doable when I’m overwhelmed.
But I’m going to tell you the real truth:
Selling things only helps if you can actually see that it’s helping.
Because if you sell something, the money disappears into life, and you can’t tell if your debt went down at all, you’ll stop. That’s human.
So this post is about two things:
- What to sell first if you’re trying to make quick money
- How to track it so you don’t burn out and quit after two sales
What to Sell First (Start With the Easy Wins)
When people say “sell your stuff,” that sounds cute until you realize you don’t know what to sell. So here’s how I’ve been doing it, without making it a whole emotional journey.
1. Kitchen stuff you do not use
This is the fastest category because people love “barely used” kitchen items.
- air fryer you don’t touch anymore
- blender you swore you’d use for smoothies
- extra pots/pans
- random gadgets (waffle maker, rice cooker, etc.)
If it’s taking up space and you don’t even like it… it can go.
2. Clothes you keep skipping over
Not the sentimental stuff. Not the “maybe one day” stuff.
I mean the clothes you don’t even reach for, even when everything else is dirty.
- jeans that don’t fit how you want
- shoes you never wear
- coats and bags you forgot you had
- anything with tags that’s been sitting there for months
3. Home decor you’re over
This is one of the easiest sells because home stuff is always rotating.
- lamps
- wall art
- organizers you bought in a motivated mood
- little side tables
- mirrors
If you wouldn’t buy it again today, it can go.
4. Beauty stuff you don’t use
I’m not saying sell half-used skincare unless you’re comfortable with that, but you’d be surprised what people buy when it’s:
- unopened
- brand new
- limited edition
- or still in packaging
Think backups, sets, tools, and bundles.
5. Old tech + electronics
Tech sells. Period.
- headphones
- keyboards
- controllers
- old tablets/kindles
- small speakers
- ring lights
If it still turns on, it has value.
The Part Nobody Talks About: Why Selling Still Feels Like You’re Broke
Here’s the part I had to accept:
Selling things doesn’t automatically fix anything.
Because you can sell three things and still feel like nothing changed.
Why?
- fees eat your profit
- you forget what you listed where
- you don’t remember what sold
- the money goes to food, gas, random life things
- you don’t apply it to anything specific
- you lose momentum because nothing feels real
That’s where I used to get stuck.
Like yes, technically I made money. But I couldn’t prove it to myself, so it didn’t feel motivating. And motivation matters when you’re trying to stay consistent.
My Simple System: Sell → Track → Apply It to Debt on Purpose
This is the only way it started feeling worth it for me.
Not complicated. Not perfect. Just consistent.
Step 1: List the item and give it a quick “code”
This is optional, but it helps so you don’t lose track of what’s what.
Example codes:
- KITCH-01
- CLOTH-02
- HOME-03
It doesn’t have to be cute. It just needs to make sense to you.
Step 2: Track the sold price and fees
This is where people get annoyed, but it matters.
If you sold something for $35 but fees were $6 and you forgot that… you’re going to think selling is pointless.
Tracking the fees is how you stop lying to yourself about profit.
Step 3: Apply the sale to a debt you’re paying down
This part is the game-changer.
Instead of “I sold something and now I feel slightly less stressed,” it becomes:
I sold something and it went to THIS debt.
My balance moved.
My effort mattered.
That’s what keeps you going.
How to Stay Consistent (When You’re Not in the Mood)
This is the part people don’t want to admit, but I will:
You don’t stop because selling is hard.
You stop because it starts feeling pointless.
So I started making it easier on myself.
These small things helped a lot:
- keep a bag/bin for “listed items” so you’re not searching later
- take photos once and save them in a folder
- keep a few boxes and mailers on hand
- tape, scissors, marker in one place (do not make yourself hunt for supplies)
- write the item name the same way every time so tracking stays clean
Basically, reduce the friction so you don’t quit.
The Tracker I Use to Make Progress Feel Real
I made a simple tracker for this because I needed something I’d actually keep up with.
It’s built to help you:
- list what you’re selling
- track sold price + fees
- see your net earnings
- apply each sale to a debt
- and watch your balance go down
Nothing fancy. Just effective.
If you want it, you can grab it here:
Debt Declutter Selling Tracker for Excel and Google Sheets
Debt Declutter Selling Tracker for Notion
Or make your own with the guidance of my system above!
If You Want to Start Today (Do This)
Not tomorrow. Not “when you have time.” Today.
- Pick 5 items you can live without
- List 2 of them
- Put the listed items in one spot so you don’t lose them
- Track the sale when it happens
- Apply it to one debt on purpose
Even if it’s $10. Even if it’s $20.
Progress is progress.
And if you can see it, you’ll keep going. That’s what I’m hoping for!