There’s something exciting about listing old stuff for sale.
The anticipation of an offer, the fun of playing “shop”, and the prospect of a little windfall.
More than anything though is the sense of freedom which comes from purging those extraneous items, and the ensuing promise of a fresh start – for both yourself and the pieces!
And that’s exactly how my sister is feeling about selling her old dining room furniture.
In case you missed my last post, I’m planning on making-over my sister’s dining space for FREE by essentially “swapping” her old items (being the pendant light and dining setting) for new ones then re-styling the area. Should be some fun!
Of course, to get the ball rolling I first need to sell the current pieces and for that I’m enlisting Gumtree.
One of Australia’s largest online marketplaces, Gumtree offers a super quick, easy and free (with upgrade options available) listing platform. And with millions of monthly visitors selling success is basically guaranteed!
Although getting started selling on Gumtree is really simple, there are a few little things you can do to optimise your listings…
RESEARCH PRICE-POINTS
Check the price of comparable items (both new and second-hand) to ensure you set a reasonable and realistic price which will be attractive to buyers.
USE QUALITY IMAGES
Not only will good photos draw buyers attention to your listing, they can form part of the description. For this reason, use clear images and be sure to highlight the positive aspects, along with any negatives (if necessary).
BE DESCRIPTIVE
Mention item features such as materials, colours and dimensions, along with the condition and any notable defects. You may also like to include a brief history and your reason for selling.
With these selling tips in mind I went about creating my listings…
You might notice that the dining setting looks a bit different. As mentioned in my previous post, being eight years old it had seen better days so we gave it a quick spruce-up by refinishing the damaged table top and reupholstering the worn chairs.
Here are a few of the other pics I used in my listings…
Granted, they’re not as ‘blog-like’ as my usual shots though they aren’t supposed to be :)
Now I can not wait until these items find their new homes. Not only will it mean a fresh chapter for the pieces themselves, though it will also finally reveal my budget for this dining room refresh!
And who can argue the win-win in that?
YOU CAN CHECK OUT MY GUMTREE LISTINGS HERE
This is such a great idea. We’re about to move though I would have loved to join in otherwise. Currently selling a few things on Gumtree to make moving easier. Don’t really want o buy anything new at the moment thoguh.!
Great Gumtree work! I get so annoyed when people don’t put dimensions. Keep us informed of how it goes, good that the price is negotiable too
LOL, yes, forgotten dimensions are a pet hate of mine! Can’t wait for them to sell!
I love this! Selling my old things is how I finance updating my house. Can’t wait to see what you do with the space!
Thanks Laurel. Such a great way to decorate!
Kristine,
I just wanted to let you know how far and wide your blog has travelled! I live in New Jersey out in the states and we are currently selling our old outdated home for a new one. I recently started getting into DIY blogs of all kinds to try to save money on furnishings and decorating etc and let me tell you, your blog is THE BEST. Literally girl, I’m obsessed! Posts like this are so helpful and I can’t wait to try ALL of your other ideas in our new place to truly turn our house into a home. So I guess I just wanted to thank you for all that you do, you truly are an inspiration!
Sarah
Oh wow! What a lovely compliment. Thank you so, so much :)
I am so excited to see how you transform this.
Thanks. Can’t wait to get it done!
Your blog post is stunning. Thanks!!