Hoarders, cut clutter with online sales

9 Dec 2013

An online OLX survey of South Africans indicates that 40% of respondents think they might be hoarders while 24% admit to being hoarders. Other stats reveal that 57% of people have at least three second-hand items at home they could sell online and 96% of people would sell their unwanted stuff online if it meant that they could make an extra R15,000 per year.

Hoarding is a global problem. As a nation, the UK hoards an estimated 50 billion pounds worth of clothes, books and other items that are no longer used. In the US, up to an estimated 5% of Americans (nearly 15 million people) suffer from a hoarding disorder.

According the Mayo Clinic in the US, people who hoard typically save items because they believe these items will be needed or have value in the future and that a person also may hoard items that they feel have important emotional significance, serving as a reminder of happier times.

Bronwyn Johnson, head of marketing for OLX Africa, says most of us are guilty of hoarding in some form. "We struggle with the desire to keep things because we kid ourselves into thinking we may need them, or because we believe they hold some nostalgic value in our mind so we hold onto them."

She says that if you have not used something for the past 12 months, you are probably not likely to use it in the next 12 months. "Sometimes, holding onto those things like the skinny jeans that you'll wear after you lose weight, or the second deep fryer you received as a wedding gift, just end up sitting in a cupboard for years. Instead they could be exchanged for fast cash if you just let them go."

The Internet provides a hassle free market place for selling second-hand goods that you no longer use and free classifieds sites like OLX.co.za provide a great place to advertise free and convert those belongings gathering dust into cash. "Popular items you can sell and convert to cash include computer accessories and electronics; books, CDs and DVDs; garage items and bric-a-brac.

"Once you have decided on the items you want to sell, signing up is easy. You just take a photo of the item you want to sell, go to the site on your computer, tablet or mobile phone and click on 'post ad' or 'sell'. Then upload your photo, give a description, add your contact details, price it and sell it!"

You can improve the success of an ad by adding more pictures and sharing the ad on Facebook and Twitter. "When potential buyers call, you can decide where and when to meet and then sell the item for cash in a safe public environment."

"Sometimes, letting go of these items can be very liberating and de-cluttering your garage or house allows you to make space for new things, new projects and new memories," she concludes.

For more information, go to www.olx.co.za.