Move-out day, give it away
When brothers John and Martin Bekins built the first concrete and steel storage warehouse in 1906, even they may not have predicted that the industry would become so massive. According to National Storage, there are approximately 59,500 self-storage facilities worldwide. In the U.S., that’s 2.3 billion square feet. (Chicagoans, multiply Naperville, Illinois twice. It’s that big.)
Americans have a lot of stuff, some that’s needed and too much that can be boxed up and stored away. Before homeowners pay monthly or annual rates to store extra belongings they don’t want crowding their basements, move-outs are the best time to really examine what movers should put on their trucks.
Recommended Read: “Secondhand makeup vs secondhand clothes: Why frown at one but not the other? ~ Japanese consumers create billion-yen industry for used cosmetics”
From Craigslist to Freecycle to Poshmark and beyond, these are some of the top things that other users commonly buy on third-party sites—and safe practices for giving them away instead of paying for ignored belongings in storage units.
Top secondhand items wanted
According to Statista, in 2021, these were the most popular secondhand products bought and sold online in the United States:
Clothing* (41%)
Books (33%)
Electronics (30%)
Furniture (24%)
Jewelry (23%)
Sporting Goods (22%)
Watches (22%)
Tools and Home Care Items (21%)
Exercise Equipment (20%)
Bikes (16%)
While it’s up to each homeowner to decide whether to give their belongings away free of charge or negotiate for the best profits before move-out day, this list may help narrow down which items have the best buying power. Additionally, subscribing to free giveaway sites also helps homeowners see which items never make it onto the newsletter by day two and beyond. Either way, there are some home safety tips and general city laws that must be followed.