Move-out day, give it away
Best tips for house cleaning giveaways before the movers arrive
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%)
ADVERTISEMENT ~ Amazon
As an Amazon affiliate, I earn a percentage from purchases with my referral links. I know some consumers are choosing to boycott Amazon for its DEI removal. However, after thinking about this thoroughly, I want to continue promoting cool products from small businesses, women-owned businesses and (specifically) Black-owned businesses who still feature their items on Amazon. As of the first date of Black History Month 2025, each new post will ALWAYS include a MINIMUM of one product sold by a Black-owned business. (I have visited the seller’s official site to verify that Amazon Black-owned logo.) I am (slowly) doing this with older, popular posts too. If you still choose to boycott, I 100% respect that decision.
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.