Getting Ready

Four months before I bought my camper, I started reading a great book on how to live full-time in your RV and then joined some RV facebook groups where I could ask questions.  Once I started selling my things the, momentum built, and I became confident I could make it happen. I had never owned a camper, much less towed one. While I am pretty handy, I did not understand the electrical or plumbing in my future home on wheels. I had a lot to learn and my to-do list grew faster than I could cross things off! I am here to say, it is possible and well worth the hard work. When folks asked me why are you selling everything, I told them my plan. Most everyone said, “I have always wanted to do that!” If you are considering living full-time in an RV, hopefully this blog will help you get moving!

I chose to sell my stuff on Facebook Marketplace. It’s easy to access, easy to get notifications, and I could respond quickly. I could also check profiles of potential buyers for safety. I tried other platforms, like Thred-up, Poshmark, eBay, and Craigslist but there was no comparison. I sold an enormous volume of stuff quickly and for good prices. Most everything sold to local people so rarely needed to ship to anyone.  I also had a couple of garage sales, however, I don’t recommend that. People want things practically free, and I got robbed during one sale! Be prepared no matter how you choose to sell your things, folks want to haggle. They get a kick out of the game. Personally, that drives me nuts.

If it is a top brand and in “like new” condition, I usually start with half or a third of the price I paid for an item. Depending on the condition and what others are selling the item for, I adjust from there. This worked for me but sometimes I had to be super patient for things to sell. Also, don’t assume there are things people would never buy. I sold crazy stuff like garbage cans and cat litter boxes! Toward the end of this process, I set my house up like a store, displaying things with long tables. I would make appointments with buyers and let them shop.

I found out what style of clothes women were looking for and would pick out specific items, displaying clothes on the bed, the couch, hanging coats from door frames and then let them shop. It was a fun! They would try clothes on and leave with bags full and I had money in my pocket. If you are a bargain shopper or maybe you have a shoe fetish, you love purses or whatever, then you might have more than you need like I did. The more effort you put into it, the more cash you will get for your things! I made enough to pay for a good portion of my camper but it took some work.

Tips for selling:

1. Respond quickly.
2. When buyers come to pick up an item, have other things out and ask them if they’d like to look. Show a buyer everything. Most of the time, they will leave with more than they came for.
3. Take great pictures in good light. Do not have a messy background. If it has tags on it, show them!
4. Sell an entire outfit with accessories rather than individual items to move things quickly. Display it together.
5. Describe any defects in the ad.
6. Write a detailed description and include measurements.
7. Research to see what others are selling a similar item for.
8. Get manufacturers specs, copy, and paste into your listing.
9. Make appointments with buyers and set your house up like a store.

After I sold as much as possible, I took what was left to clothing resale shops. I would leave clothes, shoes, and costume jewelry and whatever was left, I would take to another resale shop across town. Although, I did not need to use them, I also found furniture consignment stores.