How to Sell It (or Don’t)

A Zero Waste Rehoming Guide for the Hesitant Seller

I get it. I’ve been there.

I’ve had an Apple Pencil for almost two years. I bought it during a phase when I was trying to go paperless — taking client intake notes on an iPad felt like it could be my new normal. But now AI takes those notes for me and I can type as I go. That meditation practice? Really helping. 🙃

Anyway, back to the pencil. It’s barely used. It just sits there in a little cup on my desk.

But I still have the box.

I’m not usually a box saver. But something about this one made me keep it. Maybe I thought I’d resell it and it felt like the box was part of the value. Plus, it came with a replacement tip and I couldn't think of a spot where I could store that tiny thing and recall its location.

But here’s the thing: I don’t want this pencil anymore. I know it has value. I don’t want to toss it in the donation bin. But I also don’t really want to go through the effort of listing it, photographing it, describing it, managing messages, coordinating a pickup and wondering whether it was all worth $50. Which it probably is. If I ask someone on my team to do it for me, will I still come out ahead?

Why is it so hard to just… let it go?

There’s a sticky emotional space between knowing something has value and not having the capacity (or desire) to extract it. You want it gone but you can’t quite donate it. You could sell it but it’s just annoying enough that it sits there instead. And time (read: years) passes.

You might be:

• Frustrated that you didn’t use it like you thought you would

• Feeling guilty that you spent the money

• Tired of the clutter but attached to the story

• Overwhelmed by the steps involved in posting it

Whatever the reason, you're not alone. That’s why we use “rehoming” as an umbrella category. Selling counts as rehoming. So does gifting. So does putting something on the curb. The goal is: somebody else uses this thing.

And when that happens? It can actually feel really good.

The Joy of Reuse

We see it all the time in our work. One client was letting go of her teenage son’s cowboy boots. They happened to fit one of our team members perfectly — and I’ve seen her wear them for years since. Another time we rehomed a Mahjong set from one client to another who now uses it for her game nights.

There’s a real magic when something gets a second life.

Organizations like The Reuse Alliance (shoutout to Phoebe and her team in Petaluma!) are working hard to make reuse the default — not the exception. Reuse keeps items out of the landfill, supports local economies and connects people through stuff they already have.

But Should You Sell It?

Sometimes yes. But it depends.

Let’s take two examples:

• A $30 backpack

• A $500 patio set

How fast do you need it gone? How much time are you willing to spend? What condition is it in? Would you need a larger vehicle than you have to donate it? Can it be donated? Are you hoping to make money or just feel like it went to a good home?

If you’re only selling it to try to “get your money back” ask yourself if that’s worth the energy. You’re moving or purging time might matter more than cash.

If it’s in excellent condition, clean and well‑photographed you might be able to sell it quickly. If not it may just sit.

Condition Counts

Please — no broken zippers, peeling faux leather or mystery stains. If it’s ripped where it shouldn’t be or otherwise wholly broken it won’t pass muster at most donation centers (Goodwill doesn’t want your broken toaster. Remember the Ten Commandments of Zero Waste!). In those cases recycle textiles or hard goods through the proper streams instead of clogging up the donation bin and adding externalized costs to your local nonprofits.

Where to Sell (a Real Talk Rundown)

Each platform has its own vibe. Here’s a quick snapshot:

• Craigslist: Great for furniture, tools and household goods. The local old‑school still works. Best for large or bulky items.

• Facebook Marketplace: Huge audience, decent turnover. Prepare for some flakes.

• Buy Nothing: NOT for sales but amazing for local rehoming and community building. You’re limited to one group unless you donate (which we recommend). Support this movement. I received nothing for this endorsement.

• Poshmark: Fashion resale. Takes effort — best if you’re doing volume, and well-known brands do best. You ship it yourself.

• ThredUP: Send in a big bag of clothes and the platform decides what to resell. You get a little store credit. I use mine for sweaters in December.

• The RealReal: Designer items only. Great if your item meets their criteria. You’ll get less than you might on your own but it’s easy.

• Chairish (yes spelled like chair): For upscale furniture and home décor. It’s curated and lovely. Expect higher‑end listings.

• FreeCycle: The predecessor to Buy Nothing. A true gift‑economy network for local swaps and rehoming. Great for anything you want to give away quickly.

OfferUp LetGo and other niche swap sites have either folded or faded — but let us know if you’ve got a favorite local resale or OG swap group in your area! I still remember the thrill of getting a little wooden bowling set for my kid through a beta version of a local reuse platform back when Adam Werbach was first talking about how sharing would change the way we shop. And he was right.

The Template (It Helps)

Use this format to reduce the amount of back‑and‑forth and weed out flaky buyers:

Item Name
Short clear title

Description
Include

• Size/Dimensions

• Condition (e.g. “Like new” “Used but works well” etc.)

• Any notable quirks (honesty builds trust!)

• Pickup or delivery details

Photos
Well‑lit (I cannot emphasize this enough!) shots on a clean background. Multiple angles. No clutter.

Price
Fair market value. If you’re flexible say “OBO” (or best offer).

Message Guidelines
You can kindly add:
“If this post is up it’s still available. Please only ask serious questions — no ‘Is it available?’ please.”

Final Thoughts

If your item is worth $50+ and you don’t want to post it yourself, get someone else to help or hire a virtual assistant. We do this for clients all the time.

And if you’re feeling uncertain about letting something go remember this: stuff flows.
The universe does provide — not always on demand but often when you least expect it.

I’ve received:

• A perfect picnic table

• A brand‑new heated mattress pad

• A gorgeous leather jacket I would’ve never bought

• More than one child’s toy I hadn’t even started looking for yet

So maybe selling it gets you cash. Or maybe giving it away gets you peace. Either way it moves. And that’s the win.

Coming Soon: A full breakdown of our Zero Waste Rehoming Decision Tree plus tips on how to donate better faster and with less drama. Subscribe to stay in the loop.

Thank you for being a part of Next Highest Good, where we explore ways to resist overconsumption and create change through zero waste living. By tapping the heart icon or hitting the restack button you help this movement grow and it makes me do a happy dance.