By the time we hit our 40s, chances are we've accumulated a lot of stuff.  Perfectly good stuff perhaps, but maybe we don't love it anymore.  Or, we've outgrown it, physically or spiritually.  Or, we just don't need THREE deviled egg trays even if they were bridal shower gifts from relatives.  Clutter like that saps your energy and sense of well-being. 

Our WomenBloom member, Lorre Degani, has become an expert at using eBay to re-circulate items she no longer wants.  Finding a new home for things you don't love or want AND making extra cash!  How great is that??

Did you wake up one morning, look around your house, and think “I am so ready to get rid of all this STUFF?"  It seems to be a common thought that hits many of us as we begin to redefine our lives in our 40s and 50s.

We want fewer but finer things; we want to clear the clutter.

The good news is, there is a way to profit from your past spending!  Rather than just leave all those goodies on the curb for trash collection or give them to Goodwill, why not try to sell some of them on eBay?  It’s not as hard as you might think.

About three years ago I bought an expensive pair of pants.  I changed my mind about them once I got home and actually saw my butt in that unforgiving rear view mirror, so I decided to take them back.  However, I had misplaced the receipt.  The store wouldn’t take back those now not-so-cute pants!  Money was tight and I was not happy.  A friend suggested I sell them on eBay.

At that point, I had no idea what eBay was. When I began selling on eBay the only things I knew how to do on a computer were to read email and play solitaire.  Fast forward three years--I now sell on eBay full time! Some days it feels like I have learned to print money. The whole experience has been empowering.

People ask me all the time if I can teach them to sell on eBay. It’s not hard! If you can read, you can sell on eBay!  Be patient with yourself.  It may seem daunting at first but I promise you it’s not as hard as it looks.

There are three things you must do in order to get started:

1. Open an eBay account.

2. Open a PayPal account.

3. Learn to use your digital camera and be able to load the photos onto your computer and locate the file for later use.

Those three things are the most crucial to get you started. It also helps if you spend some time just clicking through the pages on eBay and PayPal. On eBay there are forums where you can post questions, live chat sessions, and an 800 number to call if you get stuck.

If you just want to be a casual seller and sell a few things every now and then, that’s all you really need to get started.  However, if you catch the “ebay Bug,” the details below will help you on your path to creating a little business for yourself.

Open a new checking account at your bank just for your eBay business.  Having your eBay business separate from your home bills will simplify your accounting if your hobby develops into a business.  EBay and PayPal both require that you link your accounts to a checking account and a credit card. I use one card exclusively for all my eBay buying and selling.

Go to the post office website and open an account with them. The address is www.usps.com. It is free and all priority mail shipping products are free as well. You can order your supplies online and they will be sent to your house.  You can also pick up free supplies at your local post office. You don’t have to use USPS, but I find it to be cheaper than other services and very reliable. Learn how to weigh and measure your packages so you can estimate shipping costs effectively.