What’s Not Worth Selling from Your Spring Clean Out, According to a Vintage Expert

You can't spring-clean without decluttering. If you simply have too much stuff, it's hard to keep things looking neat and tidy—no matter how organized you are.

Decluttering allows you to streamline not only your home but also your life and mind. When you have fewer unnecessary items around your home, it's easier to find what you need and unwind at the end of the day. From clean cupboards that keep your cooking on track to clutter-free closets that make getting dressed a breeze, having less stuff makes the everyday easier, and who wouldn't want that?

Now that you're committed to a cleanout, what do you do with all the items you decide to part with? Your choices basically come down to selling, donating, or throwing away or recycling. If you're an avid collector of vintage items or art, you probably have a few items that will fetch you a pretty penny at an auction or vintage market. However, for most of us, the items we own are special because of what they mean to us—not due to their monetary value.

We spoke with Sally Schwartz, the founder of a vintage and antique market, who clued us in on some of the biggest mistakes people make when decluttering, and which items aren't worth trying to sell this year.

Common Decluttering and Selling Mistakes to Keep In Mind

1. Overvaluing Items

“People always think their full sets of china, sterling silverware, and crystal are worth more than they are," Schwartz says. "Certain items, like jewelry and fur coats, don’t bring in what most people think when they try to sell these."

Consider whether you’d be better off keeping these collectibles to pass down to someone in your family who would appreciate them (rather than throwing them in the back of a closet).

And don’t let an item’s sentimental value cloud your judgment: While a beautiful platter your sister gave you may conjure warm memories of family holidays to a stranger, it’s really just a nice plate. Items like this might not be worth the effort to sell, and you definitely want to price them accordingly.

2. Rushing Through the Job

While it's natural to want to get your spring cleaning done, you do not want to rush through your decluttering.

“People toss things that are sentimental because they see loose items like piles of paper and personal items like old letters and photos as clutter," Schwartz says. "The worst feeling is going back to look for something that triggers memories, and you’ve tossed it out.” 

It should also go without saying that most personal memorabilia won’t really sell unless it’s tied to a famous person, historical event, or figure—and even then, that market can be very niche. These items are best kept within your family, who will treasure the memories.

3. Throwing Away Useful Items

Some of your belongings might not have much monetary value and therefore don’t make sense to sell. But don’t just throw them away: Donate them to organizations that give them to those in need.

“The donated items should be things that are utilitarian and not valuable or sentimental,” Schwartz says. She lists warm coats, hats, gloves, kitchen items like old appliances, canned foods, books, and bedding.

Remember that donated items should still be suitable for use—don't give away anything that's ripped, stained, or broken. Damaged items can often be recycled, so check how to best dispose of them in your local area.

If you’re still not sure if something is worth selling, you can look for similar items to yours on sites like eBay to get a feel for what they’re going for—then it's up to you if it's worth taking the time to coordinate a sale.

You can also always ask an expert: Consider calling a local antique store to see if they can appraise an item, so you’ll know you made the best decluttering decision for you.