Easy Ways to Go Green

Before-You-Sell Checklist

Castoffs

Ready to part with unused belongings? Here’s how to get your items ready to be sold online, offered in a yard sale, or donated. (For insider tips on how to successfully sell your things, see Cash in Your Castoffs.)

  • Collect all the components. It's important to include all the pieces when selling games or other products with many parts.
  • Make everything look like new. Wash and iron clothing, polish silver, remove visible stains, vacuum a used couch, and so on.
  • Remove names anywhere they're written. Especially in books or on clothing. That may mean removing tags that have permanent ink.
  • Delete personal information. Wipe your hard drive clean when selling electronic items such as computers. Download free disk-wiping software at diskwipe.org.

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Did we forget anything on this checklist? What would you add?

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