I made $250 through a Facebook 'closet cleanout'

Plus: Top news of the week — Second crack in Carowinds' Fury — Charlotte Fire misses safety inspections — Jewelry giant Ernest Perry dies — CMPD animal shelter at critical level

Jul 29, 2023

Good morning! Today is Saturday, July 29, 2023. You’re reading The Charlotte Ledger’s Weekend Edition.

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Today’s Ledger is sponsored by Blumenthal Performing Arts:

Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning masterwork “To Kill a Mockingbird” is now “the most successful American play in Broadway history” (60 Minutes). Coming to Charlotte August 1-6 at Belk Theater.

Needing to purge in preparation for a move to NYC, I turned to social media to get rid of belongings and make some money. Here are some tips if you want to try it.

My process involves determining if an item “sparks joy” for me (as inspired by author and organization guru Marie Kondo), like I’m doing here with this sweatshirt. I take clothes and books from my closet one section at a time, and those I want to sell will be photographed, inventoried on a spreadsheet and put in bins until someone claims them. Then they’ll move into a third bin for items that have sold. (Photo courtesy of Genna Contino)

by Genna Contino

I’m getting ready to move from Charlotte to New York City for grad school next month, and hidden fees and surprise expenses keep popping up.

I’ve done a ton of research and budgeting, but moving always ends up being more expensive than you think. The cost of a U-Haul or movers makes my jaw drop. I realized that buying a new bed might be smarter than putting my Walmart-chic frame in a truck for the third time, and I know I’m headed to a shoebox-sized apartment in New York.

If I want to fit everything I own into an apartment I can afford, I have to turn my shopping addiction into a minimalist lifestyle — stat. So I decided to sell most of my clothes, books and furniture through Facebook.

I used the same plan I’d turn to in college when I needed some extra cash: I would do what other college kids called a “closet cleanout” — where you give first dibs on stuff you want to sell to people you know well enough to be friends with on Facebook.

To make the Facebook “closet cleanout” easier for you, your “customers” can come to your porch to pick up items so you don’t even have to leave your doorstep.

A great side benefit of the Facebook closet cleanout: It can give you an excuse to catch up with old friends. Exchange a Michael Kors purse you never carry anymore for a free cocktail and a crisp $20 from that friend from college you’ve been meaning to get a drink with for the past five years.

As I’m writing this, I’m about halfway through my purge. I had to take a break from photographing and posting inventory because I have an embarrassing amount of stuff and got a little burnt out.

So far, I’ve made $257. (And yes, I keep a spreadsheet.) Not too shabby! Here’s what I learned from it and what I’m going to do differently once I work up the mental energy to finish going through my closet.

🛍️Sell cheap items in the comment section on your own Facebook post.

Weird — I know! But it works.

People are nosy and they’ll doom scroll through anything — even a long comment thread of photos of your items for sale. They’re more likely to do that than open up a link or go through a separate Facebook group or app.

After a former coworker sees the bestselling novel that you raved about at work listed, they can easily reply to the comment with the picture of the book and its price. The satisfying “cha-ching” of your Venmo account signifies the sweet sound of a new sale.

Photos of the items you’re selling should be well-lit and clear, but don’t worry too much about setting up the perfect photoshoot area. If you’re selling a lot of stuff, you don’t want to waste time snapping photos, and it can take up space on your phone. Make sure you delete them all after posting.

As for the information I would include for each item in the comment, I’d keep it simple.

For example: White Aritzia button-down shirt, size large, $10, slight pilling on sleeve

If people have additional questions or want to see more pictures, they can ask in the comment reply.

🛍️Try selling your electronics on Facebook Marketplace first. If no one bites, GameStop might take them.

Here’s where you can learn from my mistake:

I took my Nintendo 2DS game system and game from 2013 to GameStop, even though in the past, the store offered me pennies for the DS game cartridges I treasured in my childhood.

The clerk looked surprised after he scanned my now-ancient game console and the system gave him a green light.

“I’ll give you $46 cash or $60 in game credit,” he said. I walked out with the cash.

Looking at Facebook Marketplace prices now, I know I could’ve made more selling it there, with some going for upwards of $100.

So my advice is to base your Facebook Marketplace listing prices around what similar items or models are selling for on Facebook, eBay, GameStop or Amazon. I sold a Polaroid camera I never use anymore on Facebook Marketplace for $20, but everything else I sold through my personal Facebook feed.

🛍️If you’ve got a ton of stuff to sell, price the items a little lower than you think you should.

I know, it’ll break your heart to get just $5 for the novel you swore was life-changing, but books are heavy to pack. Those obscure boutique brand TJ Maxx leggings aren’t worth the $25 you originally paid for them.

People are likely to buy more if they feel like they’re getting a steal on a bunch of items. It also helps you get things out of your house fast.

🛍️Avoid resale stores like Plato’s Closet or Clothes Mentor unless you have what they’re specifically looking for.

I brought in four boxes of clothes to sell at Plato’s Closet, a second-hand store for in-style gently used clothes. The cooler-than-me Gen-Z salesperson decided to take:

My astronaut Halloween costume which was purchased on Amazon in 2021.
An NYU T-shirt that didn’t fit me anymore from a college visit in high school.

They paid me a whopping $4.

I’m not even sure it covered the gas money to get there. Going forward, I plan to bring these types of stores only the kinds of clothes, shoes and accessories that I know they’re specifically looking for. (For example, when I went to local stores in July, they were eager to pay cash for Lululemon workout attire.)

Resale stores usually make clear on social media or their websites what specific items they buy so you come prepared. Then you can avoid leaving the store with most of your clothes, a small handful of dollar bills and crushing defeat like I did.

The takeaway: Was doing all of this worth my time? If I was working full-time right now, I would probably not be going crazy with the spreadsheets like I did. I waited to do my purge until I’d quit my job and was in serious downsizing-packing mode.

But yes, I think it was worth it, and I’m planning on selling even more. As an unexpected plus, I’m connecting and catching up with friends and acquaintances who I wouldn’t have reached out to otherwise.

Genna Contino is a freelance writer who most recently covered government for the Charlotte Observer. Her work has also appeared in USA Today, the Post and Courier, Greenville News and the Spartanburg Herald-Journal. Reach her at gennac07@gmail.com.

Other options: If you want to go beyond your personal Facebook feed and market your belongings to a wider audience, you can join one of the local Facebook resell pages and post items there. Many are private and require you to answer a few questions and agree to their rules before you join. Here are a few in the Charlotte area:

❓Tell us: What are your favorite ways to sell used items, either online or at local businesses? Email us and we’ll publish answers we get in a future edition of the Ledger.

This week in Charlotte: CMS scales back bus fleet; New greenway section opens; Failed Panthers facility gets blasted; CMS superintendent addresses discipline problems; Non-profit searches for new home

On Saturdays, The Ledger sifts through the local news of the week and links to the top articles — even if they appeared somewhere else. We’ll help you get caught up. That’s what Saturdays are for.

Education

CMS scales back bus fleet: Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools’ bus fleet is down about 10% from last year, as the district rolls out new express bus routes for 5,200 magnet students. The express routes were created in response to bus driver shortages. (WFAE)
First principal: Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools announced this week that Mike Miliote will be the principal of the new south Charlotte relief high school opening in fall 2024. Miliote has been the principal of Jay M. Robinson Middle School since 2014. Jay M. Robinson students are among those slated to attend the new high school.

Politics

Pat McCrory joins centrist group: (WFAE) Former N.C. Gov. Pat McCrory, who had previously stated he wouldn’t run for office again after losing in the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate race, has taken on a new role as one of the four co-chairs of the centrist group No Labels. McCrory says the group is trying to reorient American politics toward the middle.

Local news

2nd crack on Carowinds rollercoaster: (WSOC) The state agency inspecting Carowinds’ Fury 325 rollercoaster confirmed Friday that a second crack has emerged on the ride. Fury 325 has been closed since June 30 after a park visitor noticed a broken support beam.
Greenway section opens: (WCNC) The newest section of the Cross Charlotte Trail between Brandywine Road and Tyvola Road opened Thursday morning. The trail now runs from Pineville to NoDa.

Business

Chicken wing chain in bankruptcy: (Biz Journal, subscriber-only) Charlotte-based restaurant chain Wild Wing Cafe filed for bankruptcy protection this month and blamed the effects of the pandemic. It has closed many of its restaurants in recent months. The filing says that the Wild Wing partnerships are owned by Carolina Panthers wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad II and Denis Ackah-Yensu.
N.C. ends incentive agreement with Allstate: (Observer) The N.C. Economic Investment Committee ended one of the largest economic projects in recent N.C. history Tuesday — its 2017 incentive agreement with insurance giant Allstate, which called for creating at least 2,250 jobs in Charlotte. Allstate said the increase in remote workers during the pandemic made it challenging to comply with its hiring commitment.

Sports

Gastonia Honey Hunters in debt: (Gaston Gazette) Gastonia’s baseball team is more than $100,000 in debt to the city of Gastonia and Gaston County. The Honey Hunters owe the city $35,808 for the current year’s lease, $50,000 in management commissions and $2,230.75 for a mobile stage purchased for the stadium, plus $22,150 for services provided by the county’s emergency health services.
Failed Carolina Panthers facility gets blasted: (WBTV) Blasting operations took place Tuesday to demolish the foundation of the failed Carolina Panthers project in Rock Hill. The demolition follows a yearlong court battle and a $20M settlement reached between the city of Rock Hill and Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper.
Angry coach: (WBTV) UNC Charlotte football coach Biff Poggi got visibly frustrated during a press conference at the American Athletic Conference media day on Tuesday, slamming the podium and scoffing at being asked only three questions. “That’s it? Three questions? Maybe that’s because you have us ranked last, that’s all what you think of us,” Poggi said before slamming the podium and walking off.

Good reads

Charlotte’s 1990s serial killer: (Observer) In 1994, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police followed a string of murders that led to Henry Louis Wallace, who later confessed to murdering 11 women. In 1997, he was convicted of nine murders and sits on Death Row 26 years later. This chilling series by Charlotte Observer reporter Michael Gordon revisits the murder investigations and trial and explores how the cases exposed weaknesses in how CMPD handled homicide cases and what has changed as a result.
Investigation into fire inspections: (WBTV) A WBTV investigation reveals that newly constructed buildings in Charlotte have been allowed to open without final fire safety inspections, raising concerns about fire code enforcement and safety measures after a deadly fire in SouthPark in May. The investigation also revealed 11,000 overdue safety inspections.

From the Ledger family of newsletters

Monday

The passing of a jewelry giant: Ernest Perry, co-founder and president of Perry’s Diamonds & Estate Jewelry, passed away suddenly last Saturday at age 78. He was known for his philanthropy and his volunteer auctioneer services throughout his nearly 50-year career.
Charity spotlight: Local non-profit Furnish for Good repurposes donated furniture and furnishings and stages a showroom for those in need across Mecklenburg County to shop for their home.
🎧 New podcast: Shawn Flynn, chief communications officer for Holy Angels, shares his family’s pediatric cancer journey and how storytelling can help others. Flynn received The Ledger’s 40 Over 40 Award in 2020 for his work as a journalist in the Charlotte region and his involvement with healthcare-related nonprofits.
CMS gets ‘huge reset’: During new Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Superintendent Crystal Hill’s appearance at the Sarah Stevenson Tuesday Forum, Hill addressed plans for escalating discipline problems in Charlotte’s schools.

Wednesday (🔒)

Heartbreak at the animal shelter: Like many shelters across the country, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Care and Control is at capacity, which means animals are at risk of being euthanized for space. Adoption rates are down 21% this year, and the shelter was forced to euthanize 124 dogs and cats last month.
Changing times in the banking industry: The Ledger sat down with Sekou Kaalund, who heads U.S. Bank’s 2,200+ branches in 26 states, to talk about trends in the banking industry from technology to DEI to branch growth.
He’s doing 24 Hours of Booty: Charlotte’s Dennis Whittaker fell off his bicycle in May and had a full hip replacement. On Friday, he rode in the 24 Hours of Booty in remembrance of his late daughter, Laura, who died in 2017 from cancer and used to ride with him.

Friday (🔒)

Wrinkles in a non-profit’s search for a new home: After Dress for Success Charlotte’s current location was sold last November for redevelopment, the non-profit hoped a city-owned abandoned strip mall on West Boulevard could be their new home. But now, the property is up for sale and Dress for Success is looking for other options.
Studies show Charlotte’s airport is crowded but efficient: Two recent surveys found Charlotte Douglas International Airport to be both the second most crowded airport in North America as well as the continent’s most efficient large airport.
Property tax bills coming next week: Mecklenburg County plans to mail property tax bills by Monday, which will be the first bills mailed since this spring’s property tax revaluation.

Futbol Friday

‘It’s a win but not a win’: The first Leagues Cup match in Dallas brought confusion about what constitutes a win in soccer, as the tournament features penalty shootouts after draws, giving the winner an extra point. It’s somewhat of a win but still considered a draw in terms of standings.

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