To sell most of my vintage and antique Christmas decorations?

[ICameOnTheJitney]

I wonder...we need money badly and over the years I have collected lots and lots of vintage and antique christmas decs. Some of them are so fragile that I can't use them because the children will poke them...they're like paper...others are very fragile due to being made of paper and fabric.

Will I regret it? I won't sell the DCs favourites of course...but the ones they love are the ones they've chosen...mostly quite tacky but gorgeous things.

I can probably raise about 300 pounds on Ebay with the things...we need it...shall I or shan't I? Feelling torn!

[Finola1step]

It really depends on what you need the money for. No point having expensive decorations if there's no food in the fridge or the electricity is about to be cut off. If its that important, then yes sell.

[Tabliope]

Yes, do it, if you need the money and can't use them anyway.

[chickydoo]

If you feel torn don't do it. You may not get the amount of money you are looking for anyway. Would you be able to make this collection again if you ever wanted to?
Is there anything else you could sell, or anything you could do to raise the cash?
Baby sitting can be a good option. 2 nights a week. 4 hours a time
£6.00 per hour. £48 extra a week that is £96 a month. 3 months you would have your money. People are often looking for reliable babysitters especially nearer to Christmas.
Can you do ironing in the evening for friends? Dog walking?
Only sell your decorations as a last resort if you have to.
.

[ICameOnTheJitney]

I work...but we need to find an extra two thousand pounds in order to move house. We want to move fast...I can see that the decorations would be useable in a few years time...but really....they're just things. The DC won't notice...as long as their fave plastic birds and mice are still there!

I don't think I could collect them again...they were collected before it became fashionable and I used to find them in charity shops all the time for pennies.

Now a box of glass indented baubles from the 50s fetches between 20 and 40 pounds and I have LOADS. They're not even my most special ones...I have figural pieces from the 20s and 30s which are rare....but I am so stressed about moving that I thnk of them all in the attic and it makes sense.

[NoComet]

Unless some one is prepared to come and collect them, they are surly more hassle than they are worth to pack and post.

Is find a less sentimental way of saving/making money.

[ICameOnTheJitney]

Star not at all....and around 300 quid is not worthless! They're easy to package...all you have to do is encase them in egg cartons or similar and then put bubble wrap round them...and pop it all in a stiff box. That's no bother...take up an evening in front of the telly.

[sarahtigh]

i sell glass and ceramics on ebay as a business

a few tips

1. absolutely no courier or royal mail covers glass against being broken technically neither myhermes or collectplus carry glass, so pack on the basis that your parcel will be at least dropped on hard floor and maybe chucked across room

1. with correct packing try and fit them in 6" cube boxes then royal mail 2nd class will be £2.60

1. apart from breakages buyers or collectables and glass do not claim non delivery ( unlike tech goods and childrens clothes) so unless selling for over £20 do not bother with signed for I have sent almost 2000 parcels all over the world and only 3 have gone missing

1. if you have original box sell as a set otherwise sell in pairs or individually

1. good photos use plain sheet as background and watch reflections

1. you will get best price for xmas decorations if you list from 1st november onwards, last year i bought 30 hummel xmas decorations in march and waited until mid-novemeber and sold much higher

[Hawkmoth]

Think about etsy for some of the better ones, still time to get them to America before Xmas.

[ICameOnTheJitney]

Sarah thank you so much for that advice...truly invaluable. I think then I will hold off till November...I did wonder if I was a bit early. Re selling in pairs, I noticed a few sets of about 10 going for decent prices...I was going to sell the more unusual figural ones as singles....?

Hawk I think that the USA has far more of this type of thing available than the UK...and the market's not as good...is that true Sarah?

[sarahtigh]

antiques and collectables is odd because somethings have gone up in value in recession others down, clarice cliff is way down on a few years ago

art deco stuff the real thing not art deco style is popular and so is some retro stuff

the price rises for small packets ie unless you get into 6" cube it's over £4 postage

you will be selling to adults so finish at appropriate times and quote postage for international i reckon 25-35% of sales are international

[WhereYouLeftIt]

"I can see that the decorations would be useable in a few years time...but really....they're just things."
A very sensible viewpoint - and the answer to your question.

[ICameOnTheJitney]

Really Sarah? Gosh...in the past I have limited to UK only which is possibly a bit silly in retrospect. Shall I weigh everything before posting and determine postage as closely as possible then?

[dementedma]

I would buy them.....pm me
Sorry, that sounds grossly insensitive but would be a quick sale maybe?

[ICameOnTheJitney]

Lol! Do you collect demented? I will PM you now.

[ancientbuchanan]

Do you have a st Nicholas that you really really don't want? Desperate to find one.

Pm me too with what you have.

[dementedma]

No, I don't collect at all. Just like vintage and fancy one or two pieces for my tree that have a history, not just modern mass produced plastic crap.

[sapphirestar]

just wanted to add small packets are a cube of 16x16x16cm, or 45x35x8cm.
I work in a post office and people often get very annoyed when they're slightly out on the dimensions!

[sarahtigh]

there are only 3 price brackets for all goods abroad by royal mail

1. europe includes all russia turkey

2 rest of the world except australasia
3, australia, new zealand papua new guinea etc

australians and japanese buy loads of my stuff cute european christmas stuff very popular in far east

a 16cm cube box with space inside filled with polystryene beads bubble wrap adds 150-200g to weight of article

poly packing peanuts are much better filling spaces than shredded paper box must be at least 5cm bigger than item all round so in reality a 6" box is for packing 4" items

even if you don't send everywhere the postal services in Canada, USA (slow) Australia new zealand japan germany, holland Scandinavia are as good if not better than here

I would send everywhere else signed for even if only £5

[lookoveryourshouldernow]

I know that you are in a hurry for quick cash - but you would probably get more money for them if you wait a while and perhaps take a stall at a Christmas Fair or Vintage Stall event in your local town/village..

You would probably need to "dress them up" with tissue paper etc etc - but maybe make more money and have less hassle than selling on E-Bay

Bear in mind that on E-Bay your end listing fees are based on end price + postage - so if you sell to the USA etc your costings would be higher..

[ICameOnTheJitney]

I doubt that to be honest look I'd need a lot more stock to fill a stall.

[ICameOnTheJitney]

I am planning on waiting for the next free listings day.

[ChippingInNeedsSleepAndCoffee]

How about selling one of your children instead - also reduces ongoing costs??

It seems a shame to sell them and worrying given their delicate nature. It would be good if an MNer could buy them all from you and collect them!

[mrscumberbatch]

If you're taking pics to sell them can you post them on your profile as well? I am dying for a nosey/very intrigued/stroking my bank card

[beaglesaresweet]

OP, do keep the very best ones, you'll be very glad that you did. They WILL go up in price, and you can stlil enjoy later if you don't need to sell. Sell the majority though, ebay is a bit of a rip off now charging 10% on the sale plus now on postage (why??), plus paypal charges - more for trasfers from abroad, esp non europe. You could sell the lot at a real auction pre-christmas, big lots sell really well.

But I'd def still keep the best, rare ones!

[beaglesaresweet]

..or if you are determined to sell, pm me too about the older ones