Decluttered… But selling struggles 😩

[ItsMyIssue]

We’re really trying to streamline the house this year. Decluttering itself isn’t the problem — I’m more than happy to take things to the charity shop, and we’ve massively cut down on bringing new stuff in.
Where I’m really struggling is with selling higher-value items. I’ve got four huge boxes waiting to be listed — especially loads of Lego kits. Both DC absolutely loved Lego when they were younger, but they’ve outgrown it now. We’ve kept the boxes and instructions, but the sets need rebuilding properly to sell.
I managed to do about 10 kits before Christmas and they sold really well, which was great… but it took me nearly a month to get them sorted, built, photographed and listed. And now I’m stuck in this loop of wondering whether the time it takes is actually worth the money.
At the same time, it feels such a shame to just give them away when I know someone else would really love them.
Has anyone been in this position? How did you decide whether to sell, donate, or find some middle ground? I think I need either a mindset shift or some practical tips to make it feel manageable!

Do a car boot

will sell in an hour

Maybe move this to housekeeping? You will get more replies.

If you are declutterring to sell your house, you need to let go of whatever emotions you have regarding the Lego. So if it is price - remember that selling your house on time is more financially important than the cost of a Lego set. If it is about waste - donating it is still recycling.
What about listing for a small price in your local Facebook?

or find a friend with younger DC who love Lego? You really need to move on from the Lego now if you are planning a whole house declutter.

BTW- I am supposed to be declutterring this weekend as we are moving out in May to renovate our house - and I’m avoiding it by posting on here!!!

good luck - focus on the big picture here a your move.

Why not get the kids to rebuild the Lego sets?

Either that or just put it up on FB marketplace as a job lot. Some good pictures and a clear description and lots of people will happily come and buy things like Lego for cheaper but not the pennies you will get from a car boot.

I’m the same. We need the money far too much to just give stuff away.

Could you give yourself a deadline/assign a day in your diary to listing and selling? Sometimes having a clear plan helps me.

It's a cost benefit analysis isn't it.

Presumably you get a higher price if you build them? Is the time it takes worth the increased value (how much is your time worth?)? Would the lower price for unbuilt sets be satisfactory? Could you outsource (get the kids to do it for a cut of the profits)? Or is actually getting rid of them so important that the money is neither here nor there?

I'm the same with our Playmobil collection.

It feels over whelming. But too good to just let it go with out putting a bit of time in.

Bit like you I've decluttered the crap, but now in to the good stuff but it's going to take time. My plan is to get it sorted this year with sets ready to sell by Christmas.

My decluttering has taken since 2020 and I've been so slow though!

I think carboot if you will actually carboot. I said for about 18 months that we'd do a carboot and never did and in the end I just wanted it out of the house.

So, no solutions here in afraid

Obvious answer but, just don’t rebuild them! Sell as they are. Or get the kids to rebuild them.
When I declutter my general rule is if I would get £10 or more then I sell. If less than £10 I give away.

I've decluttered massively this week and filled at least six charity bags, which have already been collected. However, I have unused/unopened board games and some unworn clothes that are just "too good to give away". I don't know if I can be bothered to try to sell them so they're back where they were last week! 😳

We’ve kept the boxes and instructions, but the sets need rebuilding properly to sell.

Why? Won’t the majority of people buying LEGO be doing so because they/their children want to build it themselves?

If you have the boxes, they will have a five-digit code on them. Search this on Amazon and you will see how much those sets are selling for. I would recommend either selling it on there as a Marketplace seller or listing on eBay once you have an idea of the typical price.

In the back of each Lego build book there is a picture list of all the pieces needed for the set, just go through the books and bag up pieces as you go so you know you have all the required pieces, no need to fully rebuild.
Or as others have said just sell as a job lot, you’ll get less money but they will still sell.
As an avid Lego collector I’m intrigued about which sets you have to sell 😂

LEGO is very collectable if you have actual sets rather than just big bags of random bricks. Don’t waste your time with local buyers on Facebook groups who will want it all for tuppence.

If you give them away, to a charity shop, surely the person buying them will absolutely love them? If you don't need the money just give them to charity or am I missing something?

Sort the pieces out as per the list in the back of the instruction book then take pics of the groups of pieces to prove you have them. List on ebay etc. No need to build the item.

You sort of have to rebuild Lego to ensure all pieces are there. The value is so much less even with a couple of pieces missing you can't sell as complete unless you are sure that is so.

I have lots of experience with lego, you absolutely do not need to rebuild them. Make sure all the pieces are bagged up and if you haven't registered the sets then include that in the listing as it's a small bonus for thoes buying it but really no need to rebuild.

Give them to charity unless you needn the money. Then the charity benefits as well as the person buying them

I think I’m more overwhelmed by the scale of the task than anything else. I do need the money, which is why I haven’t just let them go cheaply, but I’m struggling to reconcile the time it would take because, honestly, I’d rather be doing something else. I know what they’re worth as built kits, so car booting them feels like a bit of a disservice — but the admin of selling them properly feels heavy too.

Can’t you get your kids to do it to help you out?

We kept all our lego in the loft for 20 years - our grandchildren play with it now.
Saved ourselves a fortune 😁

Do you know anyone who likes doing Lego? How old are your kids? could you give them a cut if they help build it?