Sell, sell, sell! Everything must GO!

I'm not much of a salesperson, but lately I've been in full sales mode.

I'm cleaning out darling daughter's closet. All baby items and related baby gear must go. I don't have the room to store it anymore. Plus, we've pretty much decided that we won't be expanding our family any time soon, if ever.

Selling stuff online isn't as easy as it looks. It takes a lot of time to gather up items, take photos, price and post on various websites. The work doesn't end once items are posted. Dealing with inquiries and arranging pick up times, I'm finding, is the most time consuming. Although some potential buyers may show interest, four times out of five, you'll never hear from them again. I'm new to the online sales game, but I do have some tips for those who may be considering going down this avenue.

* Photos do work. Photos of the actual item are likely the best. Yes, it is time consuming to take photos of your items, but people want to see what you are selling.

* If it comes from a smoke and pet-free home, state it in the ad description. It is a selling feature.

* Price reasonably, but not outrageously. Although I do price my items reasonably, prepare to bargain. Many times, people will ask below the selling price. You may want to price items with bit of a bargaining cushion.

* Don't give out your address right away. Like I said before, I'm finding that four times out of five inquiries I get, I won't get a response back. I only give out my address once we've agreed on a date and pick up time. If you aren't comfortable giving out an address, meet in a public place. If a potential buyer is coming over to your house make sure someone else is home with you at the time they arrive.

* Have items handy at the front door before potential buyers arrive. This will make transactions go quicker and easier. You also may consider having change ready, just in case you have to provide change.

* Since online selling is a bit like fishing, don't be afraid to negotiate with various interested buyers on one item. The whole purpose of the exercise is to get the item sold and out of the house.

* Get leads from friends. I won't lie: selling through online classified listings can be frustrating and time consuming. Ask friends, acquaintances and even buyers that you've had positive experiences with in the past if they have any leads of people who may be in need of the items you are selling. You never know, you may get lucky.

* Creating a new email account directly for dealing with online inquiries may be a great idea as all inquiries will be in one place, not mixed up with your personal emails.