The dreaded time has come; the time to move. As the clock winds down, you frantically go from room to room opening closets and cupboards finding things you forgot ever existed.
Now, imagine adding the challenge of downsizing and moving everything you need into a 15-foot travel trailer. This is the route my partner and I chose and this is how we handled all our extra stuff.
Step One: Start Early
Starting early is one of the best things you can do when you're moving. We started going through our stuff two months before our lease ended and tried to clear out one room per week. This allowed us to sell a lot of our one-off items and gain some extra $$$.
Step Two: Down-size
This is one of the harder steps, especially when it comes to gear. Any gear junkie knows the hardest part of selling used gear is the bond you can create with an item. I treat my climbing rope as if it were my own kid. I even name all of my snowboards (is that weird?). My new rule of thumb is: "If I haven't used it more than once in the past year, it's time to get rid of it!"
Step Three: SELL!!
We asked ourselves; "What options do we have in order to get rid of our stuff?" The options were Goodwill, the dump, Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist (which we all know can be a little bit sketchy), and...Gear Hut! (We never even had to go to the dump! Hooray for not adding anything to the landfills!)
We found it easiest to donate our common household items at Goodwill and to sell our furniture and household appliances on Facebook Marketplace (all that furniture really adds up!)
When we finally reached our gear room, we realized how much stuff we had. An entire room busting at the seams with old outdoor equipment: clothing, skis, snowboards, crash pads, climbing shoes, etc.
Initially, we tried selling our extra equipment on Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist thinking we would get a good chunk of change. I specifically remember trying to sell a Metolius Simulator Hangboard for $40 (which I thought was a steal) online and didn't even get one response.
This lack of online interest led us to utilize Gear Hut. For anyone who doesn't know, Gear Hut is a consignment store in Reno that allows people to sell their used equipment and apparel at the shop. In exchange for using their service, they take a percentage of your sale depending on how much you are selling.
Is Gear Hut's consignment system worth it?
While the answer may be different for everyone, I think the convenience alone makes it well worth it. Remember that hang board I had mentioned that I was trying to sell for $40? It ended up selling at Gear Hut for $80 and I got $40 out of it. I got what I wanted for it and didn't have to go through the hassle of meeting with somebody. Some items that also sold well included Patagonia vests and jackets, Salomon skis, and some various sleeping bags.
If you want to get rid of an item that is taking up space and you don't have the time to sell it, bringing it into Gear Hut is a great way to clear up space and make some quick money. The main benefits of utilizing a consignment shop are:
Getting paid!!
Reusing gear in order to keep items out of the landfill and allowing less material to enter the world
The ability to reach a wider audience (Gear Hut will also often post hot items on their social media for extra advertising)
Being able to sell old gear without meeting up with somebody at a specific time and location, or deal with no-shows
Clearing out space in your place
Supporting local!
If you want to consign at Gear Hut, all you have to do is fill out a consignor agreement, show them your ID, and wait for your items to sell!
Before we moved out of Reno, we dropped off a few boxes of our used gear, said goodbye to Leah and Rusty (the store-owners). Fast-forward three months and we were back in Reno for a quick visit. We walked into the shop and had forgotten about the gear we gave them before leaving. Upon arriving we learned that almost all of our gear had sold for just over $400 (Food, beer, and gas money! Wahoo!!).
If you're interested in consigning some of your equipment at Gear Hut, you should read this blog post about what they take for winter consignment. This will also give you an idea of how much you may get for it.
Please keep in mind Gear Hut is not a thrift store. They pride themselves in not taking junk and only accepting equipment that is in usable shape. Here is a list of items that Gear Hut takes.
Even though this post is to convince you to clear out space and get rid of the old gear that you're not using on the regular, don't be surprised if you find yourself acquiring new (second-hand) gear. It's easy to get sucked into the black hole of awesome items at the shop when you are consigning your old gear (new shoes anybody??).
*Pro-tip* - For all you climbers out there, Gear Hut has used $5 chalk bags. I think we can all agree it seems silly to spend more than $20 on something that just holds your chalk.
In the end, the key to our move was starting early and allowing us the time to clear out space for our soon-to-be minimalist lifestyle. Down-sizing allowed us to fit the bare essentials into our trailer and selling extra stuff allowed us to get a couple of extra bucks. Utilizing services like Goodwill, Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and Gear Hut is crucial when you're moving. In the end, each has its own pros and cons, but Gear Hut is the place to go if you want a quick, convenient way to sell technical gear and apparel.
-Written by Nathan Ferreira
-Climber, snowboarder, burrito extraordinaire, and proud traveler of the
