Martha Stewart clears out the clutter

Overstuffed closets. Garages filled with junk. Some of us just have more things than we can handle.

Clearing out the excess can help you make better use of the things you want to hold on to. Whether you decide to organize a tag sale, sell items via an online auction, send furniture to a consignment shop or donate extras to charity, here's to a clutter-free new year.

Cash and carry

A tag sale requires hard work. First, find out about regulations and required permits, and consult with your neighbors (they might be interested in staging a multifamily sale, which can attract more customers). Then post eye-catching fliers at nearby stores and place ads in local papers and on community Web sites. These ads should include a list of the major items for sale and directions to your home from a major intersection.

After you have spread the word, clean, sort and price your goods. Label and arrange clothes by size. If the sale will be outdoors, have an alternate date or make plans to move into a garage or other shelter in case of inclement weather.

Gather shopping bags, small bills for making change and tables for displays. Have an extension cord and batteries handy to test appliances.

On the sale day, plant a big sign in the yard and post bright signs along the street leading to the sale. Display attractive items in front so they can be spotted easily by passers-by. Stay flexible on prices; many customers may want to bargain. Remember that your goal is to clean house — ideally, by the end of the day, you won't have anything left.

Going, going, gone

Before you put your goods on the virtual auction block, do some market research. Check online and in department stores to see how similar pieces are priced. To set a starting bid, add shipping costs to your lowest acceptable price (or plan to have buyers pay shipping separately).

Consider registering with PayPal (www.paypal.com). This secure service allows money to be sent from one bank account to another for free or for a small fee on credit-card transactions.

Finally, take a digital photograph of your item and write a detailed description to attract customers. Keep in mind that damaged wares, nonbrand-name clothing and large or heavy items that are expensive to ship may not draw interest.

The biggest online auction site is eBay; others include Buyselltrades.com, OnSale.com, uBid.com and Yahoo! Auctions (auctions.yahoo.com). Once you've registered with the Web site, submit your listing and be prepared to field queries from potential buyers. When the top bid has been confirmed, notify the winner and verify her address. After PayPal deposits the money in your account, ship the item. (Don't forget to request proof of delivery before sending.)

If you don't enjoy deal-making, companies such as AuctionDrop, iSold It and QuikDrop will arrange your eBay auction for a percentage of the sale, as will eBay trading assistants (independent salespeople with solid track records; they are listed on the site by ZIP code, under "Sell.")

Consigned and delivered

Consignment shops are a good choice for items that are too expensive to deliver. Look for them on the Web and in telephone books. Be sure to call first; these stores often specialize in a narrow range of goods, such as late-19th-century furniture.

After you bring in your items, you'll determine a price with the store, which may charge fees and a commission that amounts to as much as 50 percent of the sale price. Be sure you understand the terms of the deal before you bring in your wares.

Donate to charity

If you're clearing out clothing, books or furniture, you might be better off donating these items to charity. Make a list of items, and bring them to a drop-off center. Some organizations will pick up loads that meet certain size requirements.

As a reward for your donation, you will be given a blank receipt to fill in yourself. (Charities seldom do the valuation.) For help with calculations, go to www.irs.gov/publications and search for publication 561: "Determining the Value of Donated Property."

Send questions to mslletters@marthastewart.com. Sorry, no personal replies.