Here’s Where to Get Rid of Your Stuff If You’re Leaving Beijing or Just Want to Declutter

Katie Coy, Managing Editor | May 24, 2022 1:00 pm | Add a comment | 482 reads

Quite a few people have been calling it quits on China with ongoing restrictions taking their toll. If you are one of those people planning on leaving or just want to have a bit of a spring clean and get rid of some clutter here are a few ideas for what you can do.

Use your friends on WeChat

Ok, so this might seem a little obvious but simply posting items for sale on your WeChat moments is actually a great way to get rid of said items. There is a high chance that at least a few people you know or perhaps someone you randomly added years ago might be interested in a couple of things. Other ideas could also be to set up a buy and sell group with your friends, or if you’re not super bothered about getting money, a group where friends can call first dibs.

Leaving party

Sticking with the theme of using your own friends, why not combine a leaving party with a selling/give-away party? Of course, if you aren’t leaving but want to get rid a few things here and there you can just do a themed party instead. A great idea could be to auction of items and see if you can even get a bidding war going. Other ideas could be to do a raffle and people win random items from your house. Although right now might not be the best time to have friends over you could still do the event virtually and shansong the items to your friends.

Buy and sell groups

There are tonnes of buy and sell groups in Beijing, if you’re not already in a couple, chances are at least one of your friends will be. Just ask around to see if someone you know can add you into one. There are a range of different ones, some specifically for English speakers, some for Chinese or groups for specific items. Among these a few also help raise money for various local charities such as the BJ 2nd Hands & Help which encourages, group members to donate part of their money to animal foster groups.

Markets

Although these are currently unable to happen in Beijing, if you’re leaving later this year then setting up your own second-hand stall at a market like Rumble in the Jumble is often well worth the couple RMB 100 vendor fee. When things are back to normal there is usually a Rumble or other market event happening about once a month so plenty of opportunities to sell your clutter.

Second-hand sale apps

Now, for this next one you’re probably going to need a certain level of Chinese in order to use them or get a Chinese friend to help you out. One of the most popular apps is 闲鱼 Xiányú which is a sister app of Taobao. Xianyu works much like Taobao except the items are second-hand instead, another popular second-hand app is 转转 Zhuǎnzhuǎn.

Post on The Beijinger Classifieds

You may be used to reading Beijinger articles on WeChat, however we still have a solid website which has some useful features that WeChat does not, one of them being our classifieds. Here you can post any items you wish to sell and it’s completely free! Simply click here to post an advert, we’d recommend providing pictures and using as much information as possible.

Donate to Roundabout

Opening in 2008, Roundabout was the first charity store in mainland China and is a great option to get rid of your stuff and donate to a worthy cause at the same time. Items that are donated are either directly passed on to those in need or sold in Roundabout’s boutique store to raise money for the charity. You can either arrange for Roundabout to pick up your donations from your home or take them to a pickup location, although with current restrictions you’ll want to check if these are currently open or not. Click here for more details about how to donate.

Give away your items through The Bulk House

Lastly, another place you can find a home for your unwanted items to is through the Bulk House. This zero-waste store has a WeChat group called Reduce to Relive where items are exchanged for free. If you want to join the group you can contact The Bulk House through their official WeChat account (just search the name). They also do occasional Reduce to Relive events at their store, so if you follow their official account you can keep an eye out for those too.