6 unused Mother’s Day gifts you can list guilt-free

Listen, I love my kids. They’re wonderful humans and they express their love for me in so many ways I truly appreciate. However, their gift-giving game could use some work. I realize they’re doing the best with what they have – a limited budget and an even more limited perception of me as a person and not just as this “Mom” character. So I graciously accept their gifts, tell them how much I appreciate their show of affection…then shove said gifts in the back of a closet for half an eternity (do bath bombs even expire?).

But not this year. This year, I am not holding onto things I don’t want or need. In order to truly honor these thoughtful yet ultimately not-my-taste Mother’s Day gifts, I’m going to find them new homes. Here are some examples of gifts that can easily sell on Mercari.

1. Scented candles

Scented candles are incredibly popular — who knew how many scents a candle can hold? — but I tend to be on the sensitive side when it comes to certain scents and have pretty specific taste. Someone else is bound to appreciate them. 

2. Stuffed animals

If you’re the parent of a little one, chances are you’ve been given one of their precious stuffies (or one they bought just for you) as a gift once or twice. And while that might be the cutest thing in the world, I just don’t have the space. So I'll be listing plush toys on the sly after bedtime. 

3. Massive makeup kits

Speaking of another thing I just can’t find space for, those giant drugstore eyeshadow palettes just aren’t my bag. However, makeup is a pretty hot commodity and I shouldn’t have any trouble finding a buyer on Mercari. 

4. Blankets

I used to think you could never have too many blankets but after almost a decade of being a mom and a lifetime of holiday seasons, I’ve amassed quite a collection. Instead of buying myself an extra trunk to store them, I’m going to turn them into extra moolah. 

5. Vases

These are actually more the by-products of Mother’s Day gifts. Every year that I receive flowers, I am left with another beautiful yet not-at-all-needed vase. Good thing I can also list them on Mercari Local and skip the extra packaging required for fragile items. 

6. Novelty socks

I can always tell when one of my kids was last-minute shopping when I get gifted a pair of these babies. One, I am hot-footed and tend to skip socks. Two, I’d much prefer a shirt with tacos in sunglasses riding skateboards than a pair of socks with the same print because, come on, that just needs to be seen. 

And to make sure your listings really pop in the right way, check out our tips on how to photograph your items.

We hope you had a lovely Mother’s Day if you celebrate. Let us know how the kids did this year with a tweet at @mercari_app. 

Happy (guilt-free) listing! 

Main photo credit: Aja Koska