Skip to main content

Cleaning up your pad? Gone will sell all your old junk for you

cleaning pad gone will sell old junk app
Image used with permission by copyright holder

In this consumption-crazed world we live in, buying things has never been easier. Retailers have made the purchasing process so convenient that, oftentimes, buying new stuff only takes one click. Hell, in some cases you don’t even have to click — you can sign up to have crap delivered to your door on a recurring schedule if you want.

Getting stuff is easy, but for some reason, selling, disposing, and donating your stuff isn’t quite as streamlined a process as acquiring it. As such, we all tend to accumulate crap at a faster rate than we get rid of it. Go ahead and laugh at those people on Hoarders, but we’re all guilty of it. Even with sites like Craigslist and eBay, you’ve still got to go through the tedious process of making a listing for each individual item, which, if you’ve got a particularly large collection of old junk, can be a rather daunting task.

Gone is an upcoming startup from Austin, Texas that aims to simplify this process and make getting rid of things a little less arduous. Think of it as a sort of app-driven concierge service.

Screen Shot 2014-06-20 at 11.54.54 AMTo use it, you just download the app and snap a picture of the items that you’d like to disappear, then add a brief description. Gone takes care of the rest. It’ll set the sell price for each item, and then list everything on an array of different marketplaces. When it finds a buyer, Gone sends you a box to stick the stuff in, and then returns the next day to pick it up and ship it to the recipient. If it can’t track down a buyer, it’ll still send you boxes so you can easily donate your stuff to charity. Snapping a few pictures and packing up your items is literally the only effort you have to put into this.

 Of course, the company takes a small cut of the profits for each item it sells, so if you’re looking to maximize the money you get back, you’d probably be better off listing the items yourself. But that’s not what Gone is about. It isn’t geared toward penny pinchers — it’s made for anyone looking to clear out a bunch of stuff without spending time posting dozens of listings and negotiating with potential buyers. What you lose in profits you gain in convenience.

Unfortunately, since it’s still just a fledgling startup at this point, Gone is only available in Austin, TX and San Francisco, CA. However, the company has already attracted some attention from angel investors, so it’s undoubtedly got big plans for expansion in the near future. 

Drew Prindle
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Drew Prindle is an award-winning writer, editor, and storyteller who currently serves as Senior Features Editor for Digital…
This EcoFlow portable power station with solar panel is $270 off
An EcoFlow River 2 portable power station sits on a camp table.

There’s some impressive savings to pounce on if you’re in the market for some smart home deals. Some backup power is a good thing to keep around the house, and today it’s a good way to save as well. The EcoFlow River 2 portable power station is seeing a discount at Best Buy, and it’s bundled with a foldable 110-watt solar panel. Together these are marked down to $305, while they would regularly cost $588. This makes for a savings of $283 and free shipping is included.

Why you should buy the EcoFlow River 2 portable power station
Portable power stations like the Jackery Explorer 1000 and the Bluetti AC180 are the heavy hitters when it comes to name recognition, but the EcoFlow River 2 portable power station knows a thing or two about chipping in around the house. It beats the industry standard for charging speeds, as it’s able to reach a full charge in only 60 minutes. That’s five times faster than other portable power stations, and it’s a huge improvement over previous EcoFlow models. This makes the River 2 an excellent power station if you live in areas that deal with periodic power outages due to weather, or if you’d like some extra power out in the yard.

Read more
How to cancel your Arlo subscription
The Arlo Essential 2nd Gen mounted outside.

Arlo is one of the most popular smart home security brands, offering a variety of cameras and sensors to keep your property safe. But if you're ready to check out other systems (such as Ring or Wyze), you'll want to cancel your Arlo subscription. Unfortunately, this can't be done using the smartphone app – instead, you'll need to head online to the official Arlo website.

Need help with the process? Here's a step-by-step walkthrough on how to cancel your Arlo subscription.

Read more
The best smart lamps of 2023
Philips hue white ambiance lamp installed on coffee table.

Looking for an innovative way to light up your home office, living room, or bedroom? Consider adding a smart lamp to your shopping list. While these products will illuminate a dark space just like a traditional lamp, they're packed with additional features – such as the option to set timers, change colors, or connect to the rest of your smart home.

The best smart lamps come from trusted brands like Philips, Govee, and Amazon, though you'll also find lesser-known companies such as Moonside and Hatch churning out incredible products. If you need help searching for the right one, here's a look at the best smart lamps for all types of rooms.

Read more