In late fall of 2016, I stumbled into the world of YouTube reseller videos. They were just starting to gain traction, and the creators behind them were quickly developing loyal, almost cult-like communities. Around the same time, a friend of mine was making decent money selling on eBay as a side hustle. As a stay-at-home mom, I was searching for a way to contribute financially while still being home with my children, so I paid closer attention.

My mom handed me a brand-new Ralph Lauren houndstooth handbag with tags and encouraged me to try selling it. I listed it on eBay, and it sold overnight. I was hooked. I started taking my profits to thrift stores, flipping items, expanding to Poshmark, and embracing the idea of becoming a bosslady. In my mind, the dream was clear: I would build a reselling business so successful that my husband could quit his job, and we could do it together full time.

But everything shifted during the Covid lockdowns. More people began selling online because they needed the extra income, and content creators on YouTube and TikTok were inspiring a fresh wave of would-be resellers. The movement gained a new layer of meaning: saving items from the landfill, fighting waste, embracing sustainability. Yet realistically, it was a fight none of us could win alone. Many of us unintentionally became small-time hoarders, and our homes paid the price.

Mine certainly did. My home began to feel swallowed by inventory, which meant my mind could not rest. I felt tethered to work and resentful of it at the same time. Over the last couple of years, rising inflation and an oversaturated market made it even harder to keep going. I found myself longing for a way to release the albatross that reselling had become.

And finally, I am.
Much like Taylor Swift burying her old self, I am laying this chapter to rest. I poured my heart into reselling throughout my 40s, and now I am entering a new era in my 50s. I am embracing my own resolution blueprint, starting with what no longer serves me or my family. At the very top of the list: downsizing inventory and shifting into hobby selling so it no longer consumes my life or my home.

Sometimes a business requires honest evaluation. What is working. What is not. What you need in this season and what you are finally ready to leave behind.

So I want to hear from you.
What is one thing you are leaving behind in 2026? Be specific. Choose something that can be broken down into smaller subcategories. I have a feeling the list will be lengthy, and that is where the beauty lies: clarity comes when we are brave enough to name what we no longer want to carry.

Share yours in the comments. Let’s release the weight together.