How to make money selling unwanted items
We've shown you how to kick your clutter habit , but why trash all of those things you don't need when you could make some money off of them?
In this guide, we'll walk you through how you can appraise your items, where to sell them to make the most cash, and how to avoid geting screwed in the process. Maybe you've got a few boxes lying around, or maybe the camera crew from Hoarders is knocking….
One of the reasons it's so hard to declutter is because we look at an item that we don't need and remember how much time or energy or cash it cost from us to obtain. Selling that stuff may not bring back the time or energy, but it can bring back some of the money—money you can put towards the things you really want, or save for your future. Of course, you could definitely donate your unwanted items to worthy charities that will accept them, and even get valuable tax deductions in the process while helping a good cause.
But if you're looking to make a little more money back, that's what we're going to focus on here. In , Kyle MacDonald, a canadian blogger, rose to internet stardom thanks to some savvy appraisal skills and amazing bartering techniques.
He started with one red paperclip, and managed to barter item for item until he ended up with a two-story farmhouse. His story is an amazing read , but all Kyle was really able to do is identify people who valued his stuff more than he did, and who had something valuable to him.
Photo by Katherine Johnson. This is the nature of appraisal and bartering. We're not going to suggest you barter all of the junk you want to get rid of, but we are going to talk about how you can look at the junk you think has no value at all and figure out how much it might be worth to someone who wants it. Then, determine your selling price. If you see the item widely available new but not available used, you may be able to sell your item easily as long as you price it well.
In contrast, if you see the item is difficult to find new but widely available used, you may have a hard time selling unless you're willing to undercut everyone or the condition of your item is better than most. The same is true if an item is easy to find both new and used.
However, if your item is difficult to find both new and used but sale prices are high, you may have something unusually rare and can price accordingly. Assess the condition of the thing you want to sell, compared to the sale listings you've seen, and set your price. Don't shoot for new retail unless you know your item is rare—your best bet is to use other used or sale prices are a barometer.
Photo by Steve Snodgrass. You can follow these steps for just about anything you want to sell, assuming you want to get the most possible money back for it. Remember, there are other factors to consider: If you're selling locally, people may expect values because they're picking something up or taking it right off your hands.
Similarly, if you plan to sell at a garage, yard, or community sale, the culture may play a role in how much you can get—not just the value of the item. We've discussed some of these specifics before , and we'll offer item-specific tips later, but keep it in mind when you're appraising the things you want to clear out of your home. There are a number of places, online and off, to sell your old and unwanted crap.
That's what made Kyle's experiment a success. We're no strangers to selling electronics, gadgets , and even video games for the most possible cash.
Check out those guides for more detailed suggestions, but here's a crash course in your best options for consumer electronics:. Whether it's last year's Android phone, a digital camera, or a robotic pet, getting the…. Depending on what it is you're selling, you may be able to find specialty sites that are willing to make the process easier.
We've mentioned a few for video games , and a few more for cell phones , but your best chance to make the most money is still with the big guys. You could also turn to Craigslist here since you can set your own price and no one takes a cut, but whether you'll waste months waiting for decent offers is impossible to guess.
Craigslist is great for some things as we'll see shortly, but it's a crapshoot with small electronics. Books are a bit of a special case.
27 Things You Can Sell From Home to Make Money
We still think Amazon and eBay are great avenues to get the most money back, but if you're selling textbooks, don't forget sites like Chegg and Half. Check out our guide to selling textbooks for more tips there. If you're looking for more places to sell your books, the five best places to buy cheap textbooks are a good starting point for sellers too.
Finals are nearing completion, the semester is coming to an end, and students are already stressing ….
Clothing can be a difficult sell. You have to hope that someone needs the size you have available and that someone is willing to pay what you're willing to sell. That doesn't mean you can't get some decent cash for them, you just have to set up shop in the right conditions. Here are a few suggestions:. There are tons of speciality and custom sites for selling clothes on the web, and they're worth exploring you can grab some suggestions from this Quora thread.
Keep in mind that most of them have small communities, are targeted at specific markets women's clothing, baby clothing, designer clothing, vintage clothing, etc , and thus have relatively small communities.
Still, if you have a closet full of what those communities want, by all means sign up and sell. We mentioned children's clothing, but toys and games also tend to sell fairly well, assuming we're not getting into collectibles and rare toys.
Remember, do your research—especially with toys—before just throwing them up online somewhere, or else you may be selling a rare collectible for five bucks in a lot of "old toys" on Craigslist. As long as the items you have to sell are in good condition and not collectibles, here are some places to get decent cash for them:.
Expensive or rare collectibles are a bit out of scope for us here, but if you have something that's especially valuable, you'll hopefully find out when you do the research we suggested you do earlier.
If that's the case, you can always eBay or Craigslist it for its appropriate value, but your better bet may be to find a real appraiser who specializes in that type of item and seek their advice on keeping it in good condition or selling it appropriately.
Small appliances like blenders, microwave ovens, kitchen gear, and even household small electronics like humidifiers, space heaters, vacuum cleaners, and other items are all great things to sell online. Selling them in person works too, but they often have specific model numbers that can be easily researched.
You're better off putting them in the hands of someone who really wants exactly what you have. Also, selling them online offers you the broadest audience possible. Of course, yard sales, and community sales are an option here, but these types of items are more likely to hold their value than some others that people want to touch and feel before purchasing.
You can definitely sell household items and electronics at a yard sale, but odds are you'll get the same or better money for them online.
Large appliances and furniture items break off from smaller household goods largely because they're next to impossible to ship—and even if you did ship them, it's unlikely the money you'd make from the sale would make them worth the shipping cost. In this case, offline methods rule.
A Guide to Selling Unwanted Items - The Simple Dollar
Here are a few to consider:. Obviously, Craigslist gives you the most control here and we'd suggest going that route first. I can't count how many people have quickly sold large items on Craigslist and all they had to do was wait for the buyer to show up, take it away, and collect the money. Be careful though, it's not all roses. Dear Lifehacker, I've just started selling on Craigslist and it's a little overwhelming. Art and collectibles are tricky things to sell because you really want to make sure you get your item in front of someone who explicitly wants it.
It's not impossible, but in this case it's absolutely critical that you do your homework before selling to properly judge its value. If you don't think you can do it alone, or if you're looking at something you know is antique but have no idea how much it's really worth, stop now and get it properly appraised by a professional. That professional can then give you some advice on where to sell your item to get the best result, or even work with you for a cut of the sales price, of course to get it in front of the people who are most likely to buy it, whether it's at auction or a private sale.
If you have a lot of antiques, collectibles, or other items in your home you need to get rid of, consider holding an estate sale to get rid of it all quickly.
Contrary to popular belief, estate sales can take place when the person selling is alive and well. If you have collectibles that don't warrant that kind of attention, you can always head over to Craigslist or eBay to list it with other collectibles there. If you've been following along, you should have options to sell all of your excess junk for the most possible money. Remember, the best way to sell furniture isn't necessarily the best way to sell electronics, and that's not the best way to sell books or clothing.
Regardless of what you sell and where you sell, check out our tips to avoid getting scammed to make sure your transaction goes as smoothly as possible. Similarly, we have some useful tips to help you craft the perfect listing, get all the details right, and avoid coming off like a scammer yourself so your listings get the most attention and sell quickly. Selling on Craigslist deserves its own guide since it's so easy to get screwed selling there.
If you're buying on Craigslist, we have some tips there too. Do your homework, appraise properly, and pick the right venue for the right gear, and you'll make some good money from the things that either have no value to you, or you know you could just do without.
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In the end, you'll have a cleaner, clutter-free home and money you can use to buy the things you really want, spend on the important things in life, or spend on experiences instead of things. Title photo by Dustin and Janae DeKoekkoek. Video Skillet Two Cents Vitals Offspring Apps. The Complete Guide to Selling Your Unwanted Crap for Money.
How To Money Making Money decluttering Selling selling online Sales Estate sales garage sales Auctions Craigslist Amazon eBay Electronics Books Video Games Clothes Toys Children Appliances Furniture Art Collectibles Declutter How-to Guide Feature Top. Edit Promote Share to Kinja Toggle Conversation tools Go to permalink. How to Kick Your Clutter Habit and Live in a Clean House Once and For All Maybe you've got a few boxes lying around, or maybe the camera crew from Hoarders is knocking… Read more.
Where You Should Sell Your Stuff Based on How Much It's Worth There are a number of places, online and off, to sell your old and unwanted crap. The question is,… Read more. How to Sell Your Gadgets Online and Make the Most Back in the Process Whether it's last year's Android phone, a digital camera, or a robotic pet, getting the… Read more.
Remember the Important Details and Avoid Sounding Like a Scammer with This… Selling stuff online is a simple way to unload your stuff, but no matter how often you're… Read more. How to Upgrade to the Latest and Greatest Phone Every Few Months Without Spending a Fortune You know how every new gadget that comes out makes your old one look slow and dingy How to Get the Most Money When Selling Your Textbooks Finals are nearing completion, the semester is coming to an end, and students are already stressing … Read more.
How Can I Avoid Getting Screwed When Selling on Craigslist? Hold an Estate Sale to Downsize and Make Money from Your Old Crap Contrary to popular belief, estate sales can take place when the person selling is alive and well.
How Do I Avoid Getting Scammed When Buying or Selling Online? Dear Lifehacker, Lately I've been worried about being conned while buying or selling on… Read more. You may also like.
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