10 Best Places To Sell Your Unwanted Items & Tips To Make More Cash

Over the years we tend to accumulate SO MUCH STUFF! It is crazy how it seems to build up, even if you are trying hard to keep the clutter to a minimum. There’s always something new coming into the house, so sometimes we just gotta get our sale pants on and make some dollars!

But that means knowing where the best places are to sell your unwanted stuff!

The best way to make the most money when you sell unwanted items is to know what options are available and what the best platform is for each item. There are so many possibilities… so let’s work through the most common ones!

BEST PLACES TO SELL YOUR UNWANTED STUFF

There are so many different options available to us to offload our unwanted goods and make some extra cash.

There is absolutely no point having unwanted items sitting around collecting dust at home so why not start making some cash back on it instead?

Is My Item Worth Selling?

Before you start listing all your unwanted items, it’s necessary to consider if they are worth selling in the first place.

There are a few key indicators that will help you make this decision:

The item is in good condition – If it’s damaged, chances are it won’t sell for much or at all. People want items that they can use and enjoy without having to put any work into repairing them. The exception is if you are selling parts or niche collectable items.
You have the original packaging/accessories – This can add significantly to the value of an item, especially if its something like tech items where the packaging is often not included
The item is popular/in demand – Obviously, the more popular an item is, the easier it will be to sell. People are always looking for the latest and greatest so if you have something that’s a bit outdated, it might be more difficult to find a buyer.
You have a competitive price – Do your research and find out what other people are selling the same or similar items for. Make sure your price is competitive or you might not get any bites!

Once you’ve considered all of these factors, you can make a decision on whether it’s worth taking the time to sell your item

Types of Sales Methods To Sell Your Stuff

There are generally two types of ways that you can sell your unwanted goods: online platforms and physical yard sales or markets.

Online Platforms

The great thing about selling online is that there are so many different platforms available to reach a wide variety of buyers. You can also list items for sale at any time and from anywhere with an internet connection

However, there are also some downsides. You will need to factor in shipping costs and there is always the potential for scammers.

Physical Sales

This is the more traditional way to sell your stuff that you no longer want. You can do this through garage sales, markets or even car boot sales.

The main benefit of this method is that you get to meet the buyer in person so there is no risk of being scammed. However, it can be more time-consuming to organise and you are limited to only selling to people who live close by. This can be a great way to move a lot of use items quickly.

Best Ways To Sell Unwanted Items

Now that we’ve gone through the different types of sale methods, let’s take a look at some of the best ways to sell things you no longer need or want!

Facebook Marketplace Or Facebook Groups

This is a great option if you want to sell smaller items such as clothes, shoes, books, homewares and kids’ toys or large items. There are restrictions on what you can sell on the Facebook Marketplace, however, most unwanted items are suitable.

It is really easy to use and you can list each item individually with photos and descriptions.

Potential buyers can then contact you directly to arrange to pick up or delivery.

For the everyday stuff that doesn’t have a huge amount of value, I tend to use Marketplace which also allows you to push your items to the different Buy Swap Sell groups in your local area for greater reach.

They are free to use, reach thousands of people and are pretty simple to use.

Just make sure you are following the rules of each group as they can differ quite drastically and some don’t allow certain types of products or posts. You may also need to wait for your post to be approved too when pushing to groups, whereas it will usually appear instantly in the marketplace.

You can join the groups in your area by searching your city + buy, swap, sell or similar, or you can list your items directly on the Facebook marketplace. This means they reach an even wider audience, giving everyone on the marketplace the opportunity to search for your items.

Most people search by distance from their location, although some just don’t read the details and you may find you get a few auto-messages ‘Where are you located?” before you get a local buyer.

One downfall with these groups is that sometimes the people aren’t always reliable. I’ve had many no-show buyers over the years and it is frustrating as hell! Or the ones that change the time on you at the last moment.

One of my pet hates is waiting for people to come to pick stuff up, which is a big reason I can be such a slacker with selling my unwanted things, but there’s no doubt about it, Facebook is the easiest platform for most of us. And all you need is a Facebook account – it’s totally free!

TIP: Offering to meet a buyer in a public place can be a great alternative if you don’t mind doing so or if you are worried about giving out your home address too.

Online Marketplace

Online trading post websites like Gumtree (Australia) or Craigslist (USA) are another great option for your lower-value items, as again they are free to use so there is no cost to you. Just cash in your pocket.

However, people use online marketplaces a little less these days since the Facebook marketplace has reached such popularity and it means back-and-forth communication to organise a time and wait for a person to come.

I don’t use these websites often these days, however, in the past had some success with selling certain items there that were struggling to sell elsewhere, so it can help to try your luck.

Baby furniture seemed to sell really well on Gumtree when it just sat unnoticed on the Facebook groups for months. But really, it’s the luck of the draw and depends on who’s looking for what you have!

eBay

For things that may fetch a higher price and are small enough to post, eBay can be a great choice because you have the option of listing your items as either an auction, where people can outbid one another for the item, or to set a buy it now price for instant purchase.

This means you can sometimes fetch a higher price than you may have anticipated… but make sure you set your lowest price reserve if doing an auction to make sure you don’t end up selling a precious possession for $1.50!

You can set up auto-renewal for up to 3 times if your item doesn’t sell straight away.

Be mindful though, eBay fees can be hard to work out as they are dependent on the final sale price of your items. I got stung pretty high with fees on my most recent eBay listings so I will be less inclined to sell via this platform in future unless it’s a really high-value item such as a collectable.

However, it is convenient rather than having to wait for people to come to pick things up!

You package it up for shipping instead. Although for large items there is a local pick-up option available too, so that’s great to have the flexibility when you sell items with offline and online options.

Etsy

If your items are handmade or can be used for craft and creative purposes, Etsy may be your perfect option to sell unwanted stuff… or sell your own handmade creations.

You can even sell digital creations on Etsy and this is something I’ve had success with myself over the past few years.

Etsy has a pretty simple and affordable fee structure for listing your items. That means no hidden surprises like eBay with your final sale price. They also take care of sales tax and other security practices for you.

And again, you can post the items off so no waiting for pick-ups. You also have the option to sell to overseas buyers too if you’re happy to ship there, at their cost.

Garage Sale

If you have a lot of stuff to get rid of and want to sell it fast and in one go, you may want to consider having a yard sale at home. You don’t even need a garage really. You just need a space to put all your stuff (wet weather friendly is best) and people come to you for a browse.

Garage sales can be a bit hit and miss when it comes to getting rid of used items, but if you advertise it well, you should get some buyers. These days it is pretty easy to advertise.

Those Facebook sale groups are perfect for this purpose, and sure beat the old days when you just had to hang signs up around the neighbourhood!

People expect a mega bargain at a yard sale though so they are best for low-priced items and getting rid of bulk clutter.

TIP: Don’t price too high or nothing will move! And as you get closer to the end, consider marking prices down even more or giving people a fill-a-bag option with certain items. Less clutter for you!!

Consignment Shop

A consignment shop is a place where you take your items to sell on your behalf. The store will then sell the items and give you a cut of the profits.

The benefit of using a consignment store instead of getting rid of stuff yourself is that you don’t have to do any advertising or experience the hassle with buyers. You just drop off your items and the shop does all the work for you. This is a perfect way to save time and still make cash.

They will also generally only accept items in good condition too so it is worth considering if your stuff meets their standards.

There are consignment shops for all sorts of things these days, including furniture, books, kids’ clothes and more. Do some research on what options you have in your local area.

Markets / Car Boot Sales

Another great way to move lots in a hurry can be markets and car boot sales. Markets and car boot sales often have a fee to set up a stall or spot, but so long as you’re selling a few items you tend to make this back pretty quickly.

Make sure your items suit the type of market though.

Trash and treasure don’t sell so well at a craft and handmade market for example. Do your research so you’ve got the right type of products!

Again, bargains are popular at second-hand markets just like at a garage sale so if the aim is to get rid of lots of stuff, do it for cheap! The worst part is the early morning starts most of them have. Eeekkkk!!!

Specialised Websites

If you are selling something more specialised, you may want to go for a targeted selling platform, such as a car sales website for your car, or similar if it is antique or collectable.

There are lots of niche options to consider and you will potentially fetch a higher price than using the generic sales methods. But you will also be paying more to list them in most cases too so this is something worth weighing up first.

These type of websites rarely allow you to list your items for free so you need to be sure the money you are spending is worthwhile.

Newspaper Classifieds

Most newspapers also still have a local classifieds section although these are not as popular as they used to be. This is still an option and many are free to list items up to a certain value too, which is always a bonus when you are selling without having to pay any fees.

Check your local newspaper website or the paper itself to find out your options.

Amazon

Amazon is available in most countries these days and that brings a new online platform into the selling mix. While Amazon is more suited to brand new items, there is the option for second-hand also.

This isn’t one I have explored yet so you will need to have a look at how it works and what fees are associated, however, it is definitely worth considering.

From what I understand, it appears you pay a monthly subscription fee to sell online with Amazon and this allows you unlimited listings.

If you’re selling huge quantities of brand new stuff, this may be a good option otherwise it might not be so well suited for the occasional seller and declutter.

Tips To Improve Your Chances Of Selling Your Unwanted Items

woman taking photograph of shirt to sell

Living in a technologically advanced world brings so many benefits. Once we would have had to leave the house to do most things, such as go to the bank, buy groceries, or play a game with a friend.

These days, we can do all of that and so much more online.

This includes selling and buying stuff too.

But in such a saturated market of online sellers, how do you improve your chances of selling your stuff online?

Whether it be handmade treasures, old technology and media, or unwanted furniture and clothing, there are certain tips for selling online that will have your chances of success increase drastically.

I’ve had experience with a variety of selling platforms, including Etsy, eBay, Facebook, Gumtree and my own children’s clothing and accessory business so I’ve learnt a few tips from selling online that will hopefully help you also.

Good Photography

One of the most essential steps, in order to succeed with online selling, is taking clear, high-quality photographs.

No matter the product or the sale forum, clear photographs are a must. If someone cannot clearly make out the item you are selling, or the quality is questionable due to it being blurry or surrounded by too much background clutter, people are unlikely to buy.

But when you present your products with great photos, their confidence in the product is much higher.

Of course, the photos you take for items you sell as part of a handmade or professional business need to be of a much higher quality than a photo you take to list an item on a local selling page on Facebook, but still take the time to follow these simple steps to better photos:

Uncluttered background
Neither over nor underexposed
Clear
Natural lighting when possible
Include close-ups if relevant

Lots Of Details

When selling a car online, obviously no one is going to buy from a listing that consists of “Red car for sale” and no further details.

You need to provide details that are useful and answer the questions your potential buyers may have, such as condition, age, variations, features, inclusions, location, colours and sizing etc.

A lot of people will just skim past if they see a listing without relevant detail, rather than waste time going back and forth asking questions so be sure to include all those details upfront.

Use Keywords

The best way to get your specific items sold is to use keywords within your headings and item descriptions. For example, 2000 Toyota Corolla is much more specific than just Corolla.

In the same manner, Ikea Kallex bookshelf and cube bookshelf are both relevant keywords for the same item, and different terms people may use to search for your item. Make sure to include them both!

Suitable Pricing

Be realistic in your pricing. No one is going to buy your dirty old sneakers with a hole in the sole for $20.

If you have no idea what to sell something for, check out similar listings online and get an idea based on what others are selling for.

Also, consider your priorities – if you need quick cash, go with the amount you want to make. If you just want to get rid of stuff, make it cheap. Clearing space in your home plus a few dollars are a good combo.

Choose the Right Platform

There are so many options for selling online, but they are not all suited to all items.

Many have restrictions, such as handmade sites needing items to be handmade or related to the manufacture of handmade products. Be sure to do a little bit of research to make sure you are choosing the best platform for you.

eBay for example is really convenient to sell most things, but sometimes the fees make it less worthwhile, so it may be better suited to items with a slightly higher reach price.

Local selling pages and trading post websites can be great for selling cheap items or those that are huge and need to pick up only.

Choosing the right platform also comes down to things like postage costs compared to pick up, in order to get the best customers suited to the products you are selling.

With these tips in mind, you should increase your chances of selling online by having the right audience, and offering the right products and the right price, but remember if you are having no luck, it may be time to consider a different platform or a reduced price. Go back and review your items and see where you can change them up a little. With any luck, you will soon be seeing the benefits of your online selling though.

Looking for more ways to make money from home? Check out these legitimate work at home ideas for mums.

So pretty much there are options galore for selling your unwanted clutter and making some spare dollars in your spare time! And let’s face it… less clutter means less mess and less mess means less time cleaning and more time for you to spend on the things you actually want to be doing!

Now if only I could sell allllll my kids toys! Only joking! Maybe…

Here’s a quick summary of the type of items that suit each type of selling platform:

Amazon – Brand new or bulk products, books, personal care, clothing.
eBay – Smaller items you can post, electronics, media, collectables, brand clothing.
Etsy – Handmade items, digital products, craft and DIY supplies.
Facebook Groups or Facebook Marketplace – Large items, everyday stuff, second-hand.
Garage Sale – Second-hand or unused items, trinkets, general clutter.
Markets/car boot sale – Second hand, clothing, trinkets, collectables.
Newspaper classifieds – Larger items like furniture or collectables.
Online trading post website – Larger items or collectables.
Consignment stores – Higher value items when you don’t have time to sell yourself.
Specialised websites – Targeted to the website such as cars and other vehicles, collectables.

And of course, if there is a heap of stuff you haven’t been able to sell and you’re at the point of just wanting it out of your home, there is always the option to donate to a local organisation that takes unwanted goods. Make sure they are clean and functional though. Don’t dump your rubbish on a charity organisation. You’ve got a bin for that!

Keep up the momentum with these decluttering & organising tips:

Need help decluttering your unwanted stuff? Here are some quick tips to declutter in a hurry!