If you’re like most of us, we’ve all been spending a ton of time at home and probably have been doing a lot of cleaning and realizing we’ve got a ton of stuff we don’t use anymore. Perhaps you’re planning a big run to your local Goodwill type donation center, or perhaps you’re hoping to sell some of the stuff. With all this stuff going around, there’s almost a market to buy used items! ‘Thrifting’ is the newest term for finding second hand gems in charity shops and online; the emergence of apps like Depop and Vinted has created a storm for people who have all become savvy bargain-hunters in the world of second hand sales during COVID. Selling your old belongings is also heralded as an environmental win, encouraging people to reuse and recycle clothing, belongings and furniture instead of buying new. It’s a win-win, really! Or if you’re not ready to sell your stuff and instead want to store your stuff somewhere while you wait for a sale, research how big is a 10×20 storage unit.

But can you really make money from selling your old belongings? By the time you spend the time photographing, listing and interacting with potential buyers online, not to mention the postage and packaging costs and risks, sometimes this seems like more effort than it’s worth. Here are a few tips for ways to make the most cash for your old stuff – without going through the popular online channels.

Have Your Belongings Professionally Valued

In order to sell a piece of furniture or a good quality piece of clothing, you need to convince your buyers that it is a legitimate piece. There are plenty of cons around, so your shoppers need to be certain that you’re the real deal. Selling to an antique store or designer second hand store is bound to make you some good money – but your chances are significantly increased if you have the item professionally valued.

If you have, say, an antique desk made of stunning hardwood, a proper valuation could tell you how much you should be asking for it – or, in fact, if it isn’t worth pursuing a sale at all. In addition, any buyer will be more likely to shell out for a piece that they know for sure is legitimate – which is easy to prove with a valuation.

If your item isn’t an antique of sorts that would require a professional valuation, you can very easily do a little research on your own to find out what it’s worth. Hop around eBay or Facebook Marketplace to get a sense of what others are selling similar items for – and more importantly – what others are paying for them!

Hold An Estate Sale

If you’re looking to unload more than just a few items, you could start thinking of a yard sale. Or, if you’ve got more high priced items to sell, perhaps an estate sale could be worthwhile. An estate sale is like an upper-echelon version of a garage sale. Instead of a bunch of dusty old items for sale in a damp garage, an estate sale is held inside your home, and acts like a makeshift antique store just for the day. Display your furniture, clothing or ornaments in their proper place, with beautiful natural lighting, inside your home itself. Guests come and shop for treasures, and all you have to do is sit back and let the cash roll in.

If you are interested in this, contact an Estate Sales Company to get started!

Selling For Parts

If you have a piece of furniture or, say, a vehicle which is not worth much as the whole piece, consider selling for parts. Perhaps you’ve tried selling the whole item in the past without much success. You may, altogether, turn more of a profit when you separate the valuable pieces out from its whole structure, which may not be worth much at all. 

Sell Virtually

It’s likely you’re already familiar with online sites to sell on; with eBay being probably the most famous. eBay can be a lot of work in my experience, and Mrs. Money and I have had good luck recently with Facebook Marketplace (both buying and selling). FB Marketplace is quick and easy to use, and most folks are close by making it an easy pickup/drop-off.

Conclusion

If you want to make money from your old stuff, there’s more to it than Depop and eBay! Get into the big bucks with these helpful tips.

Disclosure: Some links are affiliate links that earn me a commission.