Are you wondering how to sell your stuff?
Learning how to sell your stuff online or in person is a great way to declutter, make some extra money, and reduce your stress.
I’m sure everyone has extra things laying around their home that they don’t need. If you are trying to pay off debt or reach some sort of financial goal, I highly recommend you read today’s post so that you can learn how to sell your stuff to make money.
I have a lot of experience when it comes to learning how to sell your stuff.
I had to get rid of almost all of my belongings before we started traveling full-time, and I also used to work at a used clothing store for several years when I was younger. So, I have experience on both sides – both selling my old items as well as buying items from customers who were cleaning out their closets.
I was always shocked by the number of things people brought into my store. People brought in bags and bags of stuff, and it was a great way for them to make some extra money.
Many of these people were just like you – they wanted to learn how to sell their stuff to make more money or because they were interested in living a more minimalist lifestyle. This is a popular idea these days as many Americans live with too much clutter, which can affect your life in negative ways.
Clutter can cause mental stress, you may be wasting money on storing things, spending money fixing things that you aren’t actually using, and more. If you want to learn how to sell your stuff for any of those reasons, today’s post will help you.
Actually, living a more minimalist life has been more important to us now than ever. While we had to get rid of many of our items to travel full-time, we’ve also been able to reduce a lot of mental clutter, and this has allowed us to focus on the things that really matter to us.
We aren’t perfect, and we definitely still have too many things laying around, but we are doing better than before.
It was hard getting rid of a lot of things, and I understand that others feel the same way as well. This is all part of learning how to sell your stuff. You may have become attached to an item, there might be sentimental value, or you might just be thinking about how much money you wasted by buying the item in the first place.
Keeping an item when you don’t need it whatsoever doesn’t make much sense. Just think about the storage costs and how the item is probably being damaged by being thrown around or sitting for too long.
Trust me, I know how hard it is to get rid of things, but it feels so great when you live with less. The bonus is that you can learn how to sell your stuff to make extra money, which can take the sting out of letting things go.
Whether you want to sell stuff from around your house to make extra money, to free up room around your home for things that are more important to you, or because you want to live a more minimalist lifestyle, below are my tips on how to sell your stuff and how to make quick money by doing so.
Here’s how to sell your stuff.
What kind of items you can sell.
As I said earlier, you probably have a lot of items around your home that you can sell!
Many different things from around your home can be sold to make extra money. If you want to learn how to sell your stuff, simply begin by looking around your home.
Start by looking in your closets, head down to the basement, up to your attic, and more.
I’m sure there are plenty of things around your home that you can sell to make some extra money, and many of the items are probably not being used anyways!
Here are some examples:
Clothing. To travel full-time, I had to get rid of so many clothes, and I know that I could get rid of more (I need to do this soon). Everyone has extra clothing they don’t wear, so this can be an easy thing to find and sell. I recommend checking out a thrift store near you, such as Plato’s Closet or Buffalo Exchange, to see if they will buy any of your clothing. There are also designer thrift stores paying cash for high-end clothes. Items you could sell include shirts, pants, business casual clothing, shoes, jewelry, costumes, dresses, jackets, your wedding dress, belts, formal dresses, and more. Many stores list the kinds of items they’re looking for based on the season and what’s in style.
Electronics and appliances. You probably have lots of electronics around your home that you may be able to sell. Even if you think the item is too old, you may still be able to make money from it. For example, the electric company in my old town pays $35 for an old fridge, even if it doesn’t work. They will even pick it up from your home! Other items you can sell include cell phones, laptops, computers, cameras, TVs, and so on. Side note: Before you sell a cell phone or laptop, make sure you completely clear any information from it.
Furniture. Sometimes there is furniture you no longer have a use for. Maybe you just redecorated, or maybe you just have extra furniture taking up too much space. You might be able to sell it for cash. Even if it’s old or needs to be repaired, you may be able to make money selling it if you spend a little time fixing it up. In fact, I have friends who repainted their old furniture so they could sell it. Before, their furniture may not have made them any cash, but refurbishing certain pieces may allow you to make some extra money.
Books. Books are a great thing to sell for extra money. Depending on exactly what you are selling, you may be able to earn some good side cash from a stack of books. Whether you have textbooks, novels, encyclopedias, or other types of books, you may be able to sell them and earn extra money.
Gift Cards. Many people have gift cards in their wallet that they will never use. Rather than letting that gift card go to waste, you can sell it online. Yes, you can sell your gift card even if you used some of it. It doesn’t matter if there’s the full amount on it or if it’s a weird number like $13.57. There are several websites dedicated to selling gift cards.
Sporting Goods. Just like used clothing stores that buy your clothes, there are used sporting goods stores willing to buy your stuff. One used sporting goods chain I recommend is Play It Again Sports, and you probably have some things you can sell to them. Their website states, “Typically we will resell our used items for about 40-60% of what they would sell for new today. You would receive 30-50% of that amount depending on demand, condition and current inventory levels of like products.” Play It Again Sports probably isn’t the only used sporting goods store in your city, so check around online, and call to learn about each store’s buying process. Some of the items a used sporting goods store may buy include: helmets, kayaks, treadmills, ski boots, skateboards, weights, and more.
No matter how little the item is worth, you should still consider selling it if you no longer need it. Selling one $5 or $10 item a day could be a couple hundred dollars a month. If you want to learn how to sell your stuff to make extra cash, remember that those small amounts add up!
Or, if you have a closet full of clothes to sell, you may be able to bring them to a consignment shop like the one I worked at. Even though you may only get a few dollars per item, you may walk out with an easy $100 (and you don’t even have to list anything online or ship things out!).
The places where you can sell your belongings.
There are many places where you can sell your stuff. You can sell your stuff online, offline, or have someone else sell your stuff for you.
Below are several different places you may want to check out when first learning how to sell your stuff.
eBay. I used to always try to sell my belongings on eBay first. Potential customers are located all over the world, and for the most part the fees aren’t too bad. My main tip for using eBay is to always make sure you have proof that you shipped the item, especially if it’s high value. Once, I made the mistake of not having shipping proof, and the buyer claimed they never received the item, so I lost both the item and the money. I have since learned from this lazy mistake.
Craigslist. Craigslist is a popular place to sell your unwanted items. It’s free and easy to use, but be careful and aware of all of the Craigslist scams out there.
Facebook. Facebook local sales seem to be getting more and more popular lately. There are local buy/sell groups, groups for specific types of items (like kids stuff), and more. I see at least a few postings from Facebook friends of mine each week. It works sort of like Craigslist, where you list your item and hopefully someone wants it. The benefit of learning how to sell your stuff on Facebook is there are zero fees and your potential audience is large.
Second hand stores. There are two ways these usually work. Either you will get a percentage of what they plan on selling your item for in the store, and you get your money regardless if it sells or not. The other way is that they place a price on your item and you only receive payment if and when your item sells (called on-consignment). You will usually make less money by bringing your item to a second hand store because they do all of the hard work for you. After all, you’re just dropping off your item. If you want to learn how to make quick money, then this option might be for you. Second hand stores make it extremely easy to sell your stuff.
Hold a yard or garage sale. If you have many items that you want to unload, then holding a garage sale is an efficient way, and it can help you make quick money as everyone will be coming to you. Usually, you don’t charge very much for items at a garage sale though, so keep that in mind.
Etsy. If you create crafts that you think others will like or if you have found some cool vintage items, then Etsy may be the best place to list your items. I have never sold on Etsy myself, but I know plenty of others who have had success on this website.
Apps for selling your items online.
I just listed a few places to sell your things online, but there are actually a ton of different apps for selling your unwanted items. Some of these places have specific niches, but others will let you sell anything and everything.
These apps make it even easier for you the seller to market your item to a wider variety of potential buyers. They have easy-to-use platforms that make it easy for you to take a picture, describe the item, and list it for sale. Some even handle the payment process for you.
Here are six great apps if you want to learn how to sell your stuff online:
Decluttr. This app is specifically for selling electronics, like old cell phones, CDs, tablets, game consoles, and video games. Decluttr gives you a free valuation for your item so you know how much you can sell it for before listing it.
Poshmark. This is a great site for selling clothing, shoes, and accessories. It’s free to list your items on Poshmark, but you pay $2.95 for sales under $15, and a 20% commission on sales over $15.
OfferUp. You can sell anything on OfferUp, and it has a nationwide reach if you’re willing to ship.
Depop. This is a popular app for selling handmade, vintage, and unique clothing items. There are no fees to sell, and they recommend that you’re willing to ship to make the most money.
5miles. This app connects you with local buyers in your area.
Charish. If you have furniture and home decor to sell, you might want to check out Chairish. You will pay a commission for your items, but it depends on how many things have listed on the site.
How to price your items.
If you are selling at a second hand store, for the most part they will decide on the price of your items, and you’ll be paid a percentage of that. They have the experience and expertise (plus they’re storing the items until they sell for a higher price), and that’s why they take a larger percentage of the cut.
However, if you want to learn how to sell your stuff on your own, it can be a little harder to determine your prices.
When determining how much to sell your stuff for, you will need to do some research.
You should think about what you paid for the item, what it’s currently worth, and what others are selling the item for used. It’s helpful to look at other items similar to yours.
Next, you should take a look at the quality of the item you are selling and compare it to similar items that you find online and/or offline. If your items are of better or worse quality, you should take that into consideration.
You can search other websites to see what similar items are selling for, see if the condition is comparable, and see if there are actually buyers for your product. Just because you list an item for one price, that does not mean that it will actually sell for that price. Sometimes you have to be flexible and be willing to take other offers.
My tips so that you can learn how to sell your stuff successfully.
You might be thinking “I’ve tried to sell items before but never have any luck.”
That’s probably because you were doing something wrong. There are right and wrong ways to sell things. You might have the exact same item as someone else, but that person may have more offers. However, for some reason you received none.
This is for a reason. Here are my tips so that you can learn how to sell your stuff successfully.
Think about timing. The specific time at which you list your item and when your auction is supposed to end is very important when selling on a website such as eBay. Regardless of how you are selling your items, also think about the time of year/season. Selling a winter coat in the middle of the summer when it’s 110 degrees most likely won’t get you many buyers. Timing is very important and will help you get the most cash. Always think about when a person might need your item.
Describe your item well. Some items need to be described better than others. If you are selling a $50,000 classic car, it should have a better and more thorough description than a $5 shirt. When learning how to sell your stuff, this is a very important step that too many people skip. Don’t forget to include a good title for your product because this is how buyers will find you.
Think about how people are searching for items. Like with the tip above, because many online platforms use algorithms, you want to make sure your items are searchable. For example: if you have a pair of jeans, list them like “Levis jeans size 10.” Don’t just write “nice jeans that are really comfortable,” or something like that. Including the brand name is very important.
Take great pictures. This mainly depends on what you are selling. You definitely do not need to take 50 pictures of a $5 shirt, but taking 50 pictures of an expensive car is probably a good idea. Also, make sure your pictures show the product well, make sure there is good lighting, and try to showcase the item you are trying to sell.
Don’t lie about the product. If the product is damaged, you should always say that upfront. Lying wastes your time and the buyers. Including pictures of the damage will show the buyer exactly what they are getting.
Be careful. There are scammers out there so please keep that in mind whenever you are talking to a potential buyer. I wish there weren’t so many scammers, but sadly they do exist. If a deal sounds too good to be true, then it probably is.
What other tips do you have for learning how to sell your stuff? What things have you sold in the past and where?
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