They say one person’s trash is another person’s treasure. I couldn’t agree more. In a society where people are constantly buying things out of impulse, there is often a lot of junk to get rid of. There are two main benefits of trying to sell your old stuff for money: you free your house of clutter and, because someone else holds off on buying something new, you reduce waste.
Having a lot of clutter around the house makes me anxious. I just want to get rid of it ASAP. However, when you do this without considering the option of selling your items first, you might leave a lot of money on the table.
Truth is, there may be quite a few people who are interested in buying your used items. This allows you to make extra money you can put towards other needs. It all comes down to good timing and having the right platform to sell your old stuff for money.
7 Best Sites to Sell Your Old Stuff For Money
“Where can I sell my stuff online for free?” is a common question. Many people think they have only a few options for where to sell their old stuff.
Thankfully, that is not the case. There are many places that let you sell stuff for money, with minimal cost to you, the seller. Additionally, many of these options provide a hassle-free experience to sell your items.
If you want to declutter your house, here are seven of the best sites to sell your old stuff for money.
1. Facebook Marketplace
The Facebook Marketplace is one of my favorite places to buy and sell used items. Most people have a Facebook account and go online at least once a day. Using the Marketplace allows you to sell your used items for free to local buyers.
It’s very similar to Craigslist but more efficient in my opinion. For instance, you can respond to potential buyers quickly via Facebook Messenger. You can even see when they’ve read your message. You can also mark down the price of your item if it doesn’t sell at first.
If you’re using Facebook Marketplace, make sure to take quality pictures of your item and post a detailed and honest description. This is the most effective marketing technique for selling your stuff online for money. Only handle cash transactions for your items to make it easier.
2. Decluttr
If you have old electronics, movies, CDs, cell phones, etc., Decluttr is a great buyback site to consider if you want to sell stuff online for cash.
To use Declutter, you need to register on the site. Then you login and enter the barcode numbers from your item into Decluttr’s system. In most cases, the type of item will pop up and all you need to do is fill in details about its condition.
Based on your answers and the value of the item, Decluttr will give you a quote detailing how much they’d pay you for the item.
*Related: Do you need to sell used electronics and can’t get a good rate locally? You can compare 40+ buyback companies at SellCell to get the top price available. Compare quotes at SellCell to see how much you can get.*
If you accept the quote, Decluttr will send you a shipping label to ship your items to them for free. Decluttr will then pay you the day after your items arrive at their offices.
3. Gazelle
Gazelle is another site that allows you to sell your old stuff for cash. Their process is similar to Decluttr where you’ll receive a quote before sending your items in for cash.
Gazelle will buy your used phones, tablets, Macbooks, and iMacs individually. They also buy them in bulk so if you run a business or need to recycle some of these items at work, there is plenty of money to be made.
Gazelle favors Apple products and will buy most Apple items from you for a reasonable price, depending on the condition.
4. SecondSpin
Have a bunch of CDs just lying around and no idea what to do with them? While CDs are becoming obsolete thanks to music streaming sites, SecondSpin will still buy them from you.
SecondSpin also buys used movies, Blu-ray discs, and even video games. In order to sell your item to the site, you just need to enter a description of the product or UPC code.
If it is accepted, you mail it in and receive credits that translate to cash. SecondSpin reimburses you for what you pay to ship the item(s).
*Related: Have a lot of old DVDs? Here are the best places to sell used DVDs online and turn them into cash.*
SecondSpin’s credit system is based on the number of items sold and the product total for one transaction. For example:
- Trade in 5-8 items; receive $3.23 credit
- Trade in 9-12 items; receive $3.64 credit
- Trade in 13-16 items; receive $4.05 credit
- Trade in 17-20 items; receive $4.46 credit
- Trade in 21-24 items; receive $4.87 credit
- Trade in 25 or more items; receive $5.26 credit
Your credits can be used to purchase used items on the site. They can also be turned into cash and sent to you via PayPal or check.
5. Amazon or eBay
Amazon and eBay are huge online marketplaces to sell your old stuff for money. These sites will take out a small fee when you make a sale, but Amazon offers a fulfillment service where they can ship the items out to buyers for you.
In order to improve your chances of being successful on these sites, be sure to check out the best-selling products and compare the prices for items similar to the ones you want to list.
Take clear pictures or use the manufacturer’s picture of the product and use specific keywords in your description. Read our guide on the best eBay alternatives for legitimate options to sell your used stuff for money.
6. Gift Card Outlets
Do you ever wind up with gift cards that never get used? My husband is really bad at using gift cards. He often forgets he has them or is somewhat picky with the restaurant ones.
I, on the other hand, use them up as soon as I get them.
If you’re like my husband and have gift cards lying around that you know you’re not going to use, try selling them on Gift Card Outlets.
On Gift Card Outlets, you can sell gift cards for cash at the price you choose. They accept gift cards and merchandise credit from any brand or restaurant, and you get paid when the gift card sells.
7. Classic Garage Sale
Finally, one of my favorite ways to sell your old stuff for money is by hosting an old-fashioned garage sale. This is a classic way to turn your clutter into cash in one day and get customers to come to you.
*Related: Sitting on an old cell phone? Read our guide on the best places to sell old cell phones for cash and turn it into found money.*
Location and timing are important when planning a successful garage sale. Do lots of presale advertising in the area and, on the day of the event, make sure people can easily access your sale. This helps you get money fast by selling items quickly on the day of the sale.
If your community has a designated garage sale day or weekend, try to plan your sale around that time so people will already be expecting it.
Most people drive by garage sales and skim the items available from their car to quickly determine whether or not they should go in for a further look.
Knowing this, I choose to display my best items in the front and position them so potential shoppers can see them from a few feet away. This helps reel people in to shop.
You can also mention some of your best items on the garage sale flyer so people will have an idea of what you’re selling.
For example, if you’re selling a lot of kids’ clothing or a big ticket item like a TV or couch, be sure to list it on the flyer.
Bottom Line
Laziness is the enemy of turning your clutter into cash. If you can sell items and make a profit using one of these methods above, take a few minutes and set a listing up or organize a huge garage sale.
To keep motivated, set a goal of what you want to do with the money you earn. This will push you when you want to quit the tediousness of turning your clutter into cash.
Selling your old stuff for cash is a great way to supplement your income and it allows you to get rid of clutter in your house. With the number of ways to sell stuff online for cash, as well as in your neighborhood, it’s relatively simple to free yourself from some junk and make some cash, too.
What are some of your favorite ways to sell your old stuff for money? How often do you declutter your house? What’s one item you’d never sell to make extra money?
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