5 ways to make money selling your junk
If you want to make money selling your junk this is the guide for you.
Here’s five practical ways to start making money from your junk today.
- Selling online
- Selling gadgets
- Selling at car boot sales
- Selling at auction
- Selling through local ads
Selling online
If you’re looking to sell your clutter, the best place to start is online.
Here are a few of the most popular sites to get you started:
ebay – Using ebay to sell unwanted bits and pieces is a great way to clear up the clutter as well as making some extra cash on the side. It’s free to register – but you will have to pay fees for your listings when you start selling. We have a handy 8 step guide on how to sell on ebay.
Gumtree – Gumtree is a free classified ad’s message board. It’s especially good for selling your unwanted clutter in your local area. It covers 50 big UK cities and lets sellers list for free. You simply post the items you want to sell and the price you want and if buyers are interested they will send you an email and you can take it from there.
Facebook – Local Facebook selling groups are becoming a very popular choice to sell or simply giveaway unwanted clutter. The best bit is there are no fees, so you get to keep the profit. There are hundreds of Facebook buying and selling groups in the UK and all over the world. To get started, search for your area or postcode in the main search box, alongside words such as ‘selling’, ‘sale’ or ‘buy’. It’s also considered a safe and trustworthy selling option as most people only have friends and family on Facebook.
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Ziffit – If you’re looking to get rid of games, CDs, DVDs and books, a site worth checking out is Ziffit. This a free service and easy to use via its website, or free app which scans barcodes on any book, CD, DVD, Blu-ray or game. Ziffit then arrange and pay for the collection of any items and pay customers within a few days of the items being received. We have a whole article on how to make money selling your used items on Ziffit.
“Many consumers are put off switching internet providers by the thought of being without internet for weeks on end and miss out on significant savings. Relish offers same day delivery (for a one off £20 delivery fee) or free next day delivery, getting you online quickly and hassle free.” Bridget Lorimer, Head of Brand and Consumer Marketing – Relish
Make money selling gadgets
One man’s junk is another man’s treasure so even if you think some of the things you’ve got lying around are useless, think again!
Even broken or not-working items can sell for parts or to enthusiasts. Sometimes if you sell a bundle of broken electronics you can make good money on them.
Mobiles – you can make money by recycling your mobile phone as you can see in our article here. Even battered, ancient ones can be recycled for parts. You can make up to at least £200 for good ones. Use our mobile phone recycling tool here to get the best deal.
Printer cartridges – A few companies will pay you for your printer cartridges. Cash for Cartridges for example will pay you £4.50 per item. Find out more ways to make money by recycling your junk here.
Happily, it’s not just old phones and ink cartridges you can recycle – as we place more and more importance on recycling plenty of companies have started offering to recycle just about any old gadget and electrical item you can think of. For the best places to sell your unwanted gadgets take a look at this handy article.
Sell your stuff in a car boot sale
A great way to earn to earn some extra money, especially during the summer months, is to go along to your local car boot sale and sell everything you don’t want. It’s the perfect way to clear out your unwanted junk and declutter your home.
Although car boot sales require a bit of time, effort and planning, it’s an ideal way to make money if you’re not so handy with selling your stuff online and it’s a great way to get the whole family involved in clearing your home.
We recommend you schedule in two times a year to go, once in the beginning of spring/summer around May or June to get rid of all you unwanted autumn/winter items. Then go again before the summer is over in to declutter before the school holidays are over or simply before the run up to Christmas.
There isn’t much you can’t sell at a car boot sale so make sure you raid your wardrobe, cupboards, draws, attic and shed to see what hidden gems you might have stashed away. Perfumes, furniture, plants, toys and children’s clothes always do well, so take as many of these along with you as you can. Also remember to keep the pricing simple, people love haggling and they love a bargain. It might be worthwhile marking items up slightly so that if people want to haggle you’ll feel more inclined to lower the price.
If you’re a bit artsy-craftsy then car boot sales are a great place to sell things that you’ve made. If you’re handy with a pair of knitting needles then selling scarves, hats and gloves is a great idea. See our how-to guide on making money from knitting for loads of ideas. The easiest homemade items to sell are cakes, sweets and jams. Have a look at our tips to cake selling success for more info.
If you realise you have less than you thought to sell, consider sharing a pitch with a friend – that way you can split the cost and save money. Just make sure you’re agreed on whether to split the profits or only take money for your own items.
To find a car boot sale local to you use a search site like onlinecarbooty.com, Car Boot Junction or Your Booty or you can simply check the local papers or notice boards.
For an in depth guide check our seven step guide on how to make the most of car boot sales.
Sell your stuff at an auction
An auction is a good place to sell rare or highly valuable items. Think about any antiques, jewellery or vintage items that you’ve had around for a while. If you don’t want them or need them, why not take them to auction and see how much they are worth?
Here are a few tips on how to get started:
- Get your item valued – Most auction houses have on-site specialists who can advise on a myriad of collectibles and will usually provide free verbal valuations.
- Pick an auction house – Once you’re happy with the estimated value of your item, you can then take it along to the auction house of your choice. There are auction houses in every major town or city – often several of them. Pick one or two that are close to you and see what they offer.
- Don’t be pressured into selling – Don’t let anyone put the pressure on to make a sale and try to remain level headed. The right price is worth the hassle of waiting.
- Consider online auctions – Once you have a valuation, particularly if it’s a low amount (i.e. under £100) it might be best for you to sell the item on eBay or another auction site. Check out our guide to selling on ebay here.
- If you need more advice on selling a piece of vintage jewellery or an antique ornament, check out our article on how to get it valued and possibly sold here .
Did you know you can also make money from auctions? Hundreds of thousands of suitcases get lost every year around the world and if they’re unclaimed they usually end up at some form of auction house. Sometimes you can get items worth more than £500 for £50. Sell them on for at least £200 and make a profit of three times what you originally spent. Check out the best places in London to claim lost luggage in our handy article here.
Sell your stuff through local ads
This might seem outdated, but you would be surprised how many people still buy and sell items through classified ads in local newspapers.
Although it may seem like you are limiting your potential to sell to a wider market, selling through local ads is usually quick and relatively cheap or even free. It’s also a great alternative to online selling for those who aren’t the most technically savvy. Check out your local papers, shop windows and local community notice boards to see what kind of adverts others have put up, then simply create one for your item and include an email address or contact number and wait for buyers to contact you.
If you have no luck through local ads then you might consider free local classified sites, where buyers collect in person and pay you on the spot.
The most popular local classified sites is Gumtree, which covers 50 big UK cities and lets sellers list for free. Preloved is also a popular choice with local bargain hunters and sellers. Turn your clutter into cash by placing free ads on Preloved. It’s the fast free and fun way to sell stuff with no listing fees and no selling fees.
How do you sell your unwanted junk? Tell us in the comments below.
Find out how to get involved in National Clear Your Clutter Day 2018.
