One of the better ways to make money from home is simply selling things you have lying around. You probably have tons of stuff in your home you simply aren’t using enough or at all, so why not sell it to make some extra cash?
The possibilities are practically endless when looking for things to sell to make money. Anything you have in your home could be sold, but we won’t go that far. When looking for ideas of things to sell to make money, look at the list below for some inspiration.
Where Can I Sell My Stuff?
Today, most selling takes place online. Tons of sites let you post your stuff and let others come to you! Some examples of sites to make money online are:
- Facebook Marketplace
- Craigslist
- Local Facebook bargain groups
- eBay
- Etsy
- Amazon
If you are looking to be able to sell from anywhere or while on the go, an app might better fit your needs. Some item selling apps are:
- Decluttr
- Second Sale
- Gazelle
- LetGo
- OfferUp
- Poshmark
- Close5
Of course, there are still good old-fashioned in-person options such as pawnshops, garage sales, or yard sales!
Related: Make Money Selling Used Clothing Through Online Consignment
Things To Sell To Make Money
There will undoubtedly be no shortage of things to sell to make money right in your own home; you just need to know where to look! Below are some of the more common items you might be able to part with.
Clothes
Who doesn’t have a ton of old clothes lying around? Sell some clothes that are in good shape but just don’t fit, went out of style, or you just don’t get around to wearing them.
Wedding Dress
Believe it or not, used wedding dresses are quite the commodity. Weddings can be expensive enough, and spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on a dress you’ll hopefully only be wearing once is not very cost-effective.
However, if you can bring yourself to part ways with yours, you’ll be able to make a pretty penny by selling it.
Jewelry
Jewelry is also something many of us have in abundance. Most of us have our favorite pieces and don’t get around t wearing most of what we own. So when looking for things to sell to make money, jewelry can be one of the more profitable items.
Old Phones
Old phones are twofold. For starters, you can sell ones you’ve used and then stuffed in a drawer somewhere when buying the latest model. If you decide to sell an old phone, wipe it clean by restoring the factory default settings.
If you are good with tech, you can think about buying old phones and refurbishing them, then reselling the on the open market for a profit.
Furniture
Furniture can also bring in a nice chunk of change for the right piece. Try selling it online if you have anything from a small table to an old couch (in good condition, of course) that you aren’t using or want to upgrade.
Artwork
You might have some artwork on your wall or artwork that you’ve created yourself you can sell to make money. Paintings, drawings, clay models, woodwork, and art comes in all shapes and sizes, but it’s all fair game when looking for things to sell to make money.
Photos
You likely wouldn’t be able to or would want to sell photos of you and your family. However, if you are a shutterbug, you might have some original pictures of landscapes, sunsets, or other generic scenes or events people would be willing to pay for.
Old Books
Some people can read the same book repeatedly, and I’m not one of those people. When looking for things to sell to make money, books are one of the top items on my list. You can sell them for a fraction of the price of a new book and clear up a lot of space on your bookshelf.
Watches
Similar to jewelry, watches can also be highly profitable items to sell. If you have more than one or two watches, you likely don’t wear any others you might have. So instead of having them waste time (get it?) by sitting in a drawer, why not sell them?
Nice Dishes
We all have that nice set of dishes we are saving for special occasions but never seem to use. Too nice for everyday use and more than likely collecting dust in an attic or basement somewhere. Unless they have sentimental value to you, they are more valuable on the open market.
Cookware
Today, more than ever, we have so many single-purpose kitchen items. Having so many items can make for space issues. So start right in the kitchen when looking for things to sell to make money. You’ll likely be able to find a ton of stuff you don’t use often enough that you can sell.
A Collection
Many of us start collections either for fun or in the hopes they’ll be worth something one day. You might have collected coins, stamps, or other items at one point but have since tailed off. Instead of holding on to them, find out how much you can get for each item or the entire collection.
Sports Cards
Speaking of collections, many of us collected sports cards as kids. Hockey, basketball, and football cards are all popular. However, it’s typically baseball cards that we see selling for millions.
You probably don’t have a Michael Jordon rookie card or Honus Wager lying around. Still, you might have a few that are worth looking into selling.
Pokemon Cards
Who would have thought you could get someone to buy your old pokemon cards? Well, it’s true. Like sports cards, most are standard and not worth much, but you might be able to find a diamond in the rough that could be worth hundreds.
Space in Your Home
Have your kids moved out for good? Maybe you just have a spare room in general. Either way, think about renting out the space. You could look for a permanent resident, or if you live near a desirable spot, you can put your empty space on Airbnb to rent it out as needed.
Outdoor Tools and Appliances
Most of us don’t have an extra lawnmower or snow blower sitting around, but you likely have smaller outdoor tools you can find when looking for things to sell to make money.
Scrap Metal
Did you know you can sell scrap metal? You can! Don’t throw it away. Metals like copper, aluminum, and other common metals can be sold for an excellent price these days.
Tools
Tools are some of the best things to sell used. Hammers, screwdrivers, wrenches, and drills haven’t changed too much over the years and can be pretty expensive to buy new. Any tools you aren’t using are great candidates to sell.
Shoes
I’m not talking about your old beat-up sneakers or running shoes here. However, suppose you have a nice pair of shoes that have only been used a few times or are otherwise still in good condition. In that case, they can be another item in your house you can sell for a reasonable price.
Handbags
Like shoes, if you have nice handbags that are still in good condition, they can be sold for far less than new ones. Still a good amount of money back in your bank account.
Laptops
If you have old laptops sitting around, you can sell those too! You can sell them as a whole or sometimes sell them to scrap yards for the metals inside them.
Antiques or Vintage
Another good place to look for things to sell to make money is your attic, basement, or other storage areas. Again, anything that can be considered an antique or vintage by today’s standards will likely have appeal to somebody out there.
Home Gym Equipment
Has your home gym become your clothes drying rack? If so, you might want to consider selling it. Even used, they can sell for a ton of money.
Sports Equipment
If you have kids, you know that you can accumulate a lot of stuff they quickly outgrow, including sports equipment. Bats, balls, gloves, helmets, pads, you name it, they outgrow it. So when looking for things to sell, your kids could be goldmines. (Don’t sell your kids, just their stuff!)
Toys
Toys are another excellent example of things to sell to make money that kids outgrow. Kids don’t even need to outgrow their toys anymore. In this blogger’s opinion, they already have far too many to play with. Consider selling some of the less popular toys in your house.
Board Games
Board games tend to collect dust in most households. Yes, there are a few families that have board game night, but even with that, games tend to grow stale after just a few months of play. At this point, you can likely find a few you can sell to another family that loves to play!
Bikes and Scooters
Most kids can use their bikes or scooters for many a year or two while growing up. So don’t just throw them out to the curb; sell them! These will likely go in a heartbeat as there is always another boy or girl out there at just the right size and looking for a good deal on a bike.
Baby Stuff
Talk about stuff that gets used for a short amount of time. Some baby stuff might get used only a handful of times before the little one quickly outgrows it. When it comes to things to sell to make money, baby stuff is one of the easiest to unload.
New parents are already overwhelmed by the newborn, but the financial aspect can be quickly shocking. Being able to buy the stuff they need used at a discounted price is always a huge help.
Instruments
Buying an instrument isn’t cheap, and whether it is for you or someone else, many people don’t want to buy a new one until they know they like playing enough. So if you have any instruments like guitars, drums, saxophones, flutes, etc., that aren’t being used, definitely sell them.
Gift Cards
Selling gift cards is becoming more and more popular. If you received one for a store, restaurant, or other establishments you wouldn’t usually use, sell the gift card for some cold hard cash!
CD’s DVDs
Despite being outdated technology, you’d be surprised to find that there is still a market for CDs and DVDs. Of course, you likely won’t get much for them, but it’s better than nothing, right?
Records
Records have made a resurgence as well. These can actually go for a decent amount of money if you have the right ones and are in good condition.
Video Games
When buying video games, it’s far more convenient to purchase a digital copy. Still, by purchasing the physical version of a game, you can then re-sell it to get some of your money back.
Blood
Ok, time for the somewhat gross part of the list. If you’ve run out of things to sell to make money around your house, it’s time to look within yourself, literally. You can donate blood, but you can get paid for it too.
Hair
Not exactly inwards, but still part of you. Human hair is always needed to make wigs for those in need. You’ll have to chop off a decent amount, but it can certainly be worth it.
Sperm\Eggs
Hey, if you are looking for things to sell to make money, sperm, and eggs need to be considered. Sorry guys, although it’s an easy way to make a quick buck, and the donation method is more enjoyable for us, the payout is much less.
Ladies will get a significant chunk of change when donating eggs, while men might get enough for one meal out.
Selling Your Time
Not everything on the things to sell to make money list will be found around your house. Another great way to make money is by selling your free time. Technically, this can be considered a “job,” but the items on this list are more of a freelance style than a 9-5.
Make Coasters
What to make something easy but will always be needed? Look no further than coasters. You can make them in your spare time and personalize each order.
Create Decorations
Everybody needs decorations, right? Birthday parties, graduations, weddings, any type of celebration could use a personal touch, and that could be you!
Make Candy
Making candy might take a while to master, but at least you’ll love eating the practice runs!
Be a Virtual Assistant
Being a virtual assistant is more job-like, but it still won’t require you to leave the house. You’ll be in charge of someone else’s calendar, making sure the right appointments are on it and that the person remembers to go to them!
Create an Ebook
If you have a specific skill that is useful, create an ebook. Popular examples are cookbooks filled with personal recipes.
Online Classes
At the same time as the ebook, create an online course for those interested too. Any topic can be turned into a course.
Freelance Writing
If writing is more your thing, look into freelancing on sites like Fiverr or Upwork. Working as a freelancer, you can pick and choose which jobs sound interesting to you.
Email Marketing
Email marketing is huge. If you like freelance writing, consider email marketing for your next endeavor.
Social Media Marketing
If email marketing is huge, then social media marketing is ginormous. Social media is everyone, and seemingly everyone is on it. If you can put your skills into this, you’ll be rolling in dough.
Website Creation
Many businesses don’t have the expertise to create their website, and that can be the difference between succeeding and failing. A great website will draw customers in and have them coming back for more.
If time is on your things to sell to make money list, then the more technically advanced readers should certainly give thought to this one.
Tutoring
If you like teaching, then consider selling your time with some tutoring. Math, science, and English are always needed for students at any level. Being a tutor will let you make your own schedule and make extra money.
Make Coffee Mugs
Back to making things here, coffee mugs are another staple of life that isn’t going anywhere. Everybody loves a funny or clever saying on their mugs too.
Make T-shirts
See coffee mugs above and substitute in T-Shirts. Everyone loves looking clever.
What To Do With Your Money
Now that we’ve gone through the entire list of things to sell to make money list and you have oodles of cash at your disposal, what should you do with all this money? Obviously, there is the fun stuff, but seeing this is a personal finance blog, that’s not where I’m going to go here.
Special Savings Account
If there is something fun you want to do, then at least have separate savings account for it. Then, with your extra income, put SOME of your earnings in there, but keep the majority going towards the item below.
Invest It
Investing your money is the best way to accumulate wealth. An extra $100 today could be worth five times that ten years from now. Do that consistently for a few months and years, and your future self will be thanking you for sure.
Pay Off Debt
Of course, if you have any kind of debt, you’ll want to wipe that out as fast as possible. But, if you’ve followed this thing to sell to make money post, you should be able to put a solid dent in your debt.
Emergency Fund
The other finance blog staple is the emergency fund. Typically, four to six months’ worth of expenses is saved up in a high-yield savings account. This will be used for major unexpected expenses or loss of income and should be high up on your financial to-do list.
Related: Legitimate Ways To Make Money Online From Home
Things To Sell To Make Money – Final Thoughts
When looking for things to sell to make money, there are a lot of great ideas all around your house. You can easily go around finding something in every room that you can do without.
In today’s world, it can be as easy as snapping a picture and uploading it to a website or app, let the offers come to you and start making money. Selling your time is also an excellent option. Once you have all this extra money, it’s time to put it to good use by investing, paying off debt, or getting an emergency fund up to speed.