You may feel the itch to declutter your home, but it’s worth giving even seemingly worthless items a once-over to see if they’re worth selling. According to a Nielsen survey conducted for eBay, the average home has $3,100 worth of unused items, mostly clothing and electronics. If you look carefully, you may find that your attic, garage, and closets contain valuable stuff that can put money in your pocket. Here are some common household items that others are willing and ready to buy.
Related: Places to Donate Clothes and Clutter for Money
Vintage Toys
Older toys are in high demand, and parents of grown children may be surprised by the value of the playthings sitting in their closets. On eBay, vintage pogo sticks list for $500 or more or more. Original Cabbage Patch Dolls list for thousands of dollars. And some old Matchbox cars sell for thousands.
Quick Cash Tip: eBay isn’t the only online marketplace for reselling toys and collectibles. Check out eBid as another option to earn money for your vintage items.
Related: The Most Dangerous Toys of All Time
Comics and Magazines
Even if you aren’t a comic book collector, you might have some valuable comics lying around. Early issues of X-Men, Flash, and Strange Tales sell for more than $20,000 an issue on eBay. Collectors are also looking for vintage issues of Sports Illustrated, TV Guide, and Time magazine.
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Books
Scan bookshelves for interesting titles and first editions. There are lots of online resources for estimating books’ value. The popular used books website AbeBooks lets you search by author, title, or ISBN number. The rarer the item, the higher its value. For example, AbeBooks once asked $30,000 for a first edition of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” signed by author Ken Kesey, director Milos Forman, and actor Jack Nicholson.
Designer Clothes
If there’s a designer label among the clothes, shoes, and accessories lurking in the back of your closet, it’s possible to cash in. Prices for many used and vintage designer items can be surprisingly high. Christian Louboutin booties sell for more than $1,000 on Tradesy, an online designer consignment shop. Other potential marketplaces include thredUP, Poshmark, The Real Real, Craigslist, and consignment shops.
Gaming Consoles and Accessories
Old video game consoles from PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo don’t usually sell for thousands of dollars, but you can still cash them in for a third or even half of the original selling price. Used PlayStation 4 consoles sell for more than $200 on eBay, while unused PlayStation 4s list for around $575. Pawn shops are also a good place to sell old consoles and games.
Quick Cash Tip: Tired of playing Angry Birds on your iPad? Gazelle will buy electronics such as tablets, smartphones, and computers and give you cash for them. Decluttr goes a step further and will take electronics as well as CDs, DVDs, games, and more off your hands.
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Stereo Equipment
Old audio equipment is in high demand. Stereos made in Japan in the 1970s are particularly desirable, so if you have an old Pioneer or Marantz receiver in a closet, you may want to put it on eBay or Craigslist. Boomboxes from the 1980s are also gaining value, as are Sony Walkman cassette players.
Small Appliances
Many people have small, rarely used appliances tucked away in the kitchen. They’re relatively easy to turn into cash through various online marketplaces. An Oster mixer from the 1960s might bring $100, while a vintage Hamilton Beach milkshake mixer from the 1950s might be worth several times that. More recent kitchen equipment in good working order is also in demand for prices that are close to new.
Costume Jewelry
Jewelry is a big seller online, and buyers aren’t always looking for expensive gems or stones. Costume jewelry is typically made of plated metal and other inexpensive materials and can appear to be worthless. Before you toss dull-looking or gaudy jewelry aside, try pricing it on eBay, which has a large costume jewelry category — you might be pleasantly surprised. Local pawn shops readily buy costume jewelry as well. And if you have an abundance of costume pieces, try setting up an online jewelry boutique on Etsy.
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Furniture
Furniture may not be easy to ship, but midcentury modern furniture is easy to sell. Interior designers, collectors, and the design-savvy are always looking for unique furniture, and pieces with a Scandinavian look are extremely popular. Chairish, an online marketplace for used and vintage furniture, helps coordinate the sale and shipping in return for a 20% to 30% cut of the price. Prices are robust; more than one midcentury modern table lamp is priced over $3,000. Etsy is another online marketplace for furniture; a vintage Italian living room might list there for $3,000.
Vinyl Records
If you don’t have vinyl records, you may know someone who does — and though records are hip enough to be mass-produced again, most are vintage; those made by certain artists can be worth hundreds and even thousands of dollars. Music stores are the best option for selling, and eBay has fairly extensive listings as well. One eBay user listed an Elvis Presley unreleased acetate disc for nearly $8,900.
Board Games
Vintage board games don’t sell for as much as other household items, but still may be worth their original price or better. Monopoly and Mahjong are two of the most sought-after sets. Among several 1991 collector’s edition Monopoly sets on eBay, one was selling for $800.
Glass Bottles
Glass bottle collectors will pay top dollar. They focus on bottles from the 1800s and 1900s, with mouth-blown and imprinted bottles getting the most attention. Collectors Weekly maintains a useful list of the most-wanted specimens; some on the list are fairly common, so there’s a good chance of finding one in the house.
Typewriters
Some buyers are willing to pay $1,000 or more for old typewriters. Rare metal-plated typewriters get high bids on sites such as eBay, but even ordinary typewriters of more recent vintage are worth something. Typewriters were a household staple for many years, so there’s a good chance many people still have one somewhere.
Photographs
Some old photographs, especially those with celebrities or from specific eras, sell for good money. One photographer sold a collection of Beatles photos taken by an amateur at Shea Stadium in 1965 for 30,000 pounds ($46,000). Pictures of generals, celebrities, old war equipment, or famous events could bring in hundreds of dollars.
Workout Gear
Surprisingly, brand name aerobics and fitness attire from the ’80s and ’90s is a hot commodity. Vintage Adidas windbreakers from the ’70s list for $50 to $60 on eBay. Old equipment sells, too: Vintage belt massagers have sold on eBay for more than $100.
Quick Cash Tip: Out with the old workout gear and in with the new. If you want to make a profit off your fitness journey, check out HealthyWage. Set a weight loss goal and earn cash prizes.
Vintage Eyeglasses
Many wearers of eyeglasses have an extra pair or two lying around, and they could fetch more than imagined if made more than 25 years ago. A vintage craze has resulted in higher prices for many ordinary items, including vintage eyeglasses. The more exclusive the brand, the more money sellers can command, but just about any pair of glasses reminiscent of previous decades can bring $50 or more.
Gift Cards
Chances are there’s at least one gift card stashed in a wallet, purse, or kitchen drawer. Luckily, most don’t expire and can be resold on various websites (GiftDeals makes it easy). Pharmacy, gas, and electronics gift cards are among the most popular on eBay.
Military Memorabilia
Personal military gear is a hot commodity on eBay. Radios, helmets, and clothing are just a few of the quick-selling military items. Vietnam War era uniforms have sold for $500 and more, and pilot survival kits have also sold for more than $500.
Coupons
Before throwing away soon-to-expire coupons, head online to eBay to see if they’re in demand. Although coupons don’t sell for as much as vintage items, they have a 97% sales success rate according to TeraPeak, a provider of online sales data. Baby formula coupons are among those in highest demand, some listing for $10 or more.
Vintage Handmade Quilts
A quilt made by grandma for just a few dollars could be worth thousands today. Handmade quilts passed down from the early part of the 20th century are the best sellers. One example on eBay listed for $675.
