Sell Stuff Online for Cash [and Make Hundreds Today]

Want to know how to sell stuff online for cash to the tune of $425? Here’s the big secret. You can sell horribly used, broken and damaged items and still make great money. Don’t bother trying to sell brand new things that you simply don’t like or use, and expect to get almost what you paid for it. It’s just not worth your time and will frustrate you in the long-run. Instead, sell your things that are hogging space, cluttering your home or that are falling apart. It’s a satisfying way to make good money.

How to Make Money With Your Junk Fast

Whenever we need some fast cash, I walk through our house, take a look in our basement and check the shed to get things out of the house. When I first did this, I knew that we could come up with a few things to sell. In reality, I had no idea how fast and easy it would be to sell stuff online for cash and earn a big payday.

Want to see the breakdown? On a recent purge, I made $425 with less than two hour so work by getting rid of stuff we didn’t need anymore. That two hours including compiling my haul, sorting it, cleaning it up, taking photos, listing it and meeting with the people who bought it.

Here’s what I sold:

• Broken lawn mower left in our shed by previous owners – $35
• Broken smartphone – $55
• Gently used Mamma Roo Chair with one of the ‘balls’ missing from the mobile – $100
• Bag of used baby girl clothes – $50
• Banjo with broken strings – $100
• Free coupons I got in the mail – $50
• 10 year old mattress – $35

As you can see, there’s nothing that impressive on the list that would scream $425 in value. With the exception of the Mamma Roo Chair, everything else was either broken, not at all gently used, or I got it for free.

It’s not hard to make money on items like these, but there is a system that can help streamline the process and ensure you’re getting the most money for your item. Here’s a walk through of my “Purging for Dollars” process.

1) Go Collect Your Unwanted Junk

The first step to sell stuff online for cash is to raid your closets, attic, basement and any other place you might be storing valuable junk. You’re likely sitting on a small fortune to fund a weekend side hustle without even trying.

2) Make a List of Everything You Want to Get Rid Of 

Collect absolutely anything you want to get rid of even if it’s used kid’s clothes that aren’t in great condition or a broken lawn mower or smartphone. You can sell all of these things to make money from home.

3) Sort Your Items

Sort through your items and categorize any low value, like-minded items together. For example, a single toy will probably only fetch $1 or $2 and isn’t worth your time to list online. Meanwhile, lumping them together and post an ad for a “box of gently used toddler toys) could earn up to $20.

Remember to think about who could use your items. If I think a friend or family member could benefit from the stuff I’m going to sell, I text them a quick picture and tell them to let me know as soon as possible. I just give it to them for free or ask them to send it back when they’re done. My support system of friends and family is awesome at passing on their unwanted stuff and taking care of us. Pay it forward!

4) Take Photos of Your Items in Good, Natural Light

You don’t need to go nuts with finding just the right light. Just take a good sun-soaked photo where potential buyers can get a good look at what you’re selling. It doesn’t need to be Instagram-worthy. When it comes to trying to sell stuff online for cash, you just need good details and transparency about the condition.

5) Include Your Broken and Worn Stuff in Your Sales Pile

The value you put on an item isn’t the same as someone else’s value.

For example, a broken lawn mower that was abandoned in our shed before we moved in was of no value to us. We also didn’t want to pay to have it hauled away. Meanwhile, $35 was a steal for someone who wanted to fix it up and use themselves, or flip it for a profit. The same thing goes with a broken smartphone.

There are tons of people out there skilled at fixing up a phone and would love a broken one at a profit. Give them what they want. Just price it fairly.

6) Plan to Sell Your Free Stuff at a Deep Discount

When we moved to a different neighborhood, we somehow ended up on a mailing list and received a welcome packet with tons of free coupons. We asked nearby friends if they wanted any of them, but had few takers.

Instead of just leaving them out on a coffee shop table somewhere and risk having them thrown away, I listed the valuable ones on our Nextdoor website for about $5 to $10 a pop. There were free admission coupons to the Coca-Cola museum, deep discounts to a local salon, amazing restaurant coupons and home service specials.

I made about $50 and the area neighbors I sold them to got incredible value and were glad to have them.

I also regularly sell formula coupons on eBay, free samples I get from businesses, and have even sold items I’ve found on the street with a “Free” sign attached.

7) Do a Little Price Comparison

This will probably take the most time, but does not need to be a stress point in your purging process. Simply look to see what your item (like a broken smartphone) goes for on Craigslist, your free local classifieds like Neighbor Nextdoor and eBay.

In my experience, you can get more for electronics on eBay, but shipping a big item like a baby chair is not worth the time or effort. Meanwhile, our baby gear sells great on our neighborhood website.

8) Write a Great Ad

Take a little time to write a compelling description that outlines the benefits of the product. Its always a bonus if your item comes from a pet-free, smoke-free home – even if your buyer himself has pets and smokes.

You should also list every single thing wrong with the item. This technique can help build trust with your buyer, and avoid any problems during the transaction process.

Need an example of an ad template?

Gently used Mama Roo chair in good condition. There’s a “ball” missing from the mobile, but otherwise it looks and works great. This chair comes from a pet-free, smoke-free home and the cover has been washed in gentle detergent. Our son never really took to it, so it was only used for about 4 weeks. Would love for it to go to a good home! Pick-up only. Cash only. Thanks! I hope you enjoy it. 🙂

9) Set a Competitive Price

Remember you’re trying to sell stuff online for cash that’s old, used, and possibly broken. Your price should reflect its condition and remain competitive. The only reason I even put a price tag on our 10-year old mattress was because I didn’t want to pay to have it thrown away by a trash hauling company or wait for our city’s monthly bulk pick-up.

I priced it at $35 and had many offers. I took a great photo, mentioned its age and condition, said it came from a pet-free, smoke-free home and offered to let anyone check it out thoroughly before paying in cash.

Add Extra Value to the Item After You Get a Commitment

When I decided to sell stuff online for cash, I looked to our old baby clothes. I had about 100 pieces, but at least 10 or 15 were in “okay” condition. I was worried the buyer wouldn’t appreciate some of the questionable items in the haul. At the same time, I didn’t want to throw the clothes away if she could use them for her baby. So I listed the item at 80 pieces instead of 100.

Once I got a commitment from a buyer, I told her I had an additional 20 pieces I would throw in for free. I said 20, even though I was pretty sure there were only 15 questionable pieces at most. Why? I wanted to make sure I covered myself in case a few questionable pieces snuck into the bag without my noticing.

The buyer was excited to get even more pieces for her money

Unless I’m giving away stuff we don’t need to a friend, acquaintance or family member; I never list anything on Craigslist or other sites for free. I stumbled across an article a few years ago that let me in on a big secret. People don’t value free. If you want to get rid of your stuff and get people to actually come and get it, you need to charge a nominal amount to turn it into an irresistible offer.

10) Only Meet in a Public Area, or When Someone Else is Home 

I usually only meet in a nearby coffee shop or local market to make exchanges. We didn’t have much choice but to let someone come to our house for our 10-year old mattress, but I made sure my husband and even neighbors were home.

I also used my best instincts. A few people who got in touch via email used poor grammar and communication. I simply couldn’t get a good read off of their communication or who they were, and didn’t want to deal with it. When I identified a pleasant woman who wanted the mattress for a spare room, we spoke on the phone and I felt comfortable letting her come to our house.

11) Turn to a Company to Sell Stuff Online for Cash

Short on time? Skip the hands-on work and send your stuff to Decluttr to sell stuff online for cash for you. Decluttr accepts tech, books, LEGOs, DVDs, CDs, games, and more. They offer you a price, then turn around and sell it to their audience at a higher price point. You could earn more on your own, but you can’t beat the convenience. You can even send them your stuff with a prepaid shipping label.

Bank $425 

My bet is you can bank more than $425 by taking inventory of what’s lying around your house. And the best part of selling off used and broken items is your attachment value to it is probably pretty low. If you do come across something that has some sentimental value, take a photo of yourself with it as a keepsake, then sell it and buy something else.

Ready to  sell stuff online for cash? Get started raiding your house today and get organized. It’s easier than you think and a quick win to pay down debt, put away money for a vacation, or enjoy a job-free, side hustle lifestyle.