Where to Sell Your Stuff for Top Dollar

Advertising Disclosure: When you buy something by clicking links on our site, we may earn a small commission, but it never affects the products or services we recommend.

Books
John Smith / Shutterstock.com

Believe it or not, winter soon will be a thing of the past. And with spring will come the nearly irresistible urge to purge your house of all the extra stuff lurking in the closets, hanging out in the garage or hiding under your kids’ beds.

While a yard sale can be a quick and easy way to unload all those extras, you’ll never get top dollar for items sold to local bargain hunters. If your goal is to make as much money as possible, here are some of the best places to sell your stuff.

Clothes

Monkey Business Images / Shutterstock.com

If you have brand-name or designer duds in good condition, your best bet is to take those items to a local consignment shop. Depending on the shop’s policy, you might be paid either up front or when an item sells.

How much you get also depends on the store. Some stores split the selling price 50/50, while others might give you either more or less. In addition, you might make more if you accept a store credit instead of cash for your items.

If you live in an area with no consignment shops nearby, you consider an online option such as ThredUP, Tradesy or Swap.com. However, depending on your items and the particular site, you might not get as much as you would through a local shop.

Books

patpitchaya / Shutterstock.com

Used bookstores are a dying breed. But if you have one nearby, you might want to see what your book collection would garner there.

Otherwise, there are dozens of websites that can help sell your old titles. These include big names such as Amazon and Half.com.

To find out how much your books are worth, head to BookScouter.com, which lists the going price on more than 40 websites. However, you’ll have to go directly to Half.com to look at its prices.

Recent college textbooks and popular hardcover books are your best bets for making some money. With paperbacks and older books, you might be better off donating them to a local thrift store and taking a tax deduction.

Movies and video games

ImageFlow / Shutterstock.com

Half.com and Amazon are also good choices for movie and video game sales. You set the price based on the condition, and wait for the right buyer to come along.

Another online option for clearing out old movies, CDs and video games is Decluttr. You input the titles you have, and the site gives you a tentative price. If the price sounds good, ship your items to Decluttr and it will cut you a check.

For an offline option, check with video game chains such as GameStop and Play N Trade. They buy used games and, in some locations, used movies. Pricing might vary, but at least there is no shipping hassle involved.

Collectibles and antiques

Helena Olena / Shutterstock.com

If you have a truly valuable antique or a collection of highly prized items, you’ll likely get the most money through an auction house. Look for one that specializes in your type of item to ensure it is able to attract the right buyers.

If you have antiques or collectibles that aren’t quite auction-house caliber, look for an antique store that might be interested in either purchasing them or selling them on consignment.

You can also test the waters with eBay, but unless it’s an item with a devoted following, your auction might get lost in the millions of other listings. Try listing with a “Buy It Now” price or using an auction reserve if you’re hoping to get a specific price.

China and dishware

Marbury / Shutterstock.com

Even good-quality china and dishware can be difficult to sell for any significant amount of money nowadays.

Replacements and the International Association of Dinnerware Matchers will buy china and dishware. These options might offer the easiest way to get a decent amount for your china. Of course, these sites are going to turn around and sell it to others for a significantly higher price.

If you want to cut out the middle man, you can try selling on eBay. But, as with antiques and collectibles, your listing can get lost in the competition. First, research closed listings to see the going rate for your particular brand and style of china. Then, consider selling individual pieces rather than the whole set to maximize your profits.

Sports equipment

Asier Romero / Shutterstock.com

Some resale shops such as Play It Again Sports specialize in used fitness equipment. The shop might purchase smaller items such as bats, balls and protective gear. Larger items, such as treadmills, might be sold on a consignment basis.

You can also turn to Craigslist for sales of sports equipment. If you do sell on Craigslist, be sure to follow some simple safety precautions. Meeting in a public place is preferable to having someone come to your home.

However, if you are selling something large like a treadmill, you may have no choice but to have the buyer come to your home for pickup. In that case, try to move the item to a garage or entryway to limit access to your house. Also, have a friend — or big dog — home at the time of the exchange.

Musical instruments

granata68 / Shutterstock.com

Unfortunately, most old pianos, pump organs and the like are a dime a dozen, and you’re lucky if you can give them away. However, little Johnny’s old clarinet might have some value.

Before selling an old instrument, your first stop should be the local music supply store. It might cost you a couple of dollars, but ask whether the store can give your instrument a once-over to clean it up, check for any defects and estimate a value. Then, ask if they sell instruments on consignment.

If not, Plan B is to contact local school music departments and let them know you have an instrument for sale. Band teachers might be happy to pass along the word to families in the market to buy.

Finally, if neither of the above options work for you, try posting to Craigslist. To avoid getting caught up in a scam, stick to local transactions paid for with cash or money order for an exact amount.

Furniture

Voyagerix / Shutterstock.com

Unless a piece of furniture is a valuable antique that might be of interest to an auction house, you are likely to come away with the most money by listing it on Craigslist or in your local classifieds.

When selling through a classifieds site, price a little higher than what you’d like to get. Many buyers like to haggle. As a starting point for pricing, you can use this furniture calculator to determine how much your piece has depreciated.

However, be aware that the depreciated price isn’t the same as the fair market price. Depending on your area, you can end up selling practically brand-new furniture for 50 percent off.

If you’re not keen on selling direct, you can also look for a consignment shop to take the furniture off your hands.

Electronics

Man making a plan on laptop
Bplanet / Shutterstock.com

There’s no shortage of ways to sell old electronics. You can use Craigslist, eBay, a retailer buy-back program or one of the internet’s electronics trade-in sites, such as:

How much you get and how you are paid will differ from site to site and program to program.

If you have outdated or nonworking electronics, read our article on “9 Ways to Profit From Broken Electronics.”

Regardless of how you sell an old electronic device, don’t forget to wipe the hard drive of any personal information first.

Everything else

SpeedKingz / Shutterstock.com

Finally, we come to everything else: the kitchen gadgets, the toys, the knickknacks, the picture frames and all the rest.

Except in rare cases, most of this stuff is, sadly, not going to fetch much. These are the items that are primed for your yard sale.

Even better, if you don’t need quick cash, load everything up and take it to your local thrift store. In some areas, the thrift store will even pick up your boxes of unwanted treasures. Then you get a tax deduction, plus the good feelings that come with a decluttered house and the knowledge that your stuff will be used to help others.

So what did we miss? Tell us how you get top dollar for your unwanted items by commenting below or on our Facebook page.

Get smarter with your money!

Want the best money-news and tips to help you make more and spend less? Then sign up for the free Money Talks Newsletter to receive daily updates of personal finance news and advice, delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for our free newsletter today.