Need to make some quick cash? You may be able to make money within a day or less with this list of easy things to sell to make quick cash!
The easiest way I’ve made a few extra quid in recent years has been by selling the stuff around our home that we no longer need.
Where it’s an item that is popular in online marketplaces I have found that they can sell within hours of me listing the item!
Generally speaking I sell the type of things in this list on Facebook Marketplace, because there is no listing fee. However there are other options you could try, including local car boot sales or holding a sale of stuff yourself from your front garden if you get a lot of passersby.
Clearing out your clutter and selling it for fast money has two big benefits – the main one is it makes you quick cash but the other one is it frees up space in your home.
I’ve been watching The Home Edit on Netflix recently and it’s given me motivation to have another big clear out of our loft – I know there’s a pushchair up there I could easily get £100 for.
So if you need a few extra quid here are things to sell to make quick cash.
You may also like: Frugal living tips
Things to sell to make money fast
The best place to start when it comes to selling stuff to make quick cash is with a good sort out of your home. Get into places like your loft, garage, shed and cupboards.
Consider your furniture and whether there’s anything you don’t need anymore.
The general rule is as long as it’s not broken you can get some money for it! Even if it’s not in mint condition there can still be a bit of money in selling certain things, such as antiques and collectables.
Here are dozens of things you can sell to make quick cash to give you some inspiration.
Books
There’s a fantastic online market for secondhand books. People would much rather pay a couple of pounds for the latest release than the full price of £7 or more.
Although the spines may be cracked most people don’t care if a book isn’t brand new, as long as all the pages are there!
Unless you’re using your previously read books to add some colour to your bookshelves then unloading a few can be a good way to free up a bit of space.
Books can be sold at car boot sales, on Facebook Marketplace, and eBay.
You can also use We Buy Books – where you can pop the details of your book into the website and get a valuation for what they will pay.
However a word of warning this one is hit and miss – I put in the ISBN numbers of three books into the valuation search bar and the website said it wasn’t currently accepting any of those titles.
Clothes
Raid your wardrobe and get rid of items you haven’t worn or used in two years.
I’m one of those people who really struggles to clear out clothes – especially occasion wear as I often think I need to hang on to nice outfits in case I get a wedding invitation or something similar.
However if you haven’t worn something in a couple of years it becomes increasingly unlikely you’ll be wearing it again.
There are lots of different ways you can get cash for your clothes – some brands will switch your clothes that you purchased from them for vouchers or you can sell them in online marketplaces.
You can find ways to sell your old clothes for cash here.
Shoes
There’s a particularly big market online for designer shoes with specialist designer marketplace websites such as Depop providing a good platform to sell.
But even if your shoes are worn out and not fit for wearing you can sell make a bit of cash selling them on eBay. Don’t ask me why people want someone else’s old, scruffy shoes, I am not here to judge! You could make £10 and upwards selling even your worn out shoes, so don’t bin them!
Handbags
If you have a collection of handbags that would make a supermodel jealous then maybe it’s time to have a clear out and sell some of the ones you use the least.
Handbags are hugely popular in online sales, and they’re easier to sell than shoes and clothes because sizing is not an issue!
CDs and DVDs
Anyone else still got a DVD or CD player? I’ve not used one for years but I have boxes of DVDs and CDs in the loft that I keep meaning to sell.
Selling old DVDs and CDs is a great way to make a bit of extra money. You won’t make a fortune, particularly as demand for these has declined so much with the arrival of multiple streaming services beaming movies and TV shows and music into people’s homes.
But some people love to own the DVD – or the CD – of a show or artist that they are a huge fan of, particularly collectors.
You can sell them on websites such as Music Magpie, however you may find you get a better rate selling on online auctions like eBay and others.
Kitchen gadgets
If you’ve built up a sizeable collection of kitchen gadgets that you don’t use then now is a great time to clear them out.
Kitchen gadgets that are still working and in good condition can sell on for a decent amount.
Try websites such as Preloved and eBay or Facebook Marketplace.
Furniture
I’ve sold lots of old furniture online and it’s such a great way to make extra cash, while also clearing your home of unwanted stuff without needing to hire a van!
We’ve sold an old sofa, a dining room table, book cases and kids’ toy storage units. I think I’ve made around £300 in the last three years from selling old furniture so it’s totally worth doing!
It is much easier to sell on old furniture when it’s clean and when things like sofas and chairs still have the fire safety label on them. Not every buyer will be fussy about this, but some who are planning to sell your furniture on at an antiques shop or similar may want to see they still have this.
Garden furniture is also a great thing to sell for extra cash, particularly as outdoor sofas are so expensive when purchased new!
Baby toys
Kitting out your home for a new baby is an expensive business, and little ones grow out of toys at a rapid rate. For this reason there is a huge market for secondhand toys.
Because babies don’t play with their toys quite as vigorously as older kids you’ll find baby toys are in great condition even after a year’s usage.
I’ve sold old baby walkers, musical toys, lots of buggy books and stacking toys, to name just a few, online.
Some people bulk sell groups of baby toys – for example they’ll make a bundle out of baby books. However I’ve found you get more money selling items individually.
As long as the item you are selling is working – ie if it is a musical or noisy toy all of the buttons still work – then you can make as much as 50% of the original price paid for the item.
Baby clothes
As babies grow so quickly it means their clothes are often in near mint condition once your child no longer fits into them.
There is a huge market for secondhand baby clothes online and lots of different places where you can sell them.
Some people group old baby clothes by age and sell them in bundles on places like Facebook Marketplace or eBay.
You can also try specialist online baby clothing marketplaces for designer clothes, such as Treated With Love and Sweet Pea Pre Loved Clothes, if you have fancy kids’ threads that you no longer need.
Essential baby gear
Big ticket baby items have huge resale value. Some good examples include cots, side sleepers, baby nests, pushchairs, play mats, baby bouncers, and high chairs.
Products such as the SleepyHead – a type of baby nest – are coveted by parents because they get good reviews regarding helping baby to sleep. However at over £100 they are beyond the budgets of many people. Sell yours secondhand and you could make at least £40 if it’s in good condition.
Make sure your items are cleaned – with any removable covers machine washed to get rid of stains – in order to get the best price for them.
Kids clothes
Like with baby clothes there is also a great online marketplace for toddler and older children’s clothing.
You can sell everything from shoes and socks to tops and trousers.
School uniform is also extremely popular as a secondhand item. I find the white polo tops are hard to keep looking nice, they go a little grey no matter what I wash them with, however the girl’s dresses and especially shoes are popular on the secondhand market.
Your kids’ school may organise a secondhand uniform sale once a term or at the start of the school year, so keep an eye out for one in your area.
Kids toys
With the latest must-have toy changing every few months kids go through toys at breakneck speed these days.
Certain toys have particularly great resale value, for example Sylvanian Families which are very expensive to purchase from new.
Have a look through your kids’ stuff and identify anything they have not played with for a long time and does not hold sentimental value.
Pro tip: If possible avoid asking for your child’s opinion if they are under 10, because the answer will always be that they want to keep it! In this instance I hide the toy away in the garage for three months, and if they have not asked for it in that time I sell it on.
I’ve resold various toys including a wooden play kitchen and LEGO, which is extremely popular!
Bikes and scooters
Of all the things I have sold online the bicycles and scooters have been snapped up the fastest!
People are so keen to get their hands on these must-have toys for kids, and buying them secondhand is a great way to do so on a budget.
The items must be in a good condition, with tyres pumped up and brakes working.
When I sold my children’s scooters, which they had grown out of, a few months ago I had to clean off a bit of mud before I could photograph them for the listing. However they sold within three hours of posting the ad and I had the money by the next morning!
Home decor
Everyone loves to have an enviable home and refreshing the decor is a quick and easy way to give it as facelift.
You can make extra cash by selling old home decor that you either don’t need or you’ve replaced.
Here are a few examples of things that sell well secondhand:
- Mirrors
- Lamps
- Framed prints
- Picture frames
- Artwork, including paintings and sculptures
Leftover building materials
When you have a home improvement project it can be quite common to end up with a few items leftover, whether because you ordered too many or your project changed at the last minute.
There’s a bustling online market for secondhand building materials.
This can include absolutely anything you can imagine including:
- Taps
- Sinks
- Tiles
- Bricks
- Paving slabs
- Fence panels
- Timber
- Laminate/wood/tiled flooring
- Drawer and door handles
- Unopened paint tins
There are specific online marketplaces for building materials such as Build Trade.
Old mobile phones
Buying a brand new mobile phone is expensive but lots of us do it every three years or less.
So you may well have a large pile of old, perfectly usable mobile phones filling a drawer somewhere in your home.
Reselling your old mobile phone is super easy and there are a number of ways you can do this including online sites such as Money Magpie and Mazuma Mobile.
You can use comparison phone recycler sites such as Sell My Mobile, Compare and Recycle and Compare My Mobile to ensure you get the best price.
You can also go through eBay or Facebook Marketplace. Retro handsets such as a Nokia 3210 have value among collectors as well as the more recent models.
Old tech
Got an old smart tablet, Ereader, laptop, camera or games console? You can sell these on for a few extra quid!
Websites such as Music Magpie will give you a price by telling them the make and model of what you have to sell, however you’re likely to get a better price by selling privately.
How easy it is to sell your old tech really depends on what you have, of course some old items are more popular than others. Do your research to see how other similar products are selling secondhand before deciding on a goal price.
Gift cards
Got a gift card for a store or brand that you will never use? It is estimated that an average 6% of the value on gift cards go unused! What a waste of money!
You can sell your unused gift cards with online marketplace Cardyard – which offers the opportunity to swap or sell your card.
Video games
Got some old Xbox or PlayStation games clogging up your shelves?
Websites such as Music Magpie and We Buy Games will give you cash for your old video games.
You’ll need to check they are accepting the particular title you have first by entering the details into their website, which will give you a proposed price.
Sports equipment
Exercise and athletic equipment has huge secondhand value. From big ticket items such as a Peloton to smaller things like weights, you will find someone is interested in taking your sports equipment off you.
Lots of us decide to go on a new health kick or take up a new sport and then get bored or switch it for something different.
There are websites that specialise in purchasing secondhand sports gear, or you can use the bigger online auction sites to sell your stuff.
Jewellery
You can sell all kinds of different types of jewellery through online marketplaces or to specialist dealers.
Be careful of selling gold jewellery to buyers who purchase it by weight, as it’s important you ensure you get the best price. Which has some good tips for selling gold here.
Tools and gardening equipment
Got an extra spade you don’t need or a lawn mower that’s going to waste? These can be sold for extra cash!
Lots of people are looking to bag a bargain on stuff they need to keep their gardens trim, especially people who may have just moved into a place with garden where they’ve never had to keep one before. With the associated costs of moving house
Kids backpacks
If your child has outgrown their backpack and switched in favour of something a little more their age then you could sell their old one.
Just like with kids’ clothing there is a good demand for backpacks for kids of all ages, as most nurseries and childminders will ask you to drop off a change of clothes with your child.
I know from experience it can be tricky to keep backpacks in good condition but try to purchase new ones that can be machine washed so you can keep them neater, and make it easier to sell them if you decide to do so.
Unwanted presents
Of course it’s the thought that counts but we’ve all had a gift that just wasn’t our cup of tea.
Whether it be an item of clothing, some decor for your home like a vase or a kitchen gadget that you already own, you may sometimes find you don’t want to keep a present that was given to you.
In this case it’s totally OK to sell it on and make a bit of extra money, if handing the gift back and exchanging it for something else is not an option.
Collectables
There are certain items that may have sat gathering dust at the back of a cupboard in your home but are undiscovered treasure to someone else!
Certain items have huge value among collectors, whether that be because they are rare as few were made in the original run of production or because they are old but in great condition.
It may surprise you what old items could have value among collectors!
When having a good sort out of your stuff keep an eye out for items such as these.
- Pokemon cards
- Coins
- Sports cards and memorabilia
- Toys – old Star Wars toys from the 80s can be worth a fortune if in good condition, for example.
- Rare LEGO sets
- Coins – Check out a guide to selling rare and valuable coins in the UK here
- Board games
If anything like those items listed pops up, or you find something else that could be worth something then do some online research.
See if this item is selling on eBay or other auction sites, and check out the prices involved. Depending on the condition of the item you could get a good amount for particularly rare collectables!
Musical instruments
We have a guitar gathering dust in the corner of a room and I’m itching to put it online so that someone who actually wants to learn to play can get some use out of it!
Whether you have an old recorder or a piano or even sound equipment, there could be someone keen to take it off your hands.
The Musicians Union has lots of tips for selling your instruments online.
You can use the specialist site Reverb to list your musical instrument, and also get an idea of how much it might sell for.
Boxes
Just moved house and got stacks of cardboard boxes taking up space in your home? Someone else will probably be keen to take them off your hands!
Plastic crates and storage boxes are also a popular secondhand market, particularly as they can be quite pricey when purchased from new.
Be sure to keep cardboard boxes neatly flat packed when not in use so that they are in good condition for resale.
You can sell used cardboard boxes to companies like Sadlers.
Wedding dress
Many people like to hand on to their wedding dress because it holds obvious sentimental value.
However it’s not something you’re ever going to wear again, so you may want to consider selling it on so it can make another bride happy on her big day.
There are specialist auction sites such as Bride2Bride and Still White that will connect you with buyers for your wedding dress. You can also try clothes sites like Vinted.
The website Hitched has lots of tips for selling your wedding dress.
Christmas decorations
If your Christmas decorations box is overflowing (ours definitely is) then why not sell some of your Christmas ornaments?
You could sell artificial Christmas trees and garlands, tree ornaments and even your Elf on the Shelf – if your kids have grown out of the tradition.
Dishes and silverware
As long as your crockery is not chipped and your silverware is polished then you could get a nice sum for them.
These can sell well at car boot sales or online auctions, particularly vintage dishes as these are hugely popular for events such as weddings.
Antiques
Before you throw out that old vase or piece of furniture that you think is hideous double check whether it might actually be worth a bit of cash.
I don’t know about you but I have not got an eye for antiques, but thankfully you can use experts online to get an estimate.
Sites such as Antique Vault will provide free online valuations for art, jewellery and antiques.
Vintage items
Just because it’s old does not mean it does not have value!
Vintage trends in furniture frequently come back around and some people love to collect vintage items.
Some vintage things that you could sell for money include:
- VHS tapes
- Old typewriters
- Toys
Pet supplies
Whether you have spare leads and collars or bowls or pet gadgets, there will be other animal lovers who will love to get their hands on clean and usable items!
Your hair
You can sell your hair for as much as £150!
If you have long hair then this is a quick and easy way to make some extra cash, especially if you are planning on chopping your hair off anyway. You will need to have a minimum of 18ins of usable hair to send to hair buyers.
Human hair is used for such a good cause – to create hair pieces for people who have lost their hair due to health conditions or treatments such as chemotherapy.
There are details of how to sell your hair here.
Photographs
There’s a big online market for stock photos.
These could be pictures of particular places, such as landmarks and cities or towns and other destinations, flowers, items and food.
You can sell your photos through websites such as Shutterstock.
Your views
Thoughts and opinions live rent free in your head, so get them to make you a little extra money!
You can sell your views on things such as current affairs and brands through survey sites including Prolific and YouGov.
There are more details of survey sites to make you money from home here.
Your kitchen
In the market for a new kitchen? If you don’t have the funds in your savings to fund it then you could make a decent amount towards it by selling your existing kitchen!
There’s a huge online market for used kitchens at websites such as Used Kitchen Exchange and Preowned Kitchens.
Be aware that a more modern look kitchen will sell easier, but you may still be able to get cash for the various elements of your kitchen such as the sink, tap and appliances.
Places to sell your stuff online
So now you know there are a huge number of household objects and other things you can sell right now to make you cash.
You could sell your stuff locally at car boot sales or you could try these brilliant online marketplaces.
- Facebook marketplace
- eBay
- Gumtree
- Schpock
- Vinted
- Preloved
Tips for selling your stuff for cash
Before you list your items here are a few tips for getting an online sale listing just right to attract a buyer.
Take clear pictures from multiple angles
Clear pictures are absolutely essential. Take pictures of the object where it is in clear view with nothing in the way of the lens and in a room with good lighting. If possible take it outside to photograph.
Take pictures of the item from the front, back and side and take closeups of any issues the item has, for example scuff marks or stains that the buyer needs to be aware of.
Include the dimensions
It is essential to include details such as dimensions for things like furniture or sizes for clothing and shoes.
Make your description honest
It’s best to be upfront about any issues with the item such as chips in furniture and stains or marks on clothing.
Otherwise you’ll end up in a dispute with the buyer and it becomes stressful for both parties.
Write a clear description that includes details such as:
- Colour(s)
- Dimensions/size
- Materials
- Age range (if it’s a toy for example)
- Any issues or damage
Be clear about collection/delivery
I always opt for collection with Facebook Marketplace. This is so handy when it comes to selling furniture which is too large to get into my car.
Be polite when discussing sales
On many auction sites people can leave a review about what it was like to deal with you as a seller. Always be polite and accommodating to people you are selling to, as a bad review may make people think twice about buying from you in the future.
Final thoughts on selling things for quick cash
As you can see from this list there are so many things around your home that could make you extra money.
Get started by taking stock of what you have and think about what could potentially have value for someone else.
If you need extra ideas for how to make extra cash then check out my tips for making £1,000 extra per month and my side hustle ideas.
