If you’re looking to declutter and make some extra cash, then selling your unwanted things is a great way to do just that.
We know what you’re thinking, selling things sounds like a hassle and it can be costly having to ship things across the country. Not to mention the added effort of packaging things up and taking each item to the post office, on top of posting the listing online in the first place.
That’s why selling things locally is one of the best options for getting rid of your unwanted stuff. It’s easy to do, you’ll be giving back to your local community and will bump up your bank balance. It'll all feel worth ploughing through the piles of unwanted stuff when those extra bucks land in your wallet!
But how can you sell things locally? Here are a few ways…
We think the simplest way of selling things locally is to use local online selling sites and marketplaces. They allow you to get a bit of extra money from things that you no longer want, or need, at the click of a button. Most of the selling sites you’ve already heard of have options to narrow your audience down to people in your local area. Here are some local selling sites that we recommend:
Facebook Marketplace is a great buying and selling platform where you can advertise all the stuff you don’t want anymore to people in your local area - predominantly furniture and other home goods but you see all sorts on there. You can arrange a meeting spot, or for the buyer to come and collect things straight from your door. Find out how to sell on Facebook Marketplace here.
Trade in your old books, CDs, DVDs and games with WeBuyBooks. It’s super easy to do, simply type in the barcode or ISBN numbers of the items you want to get rid of and we will give you an offer right away. To sell a bunch of items ever faster, you can download our handy app and scan the barcodes on your books, CDs and DVDs for an instant price.
It won’t even cost a penny to post your stuff to us, as we’ll send prepaid shipping labels for you to use. Pack up your items, post them off and get a nice chunk of cash. We’ll even collect your items straight from your door if you choose that option. Ka-ching! No listing fees. No hassle. Just fast cash.
Gumtree is another great online site to sell things locally! Pretty much anything goes on Gumtree, so you can sell everything from property to washing machines and even pets. Things don’t seem to sell quite as fast as on Facebook Marketplace, but you might get more buck for your bang.
You can type in your postcode and Gumtree will show your items to buyers in your local area. It even has a freebie section, which makes it a great place to get rid of things you don’t think are worth much, without you having to make a trip to the tip or charity shop.
eBay actually has a local collection option, which is a great option for larger items or people wanting to sell things locally. You might find your item won’t be as popular as it would be if you offered shipping, but eBay is still worth considering. Especially if you have high value or branded items and feel confident accepting bids, it can be a great platform to sell on that results in a high pay out!
Known as the boot sale app, Shpock resembles a car boot sale, but online of course. Being free to join and having 0 selling fees makes Shpock attractive to many people looking to make money selling their unwanted stuff online. It allows you to sell everything from furniture to electronics, clothes & more to local people.
We live in a world that mostly operates online, but there are still some ways you can sell your stuff offline too. Selling offline is an especially great way to ensure your items are being sold locally! Here are some ideas for trading your clutter for cash offline…
The classic car boot sale - you either love them or hate them, but they remain one of the best ways to flog your clutter. They’re a good option if you have low value items to sell that will fit in your car, however it does take up the best part of your day and requires you to be good at haggling.
If you have a lot of random items to sell, one of the easiest ways to sell them is through a yard or garage sale. The benefit of this is - you don’t even have to leave your home to make some money and get rid of your old clutter!
However, you’ll need to really advertise your sale ahead of time to get the word out, and pick a dry day, which can be tricky in the UK. Make sure you check the weather forecast and then start advertising, you can post flyers through neighbours doors, tell your friends and family, stick posters on street lamps and post about the sale online to get people’s attention.
You might be surprised how many of your local stores will buy your unwanted items from you, providing they’re in good condition. In fact, there’s plenty of shops that specialise in buying and selling second hand stuff. Some examples include:
A simple google search should bring up some local shops willing to buy second hand valuables off you, or you could try ringing round.
Whether you do it online or offline, selling things locally is a virtually hassle-free way of making some extra money and decluttering your home.
If you value convenience, we recommend selling online, yet if you want face-to-face interaction and to know your once loved items are going to a good, local home, consider selling them offline. Happy selling!