Finding Value in Unused Items

After any Holiday season, you may find that instead of storing a bunch of stuff you don’t use, or donating it, you can actually unlock a lot of value in items you have lying around and don’t use.

Plus, with budgets being a little tight from the holiday spending and the potential to see your paycheck take home less due to potential changes in tax laws, it may be a good time to sell some items you no longer use so that you can get some extra cash.

Here are some things to consider.

Finding Gems in Your Personal Belongings

The first place to look is around your house to see personal belongings, or even décor, that you don’t use or enjoy.  Many people tend to just donate everything to charity, which is honorable, but won’t earn you any money.  For most items, you can find value by selling them instead of donating them.

For common household items, you could consider selling them on commodity sites like Amazon.com, or even Craigslist.  On Amazon.com, you’ve probably seen the “new and used from…” – well this is private sellers selling their items.  If you have something bulky like old furniture, Craigslist may be the best avenue.

Should You Sell The Antiques?

If you have something a little more unique, like antiques or collectibles, you could consider selling them if you feel it’s worth it.  These items to take a more personal consideration, since you will be parting with something that could have sentimental value.  But, if you think the time is right and want to de-clutter or unlock the value, you can always sell it.

The most common way for people to sell antiques is to a dealer.  Make sure that you find someone that specializes in whatever category your item is – for example coins, furniture, art, etc.  Only with someone who specializes in the field can provide you with the best value.

You could also try to do it yourself by selling them on eBay, or even consigning them to auction.  Just make sure that you take good pictures and put together a good description so that buyers fully understand what they are buying.  With this route, remember you will have to pay a commission as well, which could substantially lower your profits.

What About Bigger Items?

Finally, what if you have bigger items to sell, like a timeshare that you no longer use.  Well, you can sell these as well, and then roll the money into something that will actually appreciate in value, not just depreciate.

Selling bigger items like a timeshare can be hard, so make sure that you work with a realtor who specializes in timeshare resale or perhaps another person that has a lot of personal experience in the market you’re working in – timeshares, single family homes, condos, etc.

There are many types of bigger items to consider getting rid of if you’d rather have the cash – old timeshares, old cars, maybe even old tools or machinery that you no longer use.  These bigger items can really put a lot of money in your pocket.

How do you find value in your unused items?