With the down turn in our economy, everyone is thinking about how to turn a few quick bucks! You might not even realize it, but you probably have items lying around your home that people want to buy. Thousands of items sell on Ebay ever day and here is a short list of stuff lying around your house that can bring in cold cash PLUS clean out a closet.
1. 10, 14, 18 K gold jewelry--So many people take their broken or outdated gold jewelry to pawn stores or the "We Buy Gold" shops, when they could sell it themselves online and get so much more. Group according to karat weight and take good clear pictures and include the gram weight. You can get an inexpensive electronic scale that weighs in grams and tenths of grams.
2. Sterling silver flatware or hollowware. Note silverplated items do not sell well online but sterling is "Smoking!" To check to see if it is sterling, look for the word "sterling" or "925".
3. Your old cell phone or computer. If you recently updated your phone or computer, sell your old one. Note that really outdated electronics do not sell.
4. Designer handbags, scarves, shoes, costume jewelry, belts, or luggage. Of course lines like Chanel, Luis Vuitton, Coach, Burberry would sell great, but some of the lesser known designers sell well too. Check the label and be aware if the designer items are the "real deal" and do not try to sell fakes.
5. Audio equipment--vintage audio equipment is an "in demand" item--Do your homework though and see if the item that you have is selling and for what price.
6. Historical items like WW II maps, early picture post cards, early advertising, early regional ephemera. Recently I bought an early Austin Texas phone book at an estate sale for $3. Our local market is not interested in this, but I listed it on EBay and sold it for $50 to an Austin Texas native.
7. Mid Century Modern (1950's-1960's) Decorator items such as wall plaques, clocks, glassware, clothing, furniture that you can connect to a designer, printed linens, costume jewelry, handbags, lamps--
8. LP records and 45's--Many records are worth absolutely nothing! but there are some that are worth money. Vintage blues, soul, rock and roll, and music made by small obscure labels have a following. Music that has NO VALUE is easy listening, show tunes, and most popular music from each decade. I have literally seen hundred's of Herb Albert, Bing Crosby, Doris Day, etc.
Another thing to look for would be concert posters and concert shirts from your youth. Folks are collecting these--
9. Obscure weird items--I once sold a Mardi Gras handout from the Times Picayune that described Rex floats for a 100 dollars. Plus I have sold several early New Orleans Mardi Gras invitations for 50--100 dollars each. Other strange items that I've come across that sold well is an Humble Oil sign for $2,000, a WW II flight jacket that sold for $850, a toy train car (yes just the car) for $500, and a Rolex watch BOX (no watch) for $150.
I can list dozens of other weird things that sold well in a nationwide market.
I bet that you have money lying around your house just waiting to be found.
Don't be afraid to sell on Ebay and remember to take clear pictures and give honest and complete descriptions.
I can't wait to see you at the next sale!
Cheryl