Selling things you no longer use is one of the fastest ways to make money from home. Not only will you avoid the need for startup capital, but you’ll also be able to declutter your space, making this money-making activity a win-win scenario.
This article lists 35 of the best creative things to sell to make money. Keep reading to discover which ones you can profit from immediately and learn how you can start selling items online from scratch.
Key Takeaways
- Some of the best things to sell and make money include old clothes, books, shoes and toys.
- Keep in mind that when selling online, you may encounter difficulties such as making products stand out and dealing with the logistics of shipping packages.
Best Things To Sell To Make Money Online
1. Old Clothes
The garments you no longer like may be somebody else’s dream outfit. So, as long as you make your old clothes look presentable and clean, more often than not, someone will get in touch with you to purchase your clothing.
2. Books
If you’re looking for cheap items to sell to earn money quickly, consider selling books. Both entertainment and educational types sell fast online. Just ensure your books are in good condition and priced appropriately, so you can start earning extra money in no time.
3. Shoes
Shoes are also among the best things you can sell online to make money. Of course, vintage and designer shoes tend to sell the most, but there is also a market for regular sneakers.
4. Toys
Whether it’s your own childhood toys or your little one’s used-to-be-favourite playtime collection, you can easily sell a bunch of toys online for extra cash. Make sure to research the value of each item, as some toys unexpectedly still cost hundreds, even when they’re secondhand.
5. Jewelry
Of course, jewelry, the classic representative of valued possessions, is also some of the best things to sell online to make money. Pawn shops are great starting points for fast cash, but you may get more money if you sell vintage jewelry to other people online.
6. Furniture
Many people prefer buying secondhand pieces of furniture instead of new ones, as they’re relatively cheaper. So, if you have any unused furniture at home, consider selling it online.
7. Wedding Dress And Decor
To reduce their wedding expenses, many soon-to-be-wed Canadians opt to buy secondhand yet brand-new-looking dresses and decorations instead of new ones. This means there will certainly be a demand for your old wedding-related items that are most likely currently tucked away in storage.
8. Home Decor
Whether you have simple decor like art frames, or bigger ones such as chandeliers, you can easily resell home decorative items. You have the option to sell decor individually or in bulk. Just choose the method that will be most convenient for you.
9. Baby Clothing And Other Items
Babies quickly outgrow their clothes and other accessories. Hence, you most likely have a pile of unused baby items. Luckily, many parents are also on the hunt for baby clothing and accessories that are affordable, so you can sell yours in no time.
10. Thrift Store Clothing
Believe it or not, the clothes you bought new aren’t the only type of clothing you can sell online. You can also resell thrift clothes or secondhand clothing, so there is no need to skip them while decluttering to find things you can sell.
11. Board Games
While board games that you can easily find at the mall probably won’t be worth much, vintage board games that took off in the 90s or earlier most likely cost much more than pocket change nowadays. You can sell them at pawnshops for quick cash or to board game collectors for the most money.
12. Collectibles
You can also make money by selling collectibles online. For rare collections, sets are always better attention-grabbers than individual items, so sell your collectibles as a set if possible.
13. Vintage Posters And Ads
Vintage posters and ads may not seem much to a regular person, but they’re treasures to media enthusiasts and other people in the film industry. Make sure to research the value of film-related vintage items, as their worth can vary by hundreds of dollars.
14. Electronics
Electronics, broken or not, are always in demand in online marketplaces. Just be totally transparent about the gadget’s condition when listing it, and you’ll have little to no problems finding reliable buyers for your unused electronics.
15. Video Games
Both classic and new video games can be sold for good money online. To sell these items as quickly as possible, always include which consoles the games are for and whether or not they have issues.
16. Bicycles
Bicycles take up a lot of space, so if you have an unused one, you may be better off reselling it online. There are selling platforms specifically for bicycles, including BikeExchange, but if yours isn’t too high-end, it may be easier to sell it on standard selling platforms like Facebook Marketplace.
17. Musical Instruments
Used musical instruments are some of the best cash generators among the things you can sell to earn money online. Depending on the quality of your instrument, you may be able to sell it for hundreds or even thousands of dollars online or in person through garage sales or music stores.
18. Gift Cards
If you need quick cash, you can sell your unused gift cards for cash. Luckily, there are many online platforms specifically designed for buying and selling gift cards, so you won’t have a hard time selling them.
19. Kitchen Appliances
Just like furniture, kitchen appliances also grab buyers’ attention as many people now opt for affordable ways to furnish their houses. Ensure to clean your appliances before putting them up for sale to increase their value as much as possible.
20. Holiday Decorations
Holiday decorations also sell well online. Just note that their value may significantly vary depending on how near their intended holiday season is.
21. Cars
If you have a spare car you no longer use, consider selling it on platforms like Canada Drives. Selling a car can potentially earn you $1,000 overnight but note that you’ll need more prep work than usual compared to other items on this list.
22. Rent Out Your Parking Space
For those living in busy areas, renting out your parking space is a high passive income that can provide you with an extra $100 to $400 monthly. Some of the platforms you can use to advertise your parking spaces are Parkify.ca and BestParking.
23. Rent Out A Room
Instead of selling things, you may also rent out your spare room to earn consistent passive income. Just keep in mind that to start a rental business, you’ll need to go through the necessary legal requirements and process.
24. Your Opinions
Many brands and companies are willing to pay for your opinions. If you want to earn by expressing your thoughts, use legitimate survey websites that are completely free to use.
25. Rent Out Ad Space On Your Car
Another must-try creative way to earn money is to rent out ad space on your car. By doing so, you won’t have to do anything extra other than drive around while advertising a product or service.
Best Things To Make And Sell Online
26. Handmade Goods
Handmade goods are often more sentimental and unique than mass-produced products. Hence, there’s still a huge demand for them both online and offline.
27. Homemade Desserts
If you got a knack for making sweets, consider selling homemade desserts. Put great attention to the packaging and branding of your products so you can easily establish a customer base that can provide you with a consistent number of orders.
28. Online Courses
If you want a passive income, consider creating an online course about a skill or topic you’re passionate about. You only create courses online once, but you can sell them for unlimited times.
29. eBooks
eBooks are also an excellent choice to make money from home. Once you write them, you can earn income from them throughout your lifetime. And in the future, you can even sell physical copies to further increase your earnings.
30. Print-On-Demand Products
If you want to start a business with little to no capital, sell print-on-demand products. After designing these items, your supplier will only print and ship them when customers make an order, so you can skip massive upfront costs while maintaining a profit.
31. Digital Products
Apart from the ones already mentioned above, consider making other digital products that you may be interested in producing. After all, unlike physical items, products made online can often be sold multiple or unlimited times, letting you maximize your profit.
32. Digital Art
Digital artists should consider selling their digital art online to earn money. On top of art enthusiasts, many graphic designers also love buying exclusive rights for digital art pieces to elevate their works and designs.
33. Photography
Sell photographs per copy or per exclusive rights as a freelance photographer online. To protect your intellectual properties, I highly recommend selling photos on platforms that are specifically designed for buying and selling images, such as Shutterstock and iStockPhoto.
34. Candles
Candles also have a huge market in social media, so you can sell them online to earn a profit. Just know, though, that creating candles from scratch is not an easy task. So, you may want to resell candles from a supplier instead if you want to minimize your working time.
35. Skincare Products
Of course, last but not least, we got a representative of the billion-dollar makeup industry on this list.
As long as you’re selling high-quality products, you can make a decent profit off skincare-related goods. Just keep in mind to avoid selling products that don’t pass the guidelines of the Food and Drugs Act.
How To Sell Things Online To Make Money
Selling your unused or flipped things online is a pretty simple process. Although there are many eCommerce websites you can choose from, the selling procedure for each one is more or less the same.
First, you’ll need to list your item, including its photos, name, and description. Then, you’ll have to wait until someone notices and becomes interested in buying the item in your post.
Depending on the selling platform you’re using, you may have to meet with the buyer in person or ship the items directly to their address. Keep in mind, though, that you must always fulfill transactions with caution, as it’s not too uncommon to get ripped off or scammed when selling online.
If you want great starting points for selling items online, I highly recommend using Kijiji, eBay and Facebook Marketplace. These platforms have millions of users, many tutorials online, and dependable seller protection policies, so you can start selling with little to no worries.
Pros And Cons Of Selling Things Online For Cash
Pros:
- You can earn money quickly or in less than a day.
- You can show your items to thousands of people simultaneously.
- It’s much more affordable to set up an online store than a physical one.
Cons:
- Dealing with shipping, returns, and refunds can be complicated.
- It’s hard to make your products stand out online amidst all the competition.
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