6 Easy Ways to Make Money from Your Spring Cleaning Finds
Your closets could be your payday!
I personally love purging my stuff, partly because I discover things I’ve forgotten about and partly because I can make money spring cleaning! As someone who is far too guilty of thinking, “I’m going to keep this because I’m sure I’ll wear it someday,” I RARELY end up wearing it someday and it’s better to just let it go.
Check out these easy ways to make some cash when you let go of those gently-loved (and sometimes brand new) spring cleaning treasures. Cha-ching!
1. Poshmark
The great aspect of selling on Poshmark is the control you have over the buying and selling process. You set your prices and you’re free to negotiate with offers that come in below asking. This means you can determine the piece’s end value.
I love Poshmark because it’s EASY and super user friendly! I just upload my pictures, fill in my information, and set my price. Then people buy, I ship, and then I get the money delivered straight to my account. (Watch out though, it’s easy to get caught up in spending what you’re making!)
– Amber at Hip2Save
Poshmark also hosts Posh Parties where you can browse, buy, and list products within a particular category. Shipping is super easy from the seller side. They also take a pretty standard commission from your sale (they share what that is before you decide to list on the site).
2. eBay
The original online selling platform has come a looong way from when it first launched. Even better, eBay allows you to think outside the closet when it comes to selling your spring cleaning finds! Books, toys, decor, pretty much anything that has value can be sold on eBay.
Selling on eBay is pretty easy. You set your prices so you always get what you’re asking. Just be really careful because they charge fees on the total amount (shipping + item) and they don’t take those fees out right away (they send you a bill at the end of the month). Name brand and hard-to-find items move a lot faster than off-brand items, but everything seems to sell eventually!
– Chelsey at Hip2Save
Keep in mind that there are millions of other sellers, so getting your listing noticed will take a little extra finesse. It’s worth it to get the max value on your items in the long run.
3. Tradesy
Are you a high-end shopper? Take a look at Tradesy! Very similar to Poshmark, you list products yourself and set your own prices for high-end designer goods. The site offers TONS of selling support, like free shipping kits, photo enhancement, and 24-hour customer service. They take a standard commission off the sale and listings take only a minute to set up!
Hip Tip: Use my link and get $20 off your first order of $50 or more.
4. Swap
Originally launched as a kids’ clothing consignment shop, Swap.com is now one of the hottest internet e-tailers offering over 2 million unique products! It’s super easy to mail in clothes for sale on the site, though the payout for the pieces can be a little on the low side. That said, they pretty much do all the work for you, so if don’t have free time to do all the work yourself, this could be a good way to go.
5. ThredUp
The selling process on ThredUp is very similar to Swap, but ThredUp gives users an estimate on how much your clothes are worth before you finalize your shipment. Again, sometimes the payout can be a little low, but they’re taking care of listing, selling, and shipping. So even if you’re not rolling in dough, you’re still making more money than if you’d kept those clothes and never ended up wearing them.
6. StitchFix Facebook Group
If you’ve ever ordered a box from StitchFix, you know you’ll receive a 20% discount if you end up purchasing all of the items in the box. But what if that fifth item just really isn’t doing it for you, and you’d love to keep the discount? Even though StitchFix isn’t an online marketplace, there’s a Facebook community dedicated to buying and selling clothes from almost-perfect “fixes”! It’s a closed group, so request access to check out all the super cute clothes and accessories (and to start posting your own)!
Selling on the Facebook marketplace is also amazing. Just make sure to meet your buyer in a safe, public area and only accept cash for items you’re selling.
– Jamie at Hip2Save
7. Bonus: Donate to Goodwill for the tax deduction.
Put those old Amazon shipping boxes to GOOD use! With GiveBackBox, you simply fill your old Amazon box with clothes or household goods to be donated, enter your zip code and email address, and print your generated shipping label.
Drop the package off at your local post office or schedule a FREE pickup. It’s an easy way to cut down on your rarely used belongings and pays you back with a small tax deduction* (and karma), all without leaving the house 😁.
*Keep in mind, since the standard deduction has gone up under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, people may have less opportunity to claim charitable contributions.
I’ve never sold though swap, but have purchased. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of clothing items I received. I especially love how they offer free returns. The website is easy to navigate if your looking for brand specific clothing. I recommend this site!
https://refer.swap.com/s/diana_ackermann
So glad it was a positive experience for you, Ana! I LOVE the free returns too!
I have GREAT luck selling beauty products (especially products from couponing binges) and name-brand clothing on the app, Mercari. It’s similar to Poshmark but it doesn’t have the time consuming social media aspect. You literally photograph your item, create a title and description, chose the shipping option, price, and post!
For example, I just sold a bundle of bareMinerals products, that were free gifts from Ulta for $20 – so once Mercari takes a 10% (selling fee) and I pay for shipping ($4), I’ll make $14 on free items! I’ve had just about 300 successful transactions (buying and selling). There are options for the buyer or seller to pay shipping (USPS or FedEx) or ship on your own (I do that on items less than 10 oz because PayPal Ship Now is only $2.66).
I have even had luck selling beauty products that I used once and hated. It’s a great side hustle, especially if you’re like me and work 40+ hours a week. It really takes minimal effort. If you use my link, you’ll get a $10 coupon – https://mercari.com/dl and use referral code NXJSPP Happy selling!
I’ve heard a lot of mixes reviews on Mercari which is why I didn’t elaborate on that platform in the post, but your review is great to know for the future! Plus, I love your resourcefulness to sell the free gift with purchase products — brilliant!
Don’t forget Mercari!!
Find deals on Mercari! Get $10 off when you sign up with my code [BEQKRX]!
https://www.mercari.com/dl
I had a lot of luck with Mercari!!
Not sure but I don’t think you’ll be able to get tax deductions for donations anymore??? Anyone know for sure?
That’s correct, sadly. 2017 was the last year for it. 😞
You can still deduct charitable donations. It is just harder to do now. The standard deduction for individuals and married filing separately in 2017 was $6,350, $12,700 for married filing jointly and surviving spouses, and $9,350 for head of household. Now the 2018 standard deduction for individuals and married filing separately is $12,000, $24,000 for married filing jointly and surviving spouses, and $18,000 for head of household.
What??? Nooooo why???
Like Sara said, they are available but tax deductions for charitable contributions can only be claimed if a person itemizes deductions. This option is only available if the itemized deduction exceeds the standard deduction. Since the standard deduction has gone up under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, people may have less opportunity to claim the charitable contribution. Hope that helps!
Word of the wise: Be cautious on poshmark. There are cliques of girls on there they bully and berate users when they don’t like their “closests” or prices. If you have a thick skin, it is a great way to make money. If not, you may want to avoid it. I had a really negative experience with poshmark a few years back.
So is it like facebook? Where people just talk to you? Do you mind sharing what happened to you? I’ve been thinking of doing Poshmark for sometime now. I sold a ton of stuff through thred up over the holidays because I needed room for guests and it was so easy, but I only made $50 for a lot of high end stuff.
Hi Emily! I’m so sorry to hear about your experience! You may want to reach out to Poshmark as well to make them aware of this situation (if you haven’t already) so it doesn’t continue to happen. Hopefully they can remedy the problem so you can return to sell in a more user-friendly environment!
Mercari and Depop are similar to Poshmark but only take 10% and don’t have the social network feel. (I use all 3) Depop even deposits your earnings directly into your PayPal account. Easy peasy!
I haven’t heard of Depop but it sounds so easy! I’ll have to check it out, thanks for sharing!
Depop, vinted, etsy, letgo, offerup, Kidizen, Grailed for men’s, all good ones 🙂
I love Mercari. I have sold a ton of stuff and have had great experiences with buying things. I have a $10 code but it’s a referral code so I won’t post here. Email me if you’re interested in it. carolinetrades@gmail.com
I would love to sell stuff but I don’t know how to. I don’t understand how shipping works. What shipping method to use and so on. This would be great for me as a stay at home mom.
Hey Maria! I was apprehensive at first but with Poshmark and mercari ( I don’t use ebay) make it super easy to figure out the shipping! You just have to print the label and drop the package off or schedule a pick up! With Poshmark there is a flay shipping fee that the buyer pays and all packages are shipped 2-3 day priority mail via USPS. Mercari gives you a couple options for shipping, either USPS or FedEx, as well as 3 different weight options, which are pretty easy to figure out! I highly recommend either app!
My mercari referral is FJHSAT!! YOU GET $10 WHEN YOU SIGN UP!! ❤️
Thank you so much. I will use your referral code when I start to sell.
STAY AWAY from selling on ThredUp. I mailed in a HUGE bag of nice stuff, many still with tags on it, and got a $7 check back for it. It was such a joke and I wish I just donated it to somewhere because it was such a rip off for them to then make money off of.
I agree. ThredUp was definitely not with it.
I agree too! You made $7 more than me!! I sent in a bag stuffed with gently used name brand stuff, and they gave me nothing. Never again!
Yikes! Thank you all for sharing your experiences. Before selling, it’s probably worth checking out their payout structure to see the potential of what you could make before sending in that bag.
ThredUp only sends you the clean out bag for free. They charge your account (can’t remember but think about $8-$12) for sending them the items. Combined with their $1 an items pay out, NOT WORTH IT. I’ve had better luck selling at Clothes Mentor
I’ve had a good experience with ThredUP. No, it’s not a way to get rich; but there are no fees for shipping, they sent me bags, I filled ‘em up with clothes that I would have otherwise given to goodwill, I set up a post office package pick up(also free), they did all the rest. So I easily traded 3 bags of clutter for $60. For me, that was a win!
Kelley, I agree with you. It was a very easy process. The payout wasn’t amazing by any means but it is better than me driving around with bags to donate in the back of my truck for months.
I LOVE Poshmark! I make a lot of extra cash every month and the app is super simple and straightforward to use. If you want $5 just for signing up, use code “ARAMISCONSTANCE”
Mercari is another good one. Get $10 off when you sign up with my code [RWBZSQ]!
https://www.mercari.com/dl
Would like to try Tradesy!, how can I get $20 off $50 or more through the link above? Put some stuff there, but didn’t see $20 off tho. Thanks.
I am loving Poshmark! I’ve had a dormant account for years – since they launched. Only recently in the last few months (Nov. till April) have I been an active user. I’ve already sold $77 worth of items from my closer (https://poshmark.com/closet/melissa_johnson)! It’s a lot of fun and motivates me to list more and ~really~ to a closet/wardrobe purge.
I sell on Tradesy as well but I find it’s best for high end items as suggested. I have been using that selling site for around five years and somehow slowly made over $300. (https://www.tradesy.com/closet/melissajohnson/). <3
I still use ebay occasionally too when I've finally had enough and just want items gone before I donate.
I've not heard of Mercari!! I'm definitely interested in that one for makeup/cosmetics. I have SO many from years of beauty box subscriptions that I will never use. lol. Thanks for the suggestions! 🙂
I have had a great experience both selling and buying on Poshmark. The bonus for signing up with a code is currently $5. If you would sign up with my code it would be greatly appreciated REN23P
Don’t forget consignments too. The place I go takes 50%. I set the price and get a paycheck in the mail in 4 weeks. I liked selling on Ebay but I just don’t have the time anymore. It was a great second income for me when I was a divorced single mom.
Great tip! I don’t know the percentage at my local consignment shop but 50% sounds like a pretty great deal!
Does anyone know where I can sell gently used baby cloth diapers? I have about 20 of them and almost each of them have an extra padding and elastic that has never been used. Please email me dealslucky@gmail.com
Messaged you
I have baby stuff as well. A brand new swing that baby wouldn’t use. I don’t know what to do with it.
Facebook market place or Mercari. It’s like eBay but easier. To ship your swing on the app via FedEx would be $10 or $15 depending on weight. Just use your bathroom scale step on it with and without the swing. Walgreens now has FedEx drop off at most photo centers. Easy peasy, grab a box at your grocery store 🙂 good lucky 🍀 did I mention I LOVE Mercari 😉
I am so pleasantly surprised at all the positive feedback about Mercari! That’s great to know about FedEx drop off at Walgreens too. Thanks for tips!
Do they a just with size? My daughter is thinking about doing cloth diapers.
This is great, but I would LOVE to know the difference in how much each charge. What is the price difference between posting on each site? With ebay I think the first hundred items are free to post but they charge a % of what you receive for the item including shipping costs. I do not remember the %. Then paypal I think charges fifty cents for their service. I am not sure if this is the cheapest service but I think they have the biggest customer base so your item is seen by more folks.
PayPal charges a minimum of $.30 for each transaction. The fee structure beyond that depends on how much the sale was for. That being said, eBay is supposedly moving to another payment processor in a few years, so that will all change eventually. I’ve been selling on eBay for more than a decade, so I’ll believe it when I see it. They don’t end up implementing a lot of what they tell users they’re going to implement. Ebay is a great way to make money but there are definite dos and dont’s there and I would recommend anyone who is interested take a look at those so you don’t have issues when selling or listing.
I get lazy to post them on my eBay account and just donate my use clothes/items to my local Goodwill.
My referral code for Poshmark! EHOLT93 you get $5 if you use my code! Let me know if you do!! I have just joined and am addicted it’s a lot of fun and easy to use!
SWAP.com has a great selection of quality clothing with easy and free returns. Their website is very easy to navigate and you can quickly find sizes, price, colors and types of clothing etc. Prices are pretty good, and they often have sales and special offers. One annoying aspect of their website is that some of the items sizing are wrong, so items had to be returned, and then I received a store credit rather than a complete refund. The photos of goods are often just ok rather than clearly shown. Overall – worth buying at SWAP.com