8 Things to Sell to Make Money When You Move

Even with a great deal from Executive Moving, moving can still be an expensive proposition. Just the process of settling into your new home can be expensive, as it may mean new furniture or a new deposit on your apartment.

You can, however, make some money during the moving process if you know what to sell. In fact, moving is an ideal time to sell items you no longer need. You’re already sorting through everything you own to get packed, so why not get rid of what you don’t need any longer?

The ideal time to sell is before you move, rather than after. Your Orange County movers at Executive Moving charge based on how much stuff they move for you. So reducing the volume of stuff to be move can save you on moving expenses, too.

So what should you sell to make the most money when it’s time to move? Try these 8 items first:

1.Furniture

The most lucrative item you can typically sell during the moving process is furniture, especially if you have designer pieces in great shape. Even if you have more average furniture, though, you can get a decent price for it on Craigslist if you sell it secondhand.

You might assume you’ll be using all your current furniture in your new home or apartment. But not so fast! Take measurements before moving day, and find out if all your current pieces will actually fit in your new home. Sometimes you’ll need to replace your furniture, if only because your new home is on a different scale than your current one.

If you do decide to sell any furniture pieces, list them on Craigslist or take them to a consignment shop. You’ll likely sell for a lower price from Craigslist, but you’ll also keep the full profit. Selling at a consignment shop may net a higher price, but you’ll split the profit with the shop.

2.Old electronics

If you’ve inadvertently hoarded old electronics, including old cell phones, you may be able to get some good money for them. You can take old smartphones, and even not smart cell phones, to an ATM-like machine that will take them in and spit out cash immediately. Or you can try selling them on eBay or Craigslist, depending on the type of electronics you’re dealing with.

3.Clothes

Be sure to sort through your closets before the Orange County movers come to pack them up. You may be surprised at how much old stuff you have lying around in your closets. Take time to sort through the clothes. Anything that’s still in great shape can be consigned or sold in a garage sale. You may not get much money for it, but something is better than nothing! Items that are very worn should be donated, instead.

4.Toys

Kids consignment shops abound around the country these days. And larger toys in good shape can even sell well on Craigslist or eBay. Sorting kids’ toys is similar to sorting clothing. Anything still in good shape (and with all requisite pieces included) can likely be sold or consigned. Anything that’s a bit more beat up can be trashed or donated, depending on its condition.

5.Tools and Kitchen Items

Are you moving from a fixer-upper to a completely finished home? If you aren’t planning to use your garage full of power tools much anymore, consider selling them, too. Power tools in great shape can be worth 50% or more of retail price, depending on the type of tool and how much you’ve used it. Check out specialized online marketplaces, or sell on eBay or Craigslist for the best results. The same thing works for kitchen tools like mixers and even smaller cooking items.

6.CDs, Movies, and Books

If you’ve collected loads of CDs, movies, and books over the years, consider taking any that you no longer use to your local secondhand book store. You’ll likely get pennies on the dollar for most items, though rare items will sell for much more. Still, you can get rid of loads of bulky boxes during the moving process, and make a few bucks with this technique.

7.Donations

What about other random items that aren’t worth much cash anymore? Or what if you just don’t have time to field a million texts from interested parties on Craigslist? In this case, you can donate whatever you don’t want to take to your new home with you. Just be sure to keep your donation receipt, and then you can recoup at least some of your losses by  claiming the donated amount on your itemized tax return. However, be sure you’re donating to a 501(c)3 nonprofit so that you can take advantage of this write-off.

8.Used Boxes

After the move, you can get some of your money back on boxes. Executive Moving uses high-quality boxes that should easily last through multiple moves. There’s actually a good market on Craigslist for secondhand boxes, which you can sell for a dollar or two a piece. It’s not much, but it’s better than nothing, and certainly better than just throwing away all those useable boxes.