Turning Your Trash into Cash: 3 Ways to Make Money off Old and Used Items

If you have lived in your current residence for a number of years, you may have accumulated a number of items that you store in closets, basements, and garages.

These items may not have been used for years and are only taking up space, making it hard for you to live efficiently. You may be able to earn money by recycling and re-purposing these goods.

Here are 3 ways to turn your unused items into extra cash for your household budget:

Sell Old, Unused Items

You can clear out space in your storage areas by selling old, but still usable items, for cash. In many communities, the garage sale is a time-honored tradition. Sometimes, a number of families pool their saleable goods at one big sale, to increase foot traffic and sales.

Listing your items on CraigsList can often be the best way to find potential buyers in your area who may be looking for used furniture, baby items, sports equipment, or lawn care equipment. For more specialized items like collectibles, Ebay can often be the place to get the best price.

Selling Re-Purposed Items

Some items can be re-purposed for a completely different use. For instance, you can paint or stain an old trunk for use as a coffee table. Old window frames can be decorated to make unique picture frames. A deconstructed baby crib can be used as a garden trellis. An old floor lamp can be converted into a hanging planter. Your imagination is the only limit on what you can do to re-purpose old items. These can all be sold to individuals who enjoy unusual, creative home and garden items.

Cash For Recycled Metal

There’s always a market for scrap metal, and you may have a number of items that you no longer use that can be sold at your local scrap yard, one of many scrap metal services, or a metal recycling facility.

Items such as old steel shelves, metal benches, metal construction materials, brass decorative items or copper piping can be recycled for use in manufacturing. The total weight may be heavy, so you will need your truck, or a friend’s truck, to help you carry them to the facility.

Finding a second use for commonly used items can help to reduce waste in landfills and can also help to improve your household budget. Make use of the marketplaces for these items, and you can eliminate clutter, for a better home appearance and a more organized lifestyle. The 3 ideas will get you started on more sustainable living, as well as allow to you have a bit of extra money in your pocket.

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About the Author:

Lizzie Weakley is a freelance writer from Columbus, Ohio. In her free time, she enjoys the outdoors and walks in the park with her three-year-old husky, Snowball.