8 Surprising Household Items You Can Sell for Fast Cash

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As an established collector and reseller, I’m repeatedly searching for “sleeper pieces” — commonplace family items that convey unusual costs within the resale marketplace.
While different pickers are busy looking for that one giant ranking, I love to concentrate on the common-or-garden items that experience a quiet however fanatical fan base.
Take a go searching your home. Is each and every drawer changing into a junk drawer? Does your visitor room appear to be a exposure shot for “Storage Wars”? Why now not declutter and make a couple of further greenbacks within the procedure?
Though eBay is my non-public go-to website for on-line promoting, Etsy works simply as smartly. It’s now not solely for hand made items anymore. For better items that might be tricky to send, imagine Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist.
Following are some unexpected home goods you’ll be able to promote for quick money.
1. Lamp finials
Finials are the often-ignored threaded items that safe the lampshade to the lamp harp.
Plain steel caps are a dime a dozen, however ornamental finials in brass, glass, crystal and porcelain are constantly scorching dealers in my on-line resale industry. In truth, I usally acquire outdated lamps for a greenback or two only for the finials.
If you might have a couple of decommissioned lamps saved for your basement or storage, check out the {hardware}.
Antique finials generally fetch upper costs. Milk glass finials from the Nineteen Thirties can opt for $30 to $50 every. But there’s call for for modern designs, too. In 2019, I bought a couple of recent brass pineapple finials on eBay for $32.
2. Swing-A-Way can openers
Swing-A-Way has produced the vintage handbook can opener for many years. Though the manner hasn’t modified a lot, production has moved in another country.
Older fashions from the Nineteen Sixties and Nineteen Seventies characteristic all-steel building, have rubber-coated handles in more than a few colours, and are obviously marked “Made in USA.”
Buyers love older Swing-A-Ways as a result of they’re constructed like tanks and can closing a life-time. If you wish to have to transparent a little of kitchen litter, don’t omit this icon of sensible, efficient design.
Rubber-coated handles in shiny colours like crimson, blue and inexperienced promote best possible. I’ve noticed a antique Swing-A-Way with royal-blue rubber handles convey $24.99 on eBay.
3. Ice cream spades
An ice cream spade is very similar to an ice cream scooper, however flatter — image a scooper-spatula hybrid.
The best possible spades had been produced via an organization known as Vernco and crafted of heavy-gauge stainless-steel with rosewood or walnut handles.
Again, the straightforward design and wonderful craftsmanship of those utensils proceed to attract patrons who’re keen to pay $15 to $20 for a spade in nice situation. With costs as candy as that, who wishes ice cream?
4. Vintage field cutters
There’s a collector marketplace for the entirety — even antique field cutters. And as with maximum different collectibles, emblem, style and rarity are the entirety.
Check your workshop or storage for application knives made in america via Stanley Tools. Models 199 and 299 are specifically widespread.
I’ve noticed a style 299 with further blades promote on eBay for $35.99. Who knew such humble pieces may just convey such good-looking costs?
5. Glass thermometers
The glass oral thermometers that older generations depended on have in large part been changed with virtual variations. But there’s nonetheless a robust — dare I say “feverish” — marketplace for out of date mercury-in-glass fashions.
With their easy, battery-free operation, all manufacturers promote smartly. But take a look at your medication cupboard for thermometers made via 3 of the most well liked manufacturers:
- BD (Becton, Dickinson and Co.)
- Pymm
- Faichney
I’ve noticed a unmarried antique BD thermometer with protecting case convey $29.99 on eBay.
6. Antique canning jars
A couple of generations in the past, canning greens, culmination and meat was once a part of day-to-day lifestyles. Glass canning jars made via Kerr, Ball, Mason and Putnam had been sensible pieces that helped households safely keep meals.
Today, those family staples are in top call for for his or her rarity and easy attractiveness.
Buyers favor jars that retain their unique zinc or glass lids and can pay a top rate for unusual colours, corresponding to lime inexperienced, amber, crimson and blue.
I’ve noticed a blue No. 4 half-pint Ball jar promote on eBay for $134.99, and a style No. 333 amber jar made via Putnam fetch $160. The lesson? Sometimes, it’s the most simple pieces which are price essentially the most.
7. Vintage Polaroid cameras and picture
Almost everybody has a field full of out of date generation. And when you’re sufficiently old, yours would possibly come with a Polaroid digicam or two.
Though maximum fashions resell for a meager $5 to $10, there are a couple of exceptions:
- The Polaroid SX-70 is wildly collectible and will convey $100 to $300 — or extra, in case you have the unique leather-based trip case.
- The Polaroid SLR 680 — which options sonar vary discovering and an auto-focus lens — generally resells for $250 to $300.
Have a couple of unused 668 and 669 movie packs? Don’t toss ’em! A unmarried pack of colour movie can opt for $20 to $30 on eBay.
8. Kirby vacuums
I all the time comic story that there’s extra steel in a Kirby vacuum than maximum new vehicles. But that sturdy building is a part of the rationale The Kirby Co. has been round for greater than 100 years.
Compared with different widespread vacuums, Kirby fashions are somewhat unwieldy, and their more than one attachments will also be daunting. Still, antique fashions grasp their price. The Kirby G3, G4 and G5 — produced within the Nineties — can convey $150 to $250 on-line.
If you might have an outdated Kirby tucked away within the corridor closet, it could be time to pull it out and money in.
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