Are You Secretly Rich?

Chances are, you have some items that you don’t use sitting in a closet or the attic. Did you know that these items can make you money? From jewelry to silver to computers containing precious metals, you might be sitting on a gold mine. Here are some tips for turning your clutter into cold, hard cash.

Hand-Me-down Jewelry

How many people have the same sense of style as their grandmother — or grandfather? Chances are, your preferences are a little more updated. So while you’ll want to keep some of that jewelry to pass down to your own children who will pass it down to their children, you may be sitting on a small fortune if you’ve inherited your great grandmother’s old jewelry box.

Before you consider selling those precious metals or pawning vintage jewels, pick out anything that you’ll still want to pass down or keep for yourself. While there are multiple places to sell jewelry in Boca Raton, you’ll want to shop around to find the best price. Get an estimate of the value of vintage jewelry before you sell it.

Broken Jewelry and Watches

If your favorite necklace or watch has lain in a drawer because it’s broken, it might be time to let it go. It will only cost you money to fix those items, and your tastes may have changed or you may have replaced them since they broke. Even broken jewelry can be valuable, however. Diamonds and precious gems are still valuable even with a broken clasp or setting. You can use the money you make by selling back your broken goods to purchase something that you can enjoy right now.

Clothing

There are plenty of reasons why your closet may contain clothing that you just don’t wear anymore. Perhaps you’ve gain or lost weight, changed styles, moved to a different environment or simply have no room for your wedding dress, which you know you’ll never wear again. Not only can you sell these items on eBay, Craigslist and to resale shops, but you’ll be creating more space in your closet to add new clothes that you do love.

Automobiles

Now, you might not have a classic car sitting around, but even your old beater might be work some cash. Auto scrap yards will accept old vehicles, engines and transmissions for cash while you can head to Craigslist to make a couple hundred or thousands dollars on old vehicles and machines that are still operational. You might even be surprised at collectors and motor heads who will buy parts from old vehicles for their current projects. Plus, your yard will look a lot better when you clear out the clutter. Your family may finally appreciate being able to park in the garage, too.

Antiques and Vintage Furniture

Many people who move to Boca Raton sell their belongings before settling down to retirement. However, this isn’t always the case. As you move and downsize, your furniture may wind up in the attic, a spare bedroom or even a storage unit that you have to pay for every month. Rather than paying for extra space, you can sell furniture if it has value. This is especially true of antiques that may have been handed down to you from your parents or grandparents. Auction houses, antique resellers and private collectors may pay top dollar for pieces that are literally just sitting around collecting dust.

Furniture isn’t the only antique that is valuable to others. Dish ware and silverware are worth a good sum if they’re made of actual silver or gold alloys. Glass and crystal pieces, including decor and vases, may also warrant appraisal. Artisan pieces can also be a source of earnings. Vintage art can also make you a pretty penny. Finding someone who is experienced at selling and pricing the specific goods you have to sell is necessary to get top dollar.

Computers, Electronics and Appliances

You can’t just throw away your electrical devices when they stop working or you get new ones. This is why so many people wind up storing items that no longer work. While broken items go out on the curb for spring cleaning, you can make money off of devices that still work. Sell-back programs for smartphones, tablets and laptops are especially profitable. Pawn shops now except electronics and video game consoles in working condition, too, so you can pad your pocket a little bit more.

You normally don’t think of gold when it comes to computers, but processors often contain precious metals and third-party buyback programs typically break down old devices in their components. This is good news for you if you have an older device sitting around and collecting dust. Selling is as easy as filling out a form to request a shipping package that you can use to send your old stuff in for cash.

Media

Video games, DVDs and Blu-Rays take up a lot of space if you don’t actively enjoy them. Why not sell them, instead? You’ll find a wide variety of outlets for selling these items. Consider your local pawn or media resale shops. eBay, Craigslist and garage sales are hot spots to sell these items, especially if you’ve inherited someone else’s collection or have just upgraded to a system that doesn’t play your old media and games.

Textbooks

Here’s some good news if you happen to have some recent textbooks laying around from classes that you or your child have taken in college, you might be sitting on a gold mine. Those books are still useful, and you don’t have to donate them, either. Sites such as Half.com and Chegg will accept your gently-used books for some spare pocket change. You can also rent books from Chegg with the money credited to your account, which is useful if you’re a continuing student.

Miscellaneous

When you know you’ve got something in your house or garage that’s worth money but can’t find a company to take it, consider selling to someone else. The age of the Internet means that you don’t have to wait until the weather is good to pass off your old goods to someone else. Thanks to Facebook groups and Craigslist, you can turn your old TV, silverware or ottoman into actual cash. Simply log on to your local area’s Craigslist page or search for swapping and selling groups for your city on Facebook to get started.

Of course, this isn’t a comprehensive list of everything that you can possibly own that may be worth cash to other people and companies. Unused sports equipment, for example, can be traded in to equipment stores. Consider Craigslist the modern-day equivalent of classified ads in your local newspaper. You’ll find new parents willing to buy gently-used baby clothes, collectors who will pay top dollar for your old Pokemon collection or small knickknacks.

It might take a while to find someone who is willing to pay the price that you want for your items. Hold out if you know they’re worth more, especially if you have certification or an appraisal for an item. To get the best price, browse other stores and the Internet so you know what something is worth.