The Best Apps For Getting Rid Of Your Stuff

Everyone has stuff. Whether it is Christmas decorations in your attic, the car in your garage, or the sofa in your living room that doesn't match your new paint color, we all have stuff we don't want or need. Instead of keeping it hanging around, why not sell those things with selling apps?

[highlight]The top-selling apps are Facebook Marketplace, LetGo, Gazelle, and Craigslist. There are plenty of options for selling your things and padding your wallet.[/highlight]

Facebook Marketplace

The average American spends fifty minutes of their day on Facebook so why not use a couple of yours to sell your stuff?

Facebook Marketplace is used in over 70 countries by 800 million users. It launched back in 2016. Instead of creating separate Facebook groups to sell their things, users began using this platform to get rid of what is bogging them down. Through Facebook's app and website, you can easily list your goods and contact potential buyers through private messages.

What You Can Sell

Facebook Marketplace is a great place to sell just about anything. From teddy bears to golf carts, you can list it all. When you list an item, Facebook will even tell you what items like yours are selling for in your area. This makes it easy to choose a fair price so you can be well on your way to getting rid of all your extra clutter.

What You Can't Sell

Facebook tries to protect its users as best as they can. This means that they make sure there are some things that you can't sell. These include:

• Subscription services
• Animals
• Event tickets
• Gift cards
• Adult-themed products and services
• Currency (Including cryptocurrency)
• Firearms

Pros of Using Facebook Marketplace

If you already know how to post on Facebook, Facebook Marketplace is an extremely easy platform to use. Easily accessed from inside the Facebook app or website, the market for your stuff is only as small as the distance you, or the buyer, are willing to travel.

Since all Marketplace buyers and sellers profiles are visible, it is easier to put a face to the person whom you will be transacting with. This can keep you safe and tame some of the anxiety that many feel when meeting up with someone new.

Maybe the biggest upside to Facebook Marketplace is the lack of fees associated with buying or selling your stuff.

Cons of Using Facebook Marketplace

Facebook Marketplace is a well-rounded selling platform, but it does have some faults. If you are looking to unload your extra concert tickets, or the gift card that you forgot about, this isn't the marketplace for you.

Craigslist

If you are thinking about where to sell your stuff, Craigslist is probably the first place that comes to mind. Started as an e-mail list of friends in 1995, Craigslist is now one of the top twenty websites visited in the United States. With a user interface that has barely changed since the 90s, Craigslist allows users to post classified ads for almost anything.

What You Can Sell

Craigslist allows you to sell just about anything, even that waffle iron taking up room in your pantry or your old refrigerator.

What You Can't Sell

There isn't much that you can't sell on Craigslist, which is a big plus for many. Some of the things that you can't sell include:

• Weapons and ammunition
• Animals (Rehoming an animal for a small fee is allowed)
• Gambling items (i.e., slot machines)
• Unpackaged cosmetics

Pros of Using Craigslist

There is a reason that Craigslist has been around for so long. It is a simple, well-trafficked website that doesn't charge any fees for a basic ad. With millions of people browsing local Craigslist ads daily, as a seller, your identity and contact information are kept private, which is a plus for many sellers. It is up to you when you would like to let the buyer know who you are and where you would like to meet up.

Cons of Using Craigslist

Craigslist is a hotbed for safety concerns. Many people shy away from the site because you really don't know who you are meeting with until you are face-to-face. While some enjoy this anonymity, platforms like Facebook Marketplace might be better ways for those who like to vet buyers before meeting face-to-face.

Though they try to control the amount of spam, Craigslist is full of ads that are scams. And, after posting an ad, it is common to see an increase in spam e-mails and scammers trying to steal your hard-earned money. Later in the article, I'll offer some tips and tricks to help you stay safe when using platforms like Craigslist.

OfferUp (Formally LetGo)

OfferUp, formally known as LetGo, is a fast-growing application that was founded to "help make second-handing second nature..." Through their app, you can list all of those unwanted things that are collecting dust in your home.

What You Can Sell

OfferUp is another great platform for selling the items that might be dragging you down. With a wide range of categories to place your product in, you can sell just about anything.

If you are afraid your item won't make you any money, try using the in-app camera. OfferUp will let you know how much it is worth based on what similar items sell for in your area. From there, it's as easy as just a few clicks to get that old bike out of your basement for good.

What You Can't Sell

OfferUp follows a pretty standard list of prohibited items, similar to most other selling platforms. Some of the items that you are not allowed to sell are:

• Animals (including coral and fossils)
• Food (including homemade preserves, baby food, etc.)
• Firearms and "other dangerous items"

Pros of Using OfferUp

The OfferUp app was designed to be easy to use and it comes through in big ways. With just the snap of a photo, a listing price, and a title, you can have a listing up in just seconds. They even make it easy to link your Facebook account and share your listing with your friends.

If a buyer is interested in your item, they can easily connect with you through messages. You can chat about your listing and even set up a time and date to meet up. For the inexperienced seller or the busy workaholic, there couldn't be an easier way to sell your unwanted stuff.

Cons of Using OfferUp

Unfortunately, with OfferUp (and most selling apps), you might find yourself struggling to find a market for your stuff if you live in a rural area.

Gazelle

Through their website, Gazelle buys your pre-owned electronics and then sells them at a discount. If you have an old cell phone or tablet that is collecting dust, Gazelle can quickly turn it into cash via check, Amazon gift card, or PayPal.

What You Can Sell

Gazelle lets you sell your unused electronics straight to them without any fuss. While they seem to focus mainly on cell phone brands like those from Apple and Samsung, they also accept other devices. These include tablets, iPods, and Apple TVs.

After receiving an offer from Gazelle, you can ship your items to them for free. As long as your electronics match the description that you gave, you will have your payment in no time. 

What You Can’t Sell

Even though Gazelle accepts many different electronics, they’re not interested in all of them. If you were hoping to unload your old laptop or television, you’d be out of luck. 

Gazelle advises that you search through their items already up for sale for your item. If you see it being sold, they accept it! Don’t see your product in their catalog? It means that they are unable to buy it from you at that time. 

If your item happens to be initially approved but denied after Gazelle receives it, they will contact you and give you a choice of what happens to it. Gazelle will either return your item to you free of charge or recycle it responsibly after receiving your approval. 

Pros of Using Gazelle

Gazelle makes getting rid of your unwanted electronic clutter simple. After submitting information about the item you wish to sell, you will get an offer back in just minutes! This means that you can get rid of your extra clutter quickly and stop your old phone from collecting dust. 

Because everything is done through their website, Gazelle is perfect for people who don’t want to meet potential buyers face to face. 

Cons of Using Gazelle

Due to Gazelle’s business model, you may make a better profit by selling your item through websites like eBay and Craigslist. In order to make money, Gazelle must buy electronics for much less than the retail price, ensuring that they make a profit when they resell them. 

Since Gazelle only purchases certain models and types of electronics, they are mainly for selling newer name-brand phones. If you’re looking to sell off your old iPod or BlackBerry you’ll have to look elsewhere!

Got an old phone sitting around? See how much you can make with Gazelle!

Decluttr

A selling platform for the techies, Decluttr claims to offer the most money for your tech items. This means that you don't have to take pictures or come up with catchy titles for your listings in order to sell your old technology.

What You Can Sell

Decluttr buys your tech items directly from you and then pays you for them. It is that simple. This makes it one of the most convenient places to get rid of your old laptop, phone, or even that mountain of DVDs collecting dust on a shelf.

If you are a parent who is tired of stepping on Legos that your kids no longer play with, Decluttr will buy them for one dollar per pound. Just search for your item on the Decluttr app, answer a few questions about its specs and condition, and add it to your cart.

Decluttr will provide you with a free shipping label, which can then be affixed to any box that will fit all your items. After inspecting your items at their warehouse, Decluttr will pay you for them through a check, PayPal, or direct deposit.

Take a look at Decluttr's FAQ's to answer any questions you may have.

What You Can't Sell

With a focus on tech and tech-related items, you won't be unloading your unwanted office chair on Decluttr anytime soon. To see if your item is eligible to sell through Decluttr, try using their barcode scanning feature. If the barcode is not recognized, you won't be able to sell your item to Decluttr.

Pros of Using Decluttr

Let's face it, some of us just don't have time to worry about finding a buyer for our old technology. Sometimes, letting someone else do the leg work for you can save you a major headache. Decluttr makes it easy to not only find your unwanted tech items in their system but also provides you with a free shipping label to send it to them.

With a minimum order value of $5, it is easy to unload even your small items, like CDs and DVDs. Their prices are extremely competitive, too. For instance, when comparing this laptop between Decluttr and one of their competitors, SellBroke, Decluttr wins.

Decluttr's quote:

SellBroke's quote:

Cons of Using Decluttr

Decluttr is very clear about only taking items that are in their system. If your item gets rejected by their team, don't expect to get it back. Decluttr does not allow you to reclaim unaccepted goods but instead recycles them.

If you aren't strapped for time and have the motivation to find local buyers, you can almost definitely find someone willing to pay more. When searching through the above-mentioned Craigslist, a similar laptop to the one above is typically listed in the $700 to $800 range.

thredUP

If it is time to clean out your closet, thredUp wants to help you. Claiming to be the "largest online consignment and thrift store," thredUP will buy your unwanted clothes and sell them back to consumers through their website.

Sending clothes into thredUP is as easy as ordering one of their cleanout kits, filling the provided bag with your unwanted clothing, and sending it back for review. thredUP will look over your items, list them for sale, and then offer you a payout. This payout will be lower than what you can make if you choose to go with thredUP's consignment option, but it's great for those hoping for a quick return.

What You Can Sell

thredUP accepts both women's and kids' clothing, accessories, handbags, and shoes. Higher priced, gently worn (or new), items tend to generate the most revenue, but lower-valued items are accepted.

To find out if your items are eligible to be sold, search through their 35,000 accepted brands. Unfortunately, thredUP does not currently accept men's clothing, limiting who can use their service.

Below are some average earnings for women's items.

Pros of Using thredUP

thredUP makes it easy to clean out your closet, providing you with everything that you need to get started. With an easy-to-use app, it is easy to manage your consignments and update their price.

One of the best reasons to support thredUP is their recognition of the fashion industry as the second most polluting industry and their dedication to fighting that. thredUP has already redistributed sixty-five million garments to date.

Cons of Using thredUP

At the end of the day, unless you are looking to part with a closet full of luxury brands, thredUP is not going to make a big impact on your wallet. Unless you take the payout option, instead of consignment, waiting to collect enough money for a payday just might not be worth it.

Order your free clean-out kit and get started with thredUP today!

How Our Top 5 Stack Up

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How to Stay Safe When Buying Or Selling Online

• Meet potential buyers in a public place with lots of local traffic or even a police station.
• Trust your gut; if the situation doesn't feel right, don't go.
• Bring a friend.
• Provide only relevant information about yourself, and avoid giving out personal information.
• Don't ship your item to an unverified buyer, unless their payment has already cleared into your account.

Final Thoughts

From cars to drills to clothing, there is a platform out there for you to sell just about anything that you can think of. If all your stuff is bogging you down, why not sell it and put that money to better use? With selling platforms both online and through the app store, you can quickly be on your way to filling up your wallet.

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