I got all of today's haul sorted and processed, did my online research and am super pleased at how well I did. There is potential for serious profit here! Gotta love when that happens!
I've been asked a few times what I am specifically looking for and how do I do when I've found it. For beginners, here are a few ideas of what to search for and why:
Shipping Material:
I don't buy anything other than packing tape anymore. Envelopes and bubble wrap can regularly be found in the recycling bins.
Assorted Holiday Decor: I will never have to buy decorations again! And if you know me at all, you'll know that I love decorating for EVERY holiday!!!
Brand New in Package: I am always on the lookout for brand new items that are in original packaging. I also count on the opinions of others. My brother was over while I was sorting today. He saw this stainless steel bottle and was amazed, saying that these kinds of bottles were worth like $30. I looked on ebay and was pleased to find values of $25-$28!
You'll find many other things unopened! Sometimes you can even find the store they were sold in and return them for in-store credit or gift cards.
It is also much easier to sell brand new items online than used items. If it's still in the package, grab it!!
Books!!!! Oh books! I just love them! Especially text books. Yes, sometimes they will be worthless old books. Donate them. Save them from the landfill. Other times, you may find current books and the value is unbelievable!
Other books: I don't need to buy reading and activity books for my kids anymore. I get so many from recycling bins. They will be busy reading for a very long time! I also sell a lot of the ones I find. You never know when you'll find a collectible book! So grab them! At worst, you'll end up donating it or keeping it for your own enjoyment. At best, you'll find a treasure!
This "One Kitten for Kim" book is actually a nice little collectible. :)
Office Supplies: I have so many sharpie and dry erase markers! I've sold bunches of them online! It is crazy how many they throw out that are still perfectly good!
Notepads and notebooks, tape, push pins, paper clips and more! Why pay for them if you can get them free?? And why let such useful items go into the landfills???
Can it be sold?? Really, anything that can be reused or sold is worth grabbing! These are border decorations. A lot of them are still in original packaging. There are always going to be more teachers that need these supplies.
Craft Supplies: I have kids and we use a lot of the supplies that I find. I suggest putting together a box and filling it with the random supplies you find. It makes for a great rainy day sanity saver!
Electronics: Electronics are nearly always a safe bet. Even insignificant things are likely to earn you a little cash. I've found headphones galore, dvd players, discmans, calculators, adding machines, computer keyboards, cell phones, power cords and more. All great resell items!!!
Binders. If you hit the school bins in the summer, you will find SO MANY BINDERS!!! I have gazillions of binders! I sell them 4/$1 at my yard sales. Then, when summer is over, I donate the rest, knowing I will find oodles more the next summer!
More books. This pile alone that I found today has an online retail value of over $200!!! Just need to get them listed! *note: These types of items don't always sell the first time around. Be patient and persistent! Different people are looking all the time! Hang in there and it WILL pay off!!! I suggest ebay, amazon, and local news classified sites. Be sure to do your research before you list it. You want to price it right!
Here are just a couple other random things I found today. Things still packaged and such. Random can be good. Yard sales are made up of random! The bits and pieces add up! And honestly, you just never know what will sell.
I found a bunch of keys before and took them off their key rings, putting them all together in a bag. They sold right away at my last yard sale. It was just a hunch I had and it worked! Follow those hunches! People buy the craziest things!
If you do decide to start hunting, be enthusiastic (it will push you through the smelly times), and be PATIENT!! Not every run will pay off. Then again, the first bin might yield all kinds of treasure. It's a numbers game, fueled by persistence!
I also highly recommend being organized from the very beginning! You aren't going to make money if you don't even know what you have or what it's worth or where it even is! I've had to learn as I've gone along, developing new systems. I can hardly wait for my new shed to be done! I have it all planned out how I will set it up! Efficiency is key!
**When in doubt about an item, grab it!!**
I've been asked a few times what I am specifically looking for and how do I do when I've found it. For beginners, here are a few ideas of what to search for and why:
I don't buy anything other than packing tape anymore. Envelopes and bubble wrap can regularly be found in the recycling bins.
You'll find many other things unopened! Sometimes you can even find the store they were sold in and return them for in-store credit or gift cards.
It is also much easier to sell brand new items online than used items. If it's still in the package, grab it!!
Other books: I don't need to buy reading and activity books for my kids anymore. I get so many from recycling bins. They will be busy reading for a very long time! I also sell a lot of the ones I find. You never know when you'll find a collectible book! So grab them! At worst, you'll end up donating it or keeping it for your own enjoyment. At best, you'll find a treasure!
Notepads and notebooks, tape, push pins, paper clips and more! Why pay for them if you can get them free?? And why let such useful items go into the landfills???
I found a bunch of keys before and took them off their key rings, putting them all together in a bag. They sold right away at my last yard sale. It was just a hunch I had and it worked! Follow those hunches! People buy the craziest things!
If you do decide to start hunting, be enthusiastic (it will push you through the smelly times), and be PATIENT!! Not every run will pay off. Then again, the first bin might yield all kinds of treasure. It's a numbers game, fueled by persistence!
I also highly recommend being organized from the very beginning! You aren't going to make money if you don't even know what you have or what it's worth or where it even is! I've had to learn as I've gone along, developing new systems. I can hardly wait for my new shed to be done! I have it all planned out how I will set it up! Efficiency is key!
**When in doubt about an item, grab it!!**
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