Tips for Getting the Most Money Selling Secondhand

In the last month or so, we had a garage sale and sold several bigger pieces of furniture as well, and we’ve made a total of around $1200 from everything. Of course, a lot of that was from our big dresser. (Which I talked about selling here.)

But, I got a lot of shocked comments from friends and family about the luck we’ve had with selling things so I wanted to share a few guidelines for how I get the most money and sell things fast.

I even included a cute (if I say so myself!) printable/pinnable at the end so you’ll have all the tips together the next time you’re ready to list some items and make some money!

Now, of course, there are some things that just are not going to sell very well. I’ve found light fixtures don’t do that well, in general. And I’ve tried to sell a few smaller, older electronics that honestly just aren’t worth much and so, don’t sell very well. But in general, if you’re selling furniture or appliances or decor, I think these tips will help a lot!

The main thing is to consider that MORE IS MORE. This goes for your photos, and your descriptions! You don’t have to have an amazing camera, but you do need to put a little bit of thought into your photos and listing.

Here’s an example of one of my recent listings that sold for my full price within 30 hours.

And here’s an example of one that was sitting of over a week and hasn’t sold even though it’s similar in size and priced for a lot less money than ours was.

You can see that my description is WAY longer.

And Wyatt makes fun of me for that, but in my experience, it works.

Maybe it works because people feel like they know more about the item, but also likely because they feel like they can know something about me, and thus, the way we used and enjoyed the item before passing it on. Of course, I’m a writer, so being able to wax poetically about anything is sort of in my skill set…but in case it doesn’t come naturally to you, here are my top 10 tips for things to include in the listing of your item in you want to sell it fast and for the most money.

Top 10 Listing Description Tips

1.What style is the item? Ex. modern, traditional, mid-century, farmhouse, etc. People look for these keywords and it can help your item pop up in more searches. And, it helps if they are looking to decorate using a specific style and are trying to make sure any new items fit into that.

2. Did you love it? Hint…YES! At one time, you did really like this item enough to bring it into your home, so tap into how you felt back then if possible. Be enthusiastic about features. This is where to brag about everything you can. Is the item solid wood? Does it have dovetail joints? Felt lining in the drawers? What kind of finish does it have? Does the couch have washable cushions, etc.

3. How long have you had it? Try to keep this positive, but always be honest. If you’ve had the couch for 10 years and you can’t stand to live with it for another day, be honest with something like, “We’ve had this in our living room for a many years and it’s time for an upgrade, but this would work really well in a basement man cave or for a teen hangout space!”

4. What brand is it? Where did you buy it? This helps paint the picture of the quality of the item, and it shows that you are a careful consumer if you remember those details. It builds trust in yourself and the item. And, it allows them to look up comparisons or reviews if it’s a large purchase they want to research more.

5. What did it cost new? Include a screenshot or a link with the retail price if possible to show them the value they are getting. If you can’t find the exact item, choose something as similar as possible.

6. How/where did you use it? Tell them your table was in the kitchen and could seat 10 people comfortably for dinner parties and that you loved sitting around the table for hours and talking. Show them how you loved and used the item.

7. How might the buyer use it? Maybe they could use your old kitchen cabinets as garage storage. Maybe they could use your old couch in a playroom. Or maybe a rolling cart could be a drink station or coffee bar. Who could they gift it to? Paint the picture for them!

8. Why are you selling the item? Try to keep this positive, but be honest. Instead of saying “we don’t like the style,” say, “we are doing some redecorating and this won’t fit in our new arrangement.” See the difference?

9. What’s the condition? Again, be honest! But focus on the positives as much as possible, and if there are condition issues (dents, scratches, dirt or stains, etc.) offer ideas for easy ways to fix any issues. For example, we sold a golf mat recently and I explained that it was dirty from being outside, but that a power wash would be able to remove the debris from the “grass” carpet fibers. Solid wood can be sanded down or refinished, etc.

10. What are the dimensions? Save yourself some trouble and include all the measurements you can think of in your post because people will message and ask! Or…they won’t message and ask (–or message to buy!) because they’ll assume it’s the wrong size or think that’s too much trouble.

And here are my top 10 tips for photos:

1. Have good lighting! Open a window or carry items outside. Try not to use the flash if at all possible. And be aware of super bright glares from the direct sunlight that can make an item look washed out.

2. Clean! It’s a simple step but dust and cobwebs say neglect. If they show up in your photos, they need to be removed!

3. Stage the item simply. Don’t clutter it up, but make it look used/loved in your home. If you have a ton of decor items on top, remove them. Same with blankets and throw pillows on a couch or bed. One or two items make an item look cared for and loved. Too many and it hides the item you’re trying to sell. Do NOT use photos of the item buried in the garage with so much junk around it that they can barely see the item!

4. Include photos of the inside/back/bottom, etc. Yes, that means it’s best to grab a dust rag or the vacuum and get rid of the cobwebs from the bottom of that couch that sat in your basement for 5 years. Let people see that you aren’t hiding a bunch of filth under there!

5. Show any damage up close. Take photos so people can see exactly what they are dealing with. This builds trust and reduces the people who will come look at an item and then decide to pass on it. I’m on board with less wasting of my time, aren’t you?

6. Show the best details! Like dovetail corners, felt lining in drawers, trim, solid wood surface, super thick foam padding… whatever your item has to flaunt, flaunt!

7. Add a retail photo if you can. This is just like adding the retail or comp price to your description. Let people SEE the value they are getting when they buy secondhand. Plus, these retail photos are often well-lit professional quality so they can make up for any lack of skills or lighting you have when taking your photos. Just don’t ONLY include retail photos. People want to see what the actual item they are getting looks like.

8. Remember, more is more! Always aim for 4+ photos. Don’t forget the details, the back, the inside, the retail listing–all those things suggested above. It’s easy to get 6-8 photos usually!

9. Include a full room photo to show scale. It’s much easier for people to imagine the item in their space if they can see it in a full room. A lot of photos cut off the background and only show the item with nothing for scale.

10. Check the background or reflection in any mirrors or windows! You aren’t showing a ton of clutter or a distracting unmade bed or an overflowing trash can or any private items like you standing in your undies while you take the picture, right?! You’d be surprised what you see if you search “mirror” on Facebook marketplace. go do it right now, I promise there will be some interesting ones. Like this one that accidentally reveals this guy is…a superhero? Maybe? Not sure what’s going on here.

I guess we can’t see his face so the secret’s still safe, right?

Anyway, I also know that you’re thinking you don’t want to spend hours on this listing, and I promise you, it doesn’t take that long to add a sentence or two about each of those 10 suggestions above. And it takes just a little bit of time to add a few extra photos, too. Just try it!

Here’s the printable with both lists for you if you’d like to save it to Pinterest, or print for your reference at home!