Under the Gumtree

Cash in on your Spring clean with the Gumtree Price Index

Spring is well and truly here, and for lots of us that means that it’s time to throw open the windows, let in the fresh air, and get cleaning!

But what to do with all those unwanted items? Use your local Gumtree.com notice board to advertise and cash in on your spring clean.

Statistically each of us hoards a staggering £581 of unwanted items, so canny clearers can make a profit from their clutter by selling unwanted items locally.

From sofas to stacks of old newspapers, Gumtree makes it easy to find new homes for the bits and pieces you don’t need any more, and by recycling rather than sending to the skip you’re helping the environment too!

The most popular items to go from this year’s household cull are sofas, followed by men’s clothes, DVDs, books and chairs.

Decluttering expert Jamie Breese says: “There is money to be made and space to be saved by selling unwanted everyday items. Ultimately, what you might not want or use anymore, someone else could put to good use. There are so many misconceptions out there about the value of general goods. Many people think that old kettles, sporting equipment and DVDs are worthless – but it couldn’t be further from the truth.”

Selling your unwanted items on Gumtree is quick and easy and now is the perfect time to kick-start your spring clean, free up space in your home and more importantly, make some extra cash. Gumtree.com is about local face-to-face trading so it is very simple to off-load your unwanted possessions to someone up your very own street. You never know, your cast off’s could be just what your neighbours are looking for.

To give you an idea of where to start we have developed the GTP – Gumtree Price Index – which shows the amount you could be making for the most commonly hoarded items in the UK.

Jamie also shares his top tips on how to convert clutter to cash;

1.    Don’t feel guilty about letting go of items you have a personal attachment to – it’s amazing how good you feel when you get extra cash for that ‘unwanted present’.  If in doubt think of a price that feels right and add 10 per cent

2.    Sell items with the instructions manual if you still have them to get extra value – this is especially for technology items or gadgets and kitchen appliances

3.    Group lower-value items and sell as a job lot – items like a toaster, kettle and sandwich maker work well together and help appeal to those looking to update their kitchen

4.    Look for first editions or rare albums – books and music are some of the most hoarded items in the UK, if an album has a dustjacket or is a first edition then it could be worth a lot of money

5.    Present the product well – to get the most from your Gumtree gem give the item a good clean or polish and present it well in your photos, this will help catch the eye of potential buyers

6.    Consider how old the item is – with everyday household items, the newer the better.  To help determine your Gumtree price ask yourself – is this a trusted brand?  Has this games console been superseded?  Do I have the washing machine’s service notes?  How much was this new?

7.    Look on Gumtree.com – see how much other sellers have listed their items for, undercut them if you can to help secure a fast sale

Are you planning to have a clear out? Let us know what items you plan to sell, and how much of a profit you make from your spring clean!