WE are a nation of hoarders, with our lofts and spare spaces packed to the rafters, isn’t it time for us all to declutter and turn what we think is our rubbish into cash.
With around £3,000 worth of unwanted items per household, it’s time to look at all those hidden treasures, dust them off, put them in the car and make a small fortune in the local car boot.
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Here to guide you through all the money-makers potentially hiding in your loft is expert Dan Hatfield, who has also appeared on This Morning with his advice.
Planning a full attic cleanout this weekend? Check out which items can make you some money – and how to know if they’re legit…
Clothes
Of all the things in your home that can make you instant cash, clothes are the most affordable, the easiest to sort through, and often the least overlooked.
It’s estimated that Brits have around £30 billion worth of unwanted clothes lying around, which equates to around £500 each.
It’s sad that 350 thousand tons of clothes, which could be resold, end up in landfills every year.
An especially hot market for clothes in the trunk of a car is children’s clothing.
Any parent can attest to how many clothes children wear as they grow. For them, car boots can be a godsend.
Computer and video game consoles.
The average home has around £800 worth of unwanted and unused technology gathering dust.
This technology could be making a lot of money in the trunk of your car.
Generally, any generic computer console and mass-produced game can make you some easy money, but there are also some rare and limited edition ones that are better sold through other platforms, so remember to search, search, search! Consoles and games from 1990 are huge hits.
Collectors will dig through the cars’ boots and pay decent money for them.
It’s a common misconception that only very cheap things are sold out of car trunks.
There will be people looking for items like this and paying the right money, the trick is to research and understand the value of your items so you don’t undersell.
So be sure to check the price of the exact model you have and the accessories.
Check if your attic has:
- Super Nintendo – go from £50 to £200
- Sega Mega Drives – go from £40 to £150
- Sony PlayStation – go from £50 to £300
Jewelry
It is estimated that the average household has more than £2,000 worth of jewellery.
In the trunk of your car you can attract gamblers with shiny things on your table.
Most of us are caught in the heart. The shine of a silver ring on a sunny Sunday morning can draw crowds.
Not only will this result in potential sales of your silver and costume jewelry, but it will also entice punters to browse your other sale items.
A warning though: do not try to sell gold jewelry. You will never reach your potential price in the trunk of your car.
Instead, sell these pieces later to a reputable jeweler or pawnbroker.
Before selling silver, check its authenticity as there are many pieces out there that look like silver but are not.
You can do this by looking for a trademark (you can easily find it online) or by rubbing a magnet over your piece.
If it sticks, it may not be silver. Lastly, price your items with a pawnshop to see what they would offer, they will have to verify their authenticity and you will get a price guide to see why you could sell them with them.
Anything you do beyond that is a bonus!
”In terms of pricing, I would mark up silver at around £1.50 to £2 per gram, but make sure your items are not from a collectible designer as this could increase their value and you should add more to these pieces. accordingly.”
Jewelry also works great in the trunk of your car.
It’s best to scour the internet to find similar parts to get a price.
Kids toys
According to recent research, it costs between £150,000 and £200,000 to raise a child in the UK.
So it’s easy to imagine how many kids’ things we’ve accumulated over the years, probably sitting in the attic, just waiting to be converted into cash.
It has also been shown that children have at least four toys they have never played with, and if that wasn’t enough, one in three parents admit to throwing away work toys that could have been sold.
It is believed that 162 million functional toys end up in landfill every year – every one of them could have been sold.
Things that sell well:
- Children’s bikes – can vary drastically from £10 to £200 depending on the brand.
- Board games – although we hoard a lot for just a few pounds each – 20 can bring in £40 to £50.
- Collectible Figures – You could make decent money on these, but just make sure you understand the value as collectors will be on the prowl.
Hobby Items
95% of Brits say they have a hobby, and hobby items can sell very well in car boots. These include (but are in no way limited to):
We spend £20 billion a year on tools and research suggests that at least £2 billion goes unused.
These can often be impulse purchases in the trunk of your car, and I think you can get a great price for them.
Remember, if they are electrical, explain that the items are purchased as seen. The price ranges from £2 to £100.
Dan’s favorite car boot spots:
- London, Battersea – known as the original car boot in London
- Midlands – Eboot in Sutton Coldfield. This is a Friday car boot. Excellent atmosphere.
- Northeast – Strawberry Fields – one of my favorites.
- North West – Corbridge – a tried and tested safe choice.
- East – Bizzy Boot in Peterborough – long established and well run.
- South West – Bristol Sunday Market and car boot – attract big crowds
- Wales – Sully Sports, Penarth – crowds flock to get a bargain and the views are fabulous!
- Scotland – Errol Sunday Market near Perth – open 50 weeks a year and a family favorite
- Northern Ireland – Sports and Recreation Club Car Shorts, Belfast – Great atmosphere and a fabulous, versatile environment.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
