For myriad reasons, moving, downsizing, or embracing The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, there comes a time when you need to get rid of some of your stuff. Apps are the new garage sale, and the best apps for selling your stuff can make the process both painless, and lucrative. I have moved to four different states and gotten rid of almost everything I own each time. Unfortunately this was before the days of super savvy apps that could have made my material purging much easier.
While garage, or yard, sales might work in the suburbs, they are a huge undertaking, and if you live in a big city they may not be an option at all. If you're looking to shed some of your possessions to make some extra cash, or clear some space in your life, there are a bevy of new apps that can make finding a new home for things you no longer want or need as easy as uploading a photo and description, and waiting for the offers to roll in.
And, if you're making a cross-country move, letting go of everything and getting new stuff when you're settled in your new locale is often more cost effective (and much less stressful) than driving a moving truck or hiring a moving company. And, you can even get all your new stuff on the same apps you used to sell your old stuff. If you're ready to sell, these nine apps can help you sell your stuff.
1Poshmark
Remember that scene in Sex and the City where Carrie and Aidan are fighting because her closet is so jam packed that there's no room for his stuff? If Poshmark had been around in the '90s perhaps Carrie would have had more cash to buy shoes, and more room in her closet for Aidan's things.
If you have a wardrobe that rivals Carrie Bradshaw's, but most of those items never come out of the closet, Poshmark is an app that can help you sell your clothes. You can upload your item in under a minute, and with millions of shoppers looking to buy, you might sell it just as fast. Poshmark takes a small commission for listing your items, but it's totally worth it to not have to haul your stuff to the thrift store.
2OfferUp
This app was founded by two young dads who needed to get rid of some stuff to make room for their expanding families. OfferUp let's you buy and sell your stuff locally in your own city. You can sell almost anything on OfferUp, so it's kind of like a virtual yard sale except you don't have lug all of your stuff onto the front lawn. The app even offers best practices for selling your stuff, and tips for engaging with buyers, so you can sell your stuff like a pro.
3Letgo
OK, I think I need this pink couch. Letgo let's you sell most anything locally on the app, similarly to OfferUp. Categories include fashion and accessories, home and garden, baby and child, sports and leisure, movies, books and games, and even cars.
4Mercari
Mercari is buying and selling app that originated in Japan, and is now available in the U.S. and U.K. The great thing about this app is that it lets you buy and sell outside of your local area so you reach a wider audience. Additionally, Mercari protects buyers by holding the payment to the seller until the buyer receives and rates the item. Basically, it's a safe and easy mobile marketplace for buying and selling clothing, electronics, household goods, specialty items, and more.
5CPlus For Craigslist
Craigslist is tried and true, and now the CPlus app lets you buy and sell on Craigslist right from your phone. While this is a third-party app, it acts as a gateway to Craigslist for mobile users. With the app you can manage multiple Craigslist accounts, search multiple cities, save searches and favorites, and more.
6Gone
Gone is basically your own personal digital sales associate. This app does most of the work for you, including posting, selling, and shipping your products — while making you a great offer, and picking up your stuff at your own home. If you don't have a lot of time, and aren't attached to how much your items sell for, Gone is the best app for selling your stuff because you hardly have to do anything at all.
75Miles
5Miles is another local buying and selling app, but it combines its marketplace with local services like housing and jobs, sort of like a super-secure version of Craigslist. 5Miles touts itself as a distinctive approach to mobile commerce. Tight safety measures ensure that users (buyers and sellers alike) always deal with real people, while their “Awesome Experience” team works around-the clock to ensure that all questions,comments, and concerns are addressed.
8VarageSale
VarageSale is a virtual garage sale for local buyers and sellers. This app was founded by a pregnant woman on bedrest who was frustrated by the clunkiness of other online buying and selling experiences. She asked her husband, who is a programmer, to help her build something better and VarageSale was born.
9Tradsey
Tradesy was founded by a woman who was looking to simply her life by getting rid of stuff she didn't need while connecting to women who actually wanted it. On Tradesy you can sell designer goods, and buy the ones you covet for up to 90 percent off. You can also sell your wedding dress here if you want to.
Tradesy's vision is that in the future every product will have at least five owners. "When it’s as easy to sell as it is to buy, the massive abundance and value hidden in our closets will be revealed, and our very concept of ownership will be transformed," the Tradesy website noted. "Our belongings will evolve as dynamically as we do when every product has five lives instead of one."
