As we head into the new year, one thing that comes to many of our minds is letting things go and starting fresh. New beginnings might involve relationships, jobs, or for many of us, removing the junk we've acquired over the year (maybe even years!). If you're looking to clear out your garage or make room for that book shelf you've always wanted, here are 15 of the best ways to declutter your life and make you some extra cash along the way!

1. Amazon

If you ever need to find something (from the incredibly obscure to the strictly mundane) Amazon is probably the first place you're going to look. Whether you're buying or selling, they'll take just about anything, even books for college students (which saves a ton of money on textbooks).

AmazonSmileIf you're selling, Amazon will ship your item to the buyer; you just need to send your it to their warehouse first. They even take care of two-day shipping! There are some products that Amazon will buy directly from you – like textbooks.

On a side note, when you do shop through Amazon, consider using, AmazonSmile. It's the exact same site and products, but when you start your shopping through this page Amazon donates .5% of the purchase price to a charitable organization of your choice.  

2. BookScouter

Have a personal library at home that's overflowing? This is where you can unload any books that are gathering dust. When you go to BookScouter, enter in the ISBN of the book you're looking to sell and gain access to a huge database. The database will help find the business who will give you top dollar. You need to send the books yourself, but you'll be given a prepaid shipping label- easy, right?

bookscouter

3. Gift Card Granny

Have any unwanted gift cards laying around? Maybe you've got a big stack piling up from last Christmas and three birthdays ago, but there's no way you're using them… Guess what? You can sell them! Even better, at Gift Card Granny you don't lose much of the value of the card; you can sell them for up to 93.4% of their value. Now you'll be able to get yourself something you really want with those dollar bills!

4. Decluttr

It's all in the name! De-clutter your home and make some cash while you do it. Decluttr accepts phones, CDs, DVDs, games, books, and so much more. You can find out what you'll get for your old stuff before shipping them out too- no worrying about sneaky, lowball offers after shipping your items. Want to try it out? If you visit the site and enter your item's barcode information they'll show you the estimated value. If you are looking for tech-related products, check their site out for an instant price!

5. Couture Boutique

Fashionistas, don't miss out on Couture Boutique! This is one of the largest pre-owned designer and luxury boutiques in the world. There is a bit of a process if you want to sell some of your gently used frocks, but we hear it's worth it!

Dresses

Go to their website, fill out a quote form, and they'll let you know their offer. If you're happy with the offer, you can ship your gorgeous garments to their headquarters in Tampa, Florida. They'll inspect them and send you your payment afterward. It might be a little lengthy, but it's not very difficult and can be worth the effort (especially if you have a lot of barely used, brand name garments).

6. CoupRecoup

We're all guilty of letting our coupons expire before using them. How many times have you gone to finally use one, made it all the way to the cashier, only to be told that it's expired? We've been there too!

Instead of sticking that pile of coupons you plan to use “sometime soon” on your dinner table, sell them! CoupRecoup buys coupons that you know you're not going to use and turns them into cash.

7. Card Cash

Card Cash is all about helping you turn your gift cards into actual discounts. They make it super simple to access over 1000 stores online while you buy or sell any unwanted gift cards. You can expect up to 35% back and free shipping.

8. StubHub

Not a fan of the boyband your boss bought you tickets to see (instead of that promotion you asked for)? StubHub is the site for anyone who wants to buy or sell last minute concert tickets. It's super easy and StubHub offers secure purchases for buyers and sellers.

One recent downside: If you're a buyer and a show sells out before you can get your ticket, be prepared to pay a huge upcharge on the initial price—many users have been selling tickets for more than what they first paid for it.

9. Plato's Closet

Plato's is a good option for those who want to sell or buy locally.  This is one of the better places to find used brand name clothing, and they'll pay cash right there on the spot when you sell. They do cater a bit more to a younger clientele, as far as style tastes go.  Fortunately, if you have like-new brand name clothes, you probably have a good chance at making some extra cash for something that would remain in the back of your closet anyway.

10. Facebook

Facebook is often an overlooked outlet for buying and selling, but you'd be surprised to see how much you can find there. You can use your personal page, an event page, or Facebook's Marketplace to conduct business. A nice plus is that you can control who you are targeting for transactions based on general information such as location. This offers you better privacy and protection. It's especially attractive if you're looking to only sell/buy local you can control that.

11. NextWorth

We're in the day and age of moving through our electronics quickly. When you're ready to sell yours, you can sell it directly to NextWorth and receive payment! This is pretty convenient if you're not up to making a trip to the post office. You can also trade your items into Target and they'll take care of the postage.

12. Consignment shops

A lot of people don't know that consignment stores can be awesome for buying and selling goods. While they do typically take a portion of your profit, they do the selling for you! All you have to do is bring them the item (or items) you're wanting to sell and they'll take care of the rest. You show up and collect payment.

Consignment shop

13. Craigslist

There's a good chance most of you reading this has had a piece of furniture you found on Craigslist. It's easy to use and you never know what you're going to find. Whether you're looking for a big item, a service or even a job, you can find it all, and it's localized for you.

If you're selling, be prepared to re-post your item because stuff can get buried in the list fast.

Another piece of advice: watch out for spam and fake listings. As much as they try to control it, those posts still make it through.

14. Pawnshops

If you like to do a bit haggling with your selling or buying, you can always head to a local pawnshop. You can see the items in person, learn an interesting thing or two about them, and even try to talk down the price. Trying to sell? Be ready to talk up the items you're trying to get rid of. These guys can sometimes be tough to convince, they know their stuff.

15. eBay

eBay is the classic place to go if you want to buy, sell or trade. For those of you who enjoy the thrill of the chase, this is your place! Whether you're watching your listing, or taking part in an auction you're dying to win, you need some know-how to succeed. When you do succeed, it can be a major adrenaline rush. The best part about it is that you can walk away with some serious cash.

Bonus: Players Auction

Players Auction is a marketplace for gammers. Buy and sell coins, equipment, and virtually anything else that can be bought or sold in online games — from World of Warcraft, to Runescape, to FIFA. If you like to play video games, this is a way that you may actually be able to make some money from it! Of course, this won't declutter your physical world, but if you're looking for a way to stop playing video games a declutter your mental space, then this is a way that you can earn a few extra dollars from it.

We'd love to hear from you! Where are your favorite places to buy or sell your goods? Do you have any tips on how to declutter your home or your life? Let us know!

Written by Dustyn Deerman

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