Make $3,000: 9 Things in Your Attic You Can Sell

As the saying goes, one man's trash is another man's treasure and all those boxes of used clothes, dusty books, old toys, and mismatched china may be worth substantially more than you think. In fact, the average household in America has just over $3,000 worth of valuable-to-somebody stuff clogging its garage and closets, according to an eBay/Nielsen survey. We spent some time watching the bidding action on eBay and found nine common castoffs that can bring in the big bucks.

Name-Brand Kids' Clothes

Your teen isn't the only one who drools over Juicy Couture and Abercrombie (or Aeropostale and American Eagle). And you're not the only mom who gave in and splurged on a $30 tee or $80 pair of jeans. So you'll be happy to learn that when she outgrows her fabulous wardrobe, you can get a chunk of change back. Secondhand designer kids' clothes auctions get superheated: We saw a used Juicy terry hoodie sell for $41 with 12 people vying; 10 bidders competed for a pre-worn Abercrombie logo tee, with the winner paying about $12. Shoes and accessories sell well too, says Jim Griffith, a marketplace expert for eBay. "But it's still worth trying to sell non-brandname clothes in near-new condition," he says.

Kitchen Equipment

You bought that bread machine with all good intentions, but it's just wasting space on the counter. Ditto the stand mixer and ice cream maker. On eBay these products sell well if they're in excellent working condition and especially if you can show a photo of them in their original box. Twenty-four bidders wanted a KitchenAid Stand Mixer, used but in great working and cosmetic shape, and it went to the person who ponied up $138.

Exercise Equipment and American Girl Dolls

Exercise Equipment: Another dust collector that just makes you feel guilty: that treadmill, elliptical, or exercise bike that cost big bucks when you bought it new. Many types of used workout gear, whether freestanding equipment or smaller items like exercise balls and mini trampolines, bring brisk business on eBay. Some sellers of larger gizmos list the equipment for pickup only in order to spare themselves the hassle of packing and shipping. But that's not necessarily a deterrent: A used Sole F85 treadmill offered for pickup in the Atlanta area had four people interested and sold for $970. Have enough old exercise DVDs kicking around to start a small library? Consider putting them together as a lot. Somebody on a new fitness kick might well be tempted to make you a decent offer.

American Girl Dolls: If you have a teen daughter, the American Girl doll she loved so much as a child probably is a collectors' item now. Samantha, Nellie, and others popular just a few years ago are no longer available in stores and collectors are mad for them. You can easily get twice what you paid for one having an outfit and in good condition. A doll with a few changes of clothes plus some accessories recently fetched $372.

Used China and Vintage Children's Books

Used China: Face it: You've never really liked the Noritake service for eight Grandma left you. The pattern's not your style and the set is also missing a teacup. The secret to selling china on eBay is not to sell an entire service as one lot but to list individual pieces, since your target customer wants replacements for her own incomplete set. Seven bidders wanted the Lenox Country Romance serving platter, driving the price above $61.

Vintage Children's Books: You are not alone if you have fond memories of books you read and loved as a child. And if you have some of these cherished volumes packed away, you could be sitting on some serious money. First or early editions of many of the classics -- Nancy Drew, Doctor Dolittle, and others -- are collectors' items, and individual books and multivolume sets are big. Recently on eBay a first edition copy of the Hardy Boys Secret Warning changed hands for $280 after having been bid up by six bidders, and a 38-volume set of vintage (but not first printing) Nancy Drew books earned $602 with 30 bidders!

Rock 'n' Roll Memorabilia

Were you lucky enough to catch Bruce Springsteen on his 1975 Born to Run tour, and do you have the commemorative T-shirt to prove it? "Band T-shirts are very hot because there are many serious collectors," says Griffith, and tees of famous bands from early in their careers that are identifiable with a tour date or tied to an early album release will fetch the highest prices (a Michael Jackson Bad Tour tee from 1988 recently got $85). Rock LPs -- and who hasn't got those in the attic? -- can also sell well, but again, "rarity is crucial," Griffith says. Bootleg Genesis circa 1972, anyone?

Bridal Gear

Bridal is a huge category on eBay, and it's not just bride and bridesmaid dresses -- wedding decorations and accessories like ring-bearer pillows are hot sellers too. The biggest-ticket items, of course, are gowns, and right now J.Crew bridesmaid dresses are holding their value because they're so popular and have usually been worn just once. Apparently we weren't the only ones who loved the orange taffeta number with the full skirt and skinny straps. It sold for $90.

Electronics

Have you recently upgraded your digital camera, smartphone, laptop, or other small electronic item, and is your old one an up-to-date model in perfect working condition? Then it's worth a lot more on eBay than it is in the dump. How much depends on how powerful, fast, or feature laden it is to begin with, but to give you an idea, a standard-issue used Canon PowerShot camera with 3X optical zoom and a battery pack recently brought in 17 bids and sold for a not-bad $42.

What's It Worth?

The key to selling on eBay? In order to set a minimum asking price that will spark interest and generate bidding, you need to know an item's current market value and demand, says Griffith.

Research. Search "completed listings" on eBay to see how much items similar to yours have gone for in the recent past (use the "advanced search" link to locate).

Getting a good price often is a matter of presentation. Basically, you cannot overdescribe or provide too many photos. "The more details you give, the better your chance of selling it," says Griffith. A good deion includes the size, condition, model, and make of your item, along with your terms of service (return policy, payment options, shipping cost). The photos accompanying your item should be clear and well lit, show all its sides, and include close-ups of any nicks, tears, or other condition issues.

Finally, if something doesn't sell, try, try again. Sometimes it's just a matter of time until the right buyer stumbles upon what you're selling. Just click the onscreen "relist this item" button when your auction is over. Try changing the listing title or rewriting the deion to see if that helps. As a last resort, you may have to adjust your price a little.

This article was not authored by SunTrust, is general in nature and does not constitute legal, tax, or investment advice. SunTrust makes no warranties as to accuracy or completeness of this information, does not endorse any non-SunTrust companies, products, or services described here, and takes no liability for your use of this information.

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