Mum makes $15k using Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree and WorkApp by selling old clutter
It’s a $46 billion economy and people can cash in on it too with unwanted goods that are just laying around.
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Victorian mum Laura Vendal has made a whopping $15,000 by cashing in on things that were laying around the house unused.
With every room stuffed to the brim and her house overflowing, Ms Vendal knew she had to do something and she has scored huge wins from her clean up.
Her biggest sale has been a Vintage Brothers Sportiboy rocking horse, made in the 1920s or 1930, which was snapped up for $5000.
“We’re having a house built, so that’s been the motivation to get rid of everything that I either don’t need, is broken, doesn’t fit or doesn’t bring me joy,” she said.
“I had an old rocking horse and I was going to repair and restore it but I’m not going to get the time with two kids.”
She has been using Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree and Australian marketplace WorkApp to offload her unwanted goods.
It comes as the second-hand economy is booming with Gumtree finding the market in 2020 was $3 billion higher than any other year and was worth $46 billion overall in Australia.
Ms Vendal, who is an interior designer, also found herself bored of some trendy Scandinavian furniture and scored $3000 from posting it for sale online.
She has even managed to make a profit off some of her items. Tapping into Aussies' desire to get outdoors more after rolling lockdowns across the country, she had three surfboards she bought two years ago for $200 each, which ended up selling for $500 a piece.
It’s the same for three bikes she splashed out $100 on each, which were sold for a $500 bundle.
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The 30-year-old has also cashed in on designer goods like some Christian Louboutin shoes she bought for a wedding a few years ago, which were nabbed for $800, and two Camilla Kaftans that went for $700.
The Wodonga local also looked to offload gifts with vintage wine worth more than $1200 purchased for $600. Even the kids couldn’t escape the clear out with two spare child car seats going for $100, miscellaneous toys snapped up for $200 and outgrown clothes being sold for $300.
While Ms Vendal admits it takes a bit of time to swipe through online timewasters, she never expected to make so much money. She recommends doing research before posting a product online.
“I googled how much is it worth and also products would come up on Buy, Swap and Sell Facebook groups and I would do my research online to work out what it’s worth,” she said.
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Shane Wallace, founder of WorkApp, said there has been a 60 per cent increase in listings since the start of 2021 alone.
There are a range of big ticket items booming on the site including fitness equipment, working appliances like second hand coffee machines, bikes, fans, decorative pieces such as old vases, furniture and knick-knacks and unopened gifts.
Unusually, electronics and technology like old phones, gaming consoles, unopened headphones and DVDs are also doing well, he added.
“You can even sell pot plants in decent health if you’re tired of them,” he said.
He said there was an increase in Aussies looking to make extra cash on the side.
“You can easily make thousands of dollars clearing things from your house,” Mr Wallace said. “We’re even seeing an increasing number of people turn this into a lucrative little side-hustle.”
Media personality Tamara Wrigley added that gold and vintage jewellery, vintage toys, especially if they’re still in their boxes, collectors’ items, antiques and first editions books can fetch a fortune.
“Upcycling furniture is a huge trend at the moment, so if you have something that was expensive and you want to upgrade, it may have retained its value, or sell for even more,” she advised. “Same as cars at the moment, people are selling them for more than they paid. Just do your research, and see what similar items are selling for online.”
Originally published as Mum makes $15k using Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree and WorkApp by selling old clutter
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