The Top Apps To Help You With Your Garage Sales

Doing some spring cleaning? Looking to declutter the house to make more room for overnight guests during the holidays? Whatever the season or occasion, it always feels good to do a purge of belongings no longer needed or wanted. Fortunately, in today's digital age, it's never been easier to off-load old items. While the good old-fashioned garage sale is still effective, it can also be a lot of work and time out of your life. That's why so many companies have created apps to help you sell your stuff without all the hassle. The original selling app wasn't an app; it was a website. eBay used to corner the market in online sales before all of its competitors came along — but according to Helium10, it is still selling a ton of items each day. 

Downloading a yard sale-style app is usually free and can help you earn some quick cash since they allow you to list items locally for easy transactions. You can also sell a wide variety of belongings, including furniture, clothing, books, toys, games, DVDs, tools, and virtually any other physical item you can imagine. Some will even let you promote services if you have something to offer your community. 

Facebook Marketplace is one of the most popular online selling apps. The app is integrated into everyone's Facebook app, so you have access to literally millions of users when you post something to sell — including thousands of hyperlocal potential buyers. It doesn't cost anything to list an item on Marketplace, and Facebook isn't too picky about what is sold as long as it falls within their guidelines and doesn't violate any terms of service. A high school student even made the news for attempting to sell a bottle of peas (via FUN107), so there is obviously no limit to what can be sold. 

Two things to know about Marketplace: You are not allowed to sell services — it must be a physical item, and it's important to pay close attention when you list your item. If you do not select local selling only, you might be committing to ship your item across the country, per DeliverEnd. Of course, if you're okay with that and want to greatly broaden your audience and chances of selling, Facebook can make that happen. 

If you have too many clothes but nothing to wear, then head on over to Poshmark. Here you can sell clothing, shoes, and accessories you no longer want, freeing up your closet and bank account to purchase new items. Popular with millennials and Gen Zers for its sleek design and easy use, Poshmark is almost exclusively for selling apparel, and it has certainly been enough to propel it forward. According to Oberlo, the app has garnered 80 million users since its 2011 launch. 

Some other significant perks to Poshmark? The company moderates returns. This means that if a buyer is dissatisfied with your item, it will go through Poshmark before it becomes your problem. Other sites like eBay allow the buyer and seller to work out returns between the two of them. With Poshmark moderation, it's more selling and less drama for your life. They also collect and pay sales tax, reducing another common point of stress for online sellers. 

Speaking of clothing, if you tend to love high-end, designer clothing, then Tradesy might be the place for you. It is a lesser-known app but also the go-to place for pricey items that hold up due to their quality and famous label names. There is a selling fee for using Tradesy, but it's worth it due to the way the app is designed and who frequents it. 

Pull those designer items out of your closet and snap a photo. Tradesy's team will enhance the images to make them look professional and place your sales listing in its best light. When you sell something, Tradesy will then send you a shipping kit that includes postage, pre-addressed labels, and more. This high-class site takes a $7.50 commission on all items that sell for less than $50. Those over $50 will yield a commission rate of 19.8%. Tradesy is only for designer and high-end items that are very gently used. Your running shoes and concert t-shirts need not apply. 

Craigslist is another one of the original online marketplaces, and today it's accessible not only via computer but also through a variety of smartphone apps. You can sell virtually anything on Craigslist — in fact, it can get a little wild. The site is not only home to clothes, toys, gadgets, and other yard sale-style items but also services, missed personal encounters, job openings, and more. The more time you spend on Craigslist, the more it seems like its own city with all the options and interactions. 

Craigslist also has a "free stuff" section — so if you list something for sale and nobody bites, you can still save yourself a trip to the Goodwill and do a free porch pickup instead. There are several Craigslist apps, but the best is certainly CPlus. Described by Android Authority as a solid option for Craigslist users, CPlus allows you to save searches from multiple cities at once and customize the listings that are displayed through different filter options. 

Nextdoor has become a popular site for a variety of things, including hyperlocal sales. The app itself is neighborhood-specific, meaning you can't even access your local community without a verifiable zip code. It is a great way to ensure you won't have to ship anything or deal with out-of-towners since you can set your post to only be viewed by those in your immediate vicinity. The downside? This obviously limits your reach. 

Nextdoor also allows you to list your business in your bio, which can help you make local connections and boost your clientele if that's something you're looking for. Outside of that, there aren't a whole lot of rules for online selling, whether it's clothing, electronics, or your availability to babysit or clean houses. 

Nextdoor is also the perfect forum for advertising your in-person yard sales if you're feeling nostalgic for simpler times and want to spend your Saturday displaying your treasures on the lawn. It's a great way to make some quick cash while getting to know your neighbors in person instead of through a screen.