Many of us have a cupboard, drawer or spare room bursting with things we no longer use but somehow can’t bring ourselves to part with. In fact, more than a third of items in the average UK household are unused – that’s according to insights revealed on Live Better For Less, Vinted’s new TV series, which sees lifestyle experts from across Europe help families part ways with their unused things.
Although it might seem like a chore to begin with, when we decide to declutter our homes, our lives get richer in many ways.
A good clear out boosts your mood by making your home calmer, tidier and easier to live in. It can also boost your bank balance because some of the things you no longer want could be worth money. That’s why more people are turning to Vinted, where you can list your unwanted items for free.
A report commissioned by Vinted* on the platform’s impact found that 63% of participants said they had money to treat themselves or their family more often because they used Vinted.
A child’s toy that has been outgrown. An old phone. Even that jacket you keep meaning to wear to a special occasion but never gets an outing. Here’s how to spot what will sell.
Take it room by room
It pays to search methodically, so set aside time to perform a specific room-by-room audit with fresh eyes. Rather than asking: “Is this worth anything?” a more useful opening question can be: “Would somebody else want this?”
Start in the kitchen, where cupboards and drawers are often bursting with things we bought with good intentions but then barely used. Specialist baking equipment, serving dishes, and attractive cookware can all be candidates for resale.
Children quickly outgrow their things, so their bedrooms and wardrobes can also be fertile ground for the budding Vinted seller. Toys and games are often abandoned long before they are worn out, so there’s a good chance another family will gladly take them off your hands for the right price. Alexandre Cressiot, the French host of Live Better For Less, suggests that families should have a “one in, one out” rule for toys. “Before buying a new toy,” he says, “decide as a family which one has to go.”
That loft, garage, spare room or cupboard where you’ve moved things that no longer work for you could be a potential treasure chest. You can also address your “duplicate problem” by identifying and selling extra items you own multiple of.
Think widely
Vinted isn’t just about fashion – you can use it to sell all sorts of things. Books you have read but are unlikely to return to. Decorative cushions that no longer suit your vibe. Smaller exercise equipment that has sat in the corner since lockdown. Small items that are simple to put in the mail. These and other potentially lucrative bits and pieces may be hiding in plain sight, and on Vinted there are thousands of people browsing to get their hands on pre-loved home goods.
Think ‘old-school’
Don’t assume that something is worthless because it looks unfashionable or seems out of date. Trends come and go, and yesterday’s unwanted homeware or garment might be tomorrow’s retro treasure.
Ten years ago people wouldn’t have been seen dead with Tiffany lamps in their homes or penny loafers on their feet, but now they’re all the rage. So just because you’ve stopped using or wearing something, that doesn’t mean everyone has gone off it.
Check it out
As a seller, it’s important to get the price right. You won’t make money if you price your items too high. But you also don’t want to “lowball” yourself by undervaluing things.
You can get the balance right and work out how popular something is by checking on Vinted to see how much similar items are selling for. When you list an item you get a note of what similar items are listed for and a price recommendation that you can (but don’t have to) follow.
Think big
Ultimately, there is no foolproof way to predict what somebody else will value. The serving dish you never use might be exactly what another person has been searching for. An unwanted camera could kickstart a child’s new hobby. That old dress you’ve lost the love for may be somebody’s dream throwback treat.
Feel free
There are no selling fees on Vinted and getting started is easy, so rather than trying to identify only the items that are definitely valuable, consider a simpler approach: if you do not want it, and it is in decent condition, list it on Vinted and give it a chance to find a new owner.
Enjoy!
Once you’ve started listing and selling items, you can bask in the glow of it all because selling unused possessions is not just about making money. That forgotten jumper gets another outing. Those home textiles get another chance to earn their keep. A candlestick mirror completes someone’s living room. The Vinted report found that 52% of people list on the platform to avoid wasting what someone else might want. Beautiful things deserve a second life.
Meanwhile, you’ve got more space in your home, the glow of finding new life for a product, and, rather than living among unwanted clutter, you can turn over a new leaf and become more intentional in what you own. And why not make secondhand your go-to option? As well as selling what you don’t use, you can buy what you need for less, and make space for what’s next.
Ready to turn your unused items into some extra cash? List them on Vinted now
*Data retrieved from Vinted’s impact report 2025, for the report and methodology please visit: company.vinted.com/sustainability
