I still have the spreadsheet from 2017 saved on my desktop. It was titled "Desperation.xlsx." At the time, I was short on rent, staring at a closet full of clothes I hadn't worn in years and a bookshelf collecting dust. I remember picking up a TI-83 Plus calculator from my college days, wondering if anyone would actually pay for it. I listed it on eBay at 11:00 PM.By 7:00 AM, it had sold for $45.
That sale broke a mental dam for me. I realized that money wasn't just something you earned from a boss; it was sitting on my shelf, disguised as "junk."
Since then, I’ve cycled through everything from vintage cameras to digital PDF guides, turning that initial panic into a consistent revenue stream. But the landscape has changed. What worked in 2017 doesn't always fly today. The market is smarter, the algorithms are pickier, and the competition is stiffer.
If you are trying to figure out where the profit is hiding in your own house or how to source inventory that actually moves,you need to ignore the "get rich quick" influencers and look at the raw data of supply and demand.
What Things Can I Sell to Make Money (The "Death Pile" Audit)
We need to start with the lowest hanging fruit. In the reseller community, we call unlisted inventory a "death pile." Most people have a death pile worth $500 to $1,000 sitting in their house right now and they don't even realize it.
When I advise friends on what things can I sell to make money, I always tell them to look for "boring" utility items.Everyone wants to sell cool vintage jackets, but do you know what sells faster? Replacement parts.
The Broken Electronics Goldmine
Here is where it gets interesting. You probably have a drawer full of old cables, remote controls, and broken laptops. In 2019, I sold a broken MacBook Pro (screen cracked, battery dead) for $300. Why? Because repair shops need the logic board and the casing.
Items to scan immediately:
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Remote Controls: Original Sony or Samsung remotes sell for $15-$25 regularly.
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Power Cords: Genuine laptop chargers (Dell, HP, Apple) are always in demand.
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Vacuum Attachments: If you have a Dyson attachment for a vacuum you broke years ago, that plastic piece is worth $20.
(I once found a bag of vacuum filters at a yard sale for $1. Sold them for $40 the next day. It’s not glamorous, but it pays the electric bill).
Clothing with a Name
If you are looking at your closet, stop looking for style and start looking for tags. Fast fashion brands like H&M or Forever 21 have almost zero resale value. You are looking for outdoor gear and activewear.
Brands like Patagonia, The North Face, and Lululemon hold value incredibly well, even with flaws. I recently sold a Patagonia fleece with a small burn hole in the sleeve for $45. I disclosed the hole clearly in the description, and the buyer was thrilled to get a $120 jacket for cheap. Honesty doesn't kill sales; it builds trust.
What Can I Make and Sell to Make Money (The Digital Pivot)
Physical items require shipping, storage, and runs to the post office. Around 2021, I got tired of taping boxes. I started asking myself what can I make and sell to make money that requires zero shipping.
The answer was digital products.
This is a crowded market, so you have to be specific. You cannot just make "Generic Planner." You need to solve a micro-problem.
The "Ugly" Template Strategy
I created a very specific spreadsheet template for "Freelance Photographer Invoice Tracking." It wasn't pretty, but it had all the formulas pre-made. I listed it on Etsy for $5.
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It took me 2 hours to make.
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It has sold 400 times since 2021.
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Total profit: $2,000 (minus fees).
If you have a skill—whether it's organizing pantries, planning weddings, or tracking macros—you can turn that process into a PDF or a Notion template.
The Handmade Trap
A word of caution here. I went through a phase where I tried to make physical inspirational quote posters. I bought a nice printer, expensive cardstock, and shipping tubes.It was a disaster. I sold three posters. The cost of ink and paper ate my margins, and one arrived crushed because I cheaped out on the packaging. I lost about $150 on that venture.
If you are going to make physical goods, ensure your margins are at least 400% to cover the hidden costs of production and shipping errors.
How to Make a Money From Online Arbitrage
This phrasing—how to make a money from online sources—is something I hear often from non-native speakers or people new to the internet economy. The grammar might be clunky, but the intent is clear: "How do I flip things I don't own yet?"
The method is Retail Arbitrage.
This involves going to stores like Walmart, Target, or TJ Maxx, scanning clearance items, and selling them on Amazon or eBay for full price.
The Clearance Aisle Routine
I used to hit the Target toy clearance aisle every January and July. One year, I found a specific Lego set marked down to $15. On Amazon, it was selling for $45. I bought all eight of them.
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Cost: $120
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Revenue: $360
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Fees/Shipping: ~$100
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Profit: $140 for 20 minutes of work.
However, you need tools for this. You cannot guess. I use the Amazon Seller App (free) to scan barcodes. If you want to get serious, you need Keepa, which shows you the sales history graph.
Opinion: Retail arbitrage is getting harder. Stores are getting smarter about pricing, and Amazon is "gating" (restricting) more brands so new sellers can't sell them. It is not the gold rush it was in 2015, but it is still viable if you niche down into things like discontinued cosmetics or obscure board games.
Legitimate Ways to Make Money Online Without Selling "Stuff"
Sometimes the answer to what can I sell to make money isn't a thing, but a service.
If you have more time than money, you sell your labor. But we aren't talking about taking surveys for pennies. We are talking about Service Arbitrage.
The "Drop-Servicing" Model
I tried this briefly in 2020. I noticed that many local businesses had terrible Google Maps listings. I offered a "Google My Business Optimization" service for $100. I would go in, upload nice photos, fix their hours, and respond to a few reviews.It took me 30 minutes. This is one of the most legitimate ways to make money online because you are providing tangible value to a business owner who is too busy to do it themselves.
You can also sell "peace of mind." I know a seller who makes money by simply testing electronics for other resellers. He charges a flat fee to test vintage receivers and confirm they work. He sells his expertise.
What Can I Sell to Make Money Fast (The Emergency Protocol)
When the car breaks down or the rent is due, you don't have time to wait for an Etsy customer to find your PDF. You need to know what can I sell to make money fast.
Speed usually means sacrificing some value. You won't get top dollar, but you will get liquid cash.
The Facebook Marketplace "Big Item" Strategy
Shipping kills speed. If you sell a couch on eBay, it’s a logistical nightmare. If you list it on Facebook Marketplace, it can be gone in an hour.
I once sold a washing machine that came with the house I bought. I listed it for $100 (undercutting everyone else who was asking $200). My phone blew up. A guy with a truck was in my driveway 45 minutes later with five twenty-dollar bills.
Items that sell locally within 24 hours:
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Furniture (especially Ikea).
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Gym Equipment (Dumbbells are currency).
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Tools (Lawnmowers, drills).
The Local Pawn/Resale Shops
If digital platforms are too slow, physical resale shops are the fallback.
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Clothes: Plato’s Closet or Buffalo Exchange. (Warning: They are picky. They usually take about 10% of what you bring, but they pay cash on the spot).
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Books: Half Price Books.
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Media: Local record stores.
I took a box of DVDs to a local media shop recently. I expected $5. I got $42 because I had a few out-of-print horror movies in the stack. Always check the outliers.
Common Question I See: What Can I Sell Online to Make Money as a Beginner?
People always ask me where to start if they have zero experience. They want to know what can I sell online to make money without getting scammed or overwhelmed.
My answer is always Books.
Books are the "training wheels" of reselling.
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They are durable: You can’t break them during shipping.
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They are cheap: You can buy them for $0.50 at library sales.
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They have barcodes: You can scan them to see exactly what they are worth.
I started my online selling journey with textbooks. I found a chemistry textbook at a thrift store for $2. It sold on Amazon for $85. That single transaction taught me everything I needed to know about ranking, condition grading, and shipping media mail.
Once you master books, you can graduate to breakables (glass/ceramics) and then to electronics (high fraud risk, high reward).
What Can I Sell Online to Make Money (The Platforms)
Knowing what to sell is half the battle. Knowing where to sell it is the other half.
The Cross-Listing Necessity
Here is a secret: You shouldn't just pick one. If I have a pair of boots, I list them on Poshmark, Mercari, and eBay. Why?Because different buyers live on different apps. However, this creates a danger. If the boots sell on eBay and you forget to delete them from Poshmark, you are in trouble.
I use Closo to automate this process – saves me about 3 hours weekly. It ensures that when I make a sale on one platform,the inventory is managed across the others. It prevents the dreaded "double sell" scenario which can tank your seller rating.
If you are looking to get serious about managing inventory across multiple sites, you should check out the Closo Seller Hub for deeper dives on multi-channel logistics.
People Always Ask Me: Is This Still Viable in 2025?
Common question I see: "Isn't the market saturated?" There are millions of sellers, yes. But there are also millions of buyers.
The method of earning money has shifted from "list it and forget it" to "list it and optimize it." In 2015, you could take a blurry photo of a mug and it would sell. In 2025, you need:
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Clear lighting (Daylight is free).
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Keywords in the title (Not "Blue Mug", but "Vintage Cobalt Blue Ceramic Mug 12oz Heavy").
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Fast shipping (Next day handling).
I still find items every single week at Goodwill that sell for $30-$50 profit. The items are there; the competition just means you have to be slightly more professional than the person next to you.
Authentic Failures: What NOT to Do
I want to be transparent about the losses. It’s not all $300 laptops.
The "Beanie Baby" Mistake Early on, I bought into the hype that Beanie Babies were making a comeback. I bought a lot of 50 bears for $100. I still have 48 of them in my attic. They are worthless.Lesson: Do not buy based on rumors or "collectible" hype. Buy based on sold listings data.
The Shipping Disaster I sold a vintage Pyrex bowl—a beautiful nesting bowl from the 1960s. I wrapped it in one layer of bubble wrap and put it in a box with no packing peanuts. It arrived in twenty pieces. Not only did I have to refund the buyer, but I also destroyed a piece of history.Lesson: If you shake the box and hear movement, it is not packed enough.
The Strategy for "Make Money Online Home" Based Businesses
When you are looking to make money online home based setups are ideal because they keep overhead low. But they require discipline.
You need a dedicated space. When I started, my "office" was the dining room table. We ate dinner on the couch for six months. It caused tension in my relationship. Eventually, I cleared out a corner of the basement. Having a dedicated "shipping station" with your tape, boxes, and printer ready to go changes your mindset. It shifts from a hobby to a business.
Also, consider the "Death Pile" as a liability. If you buy inventory and it sits in your home for 6 months without selling,you are paying rent for that item to live with you. I now have a rule: If it hasn't sold in 90 days, I lower the price. If it hasn't sold in 120 days, I donate it. Keep the cash flowing, don't let the inventory stagnate.
Conclusion
So, what can I sell to make money? The answer is likely sitting within twenty feet of you right now. It’s the old phone in the drawer. It’s the jacket that doesn't fit. It’s the knowledge in your head that can be turned into a PDF.
You don't need a business license or a warehouse to start. You just need to take one item, look it up, take three photos, and hit "List."
The first sale is the hardest. The second one is inevitable. The thousandth one is a business.
Start with what you have. Validate that you can do it. Then, invest your profits into better inventory. If you need help figuring out the logistics of expanding, reading up on inventory management strategies is a great next step.
Would you like me to help you draft a description for the first item you plan to sell?
