As our kids started to get older, I found myself with a storage room full of toys that we no longer used. Instead of bringing joy and fun to other kiddos, the toys were just taking up space.
If you feel like your house is being overrun with kid stuff you no longer use, you might want to consider selling some of your gently worn clothes and toys.
In this article, I will outline some of the best places to sell used kids toys online and locally. I will also share some tips on how to price your used toys so they will sell and the best strategies for cleaning your used toys and kid’s clothes.
Toys Everywhere, Right?
When I became a parent, I promised myself I would not let our house be overrun by children’s products and baby toys. I wanted to keep things to a minimum. I mean, a toddler is usually more entertained by the box the toy comes in than the actual toy. Right?
Well, four years later, our home is not the vision of minimalism that I had hoped for. While we are pretty careful not to overdo it, and our house isn’t as full of children’s toys as some of our friends, it does feel like there are small plastic toys stuffed in every nook and cranny!
So, I decided to inventory all of the kid’s toys and decide which ones I could sell. Not only did this decision help to clear out some space but it also helped to put some money back in my pocket. A real win-win situation!
Pro tip: Decluttering is also a way to teach young children about letting go of toys.
Where to Sell Used Toys Online
My first question when I started to think about all this was, “Can I actually make money selling used toys?”
The answer is yes!
My second question was, “Where can you sell used toys online?”
After experimenting with a number of different options, here are a few of my favorites:
Facebook Groups
One of the most effective methods for selling my kid’s used toys and clothes was on Facebook Groups. The process is simple. Just take a good picture of the toy and then list it in the group. Easy! The best part about using Facebook groups is there are no listing fees (the amount charged for listing an item). This means you get to keep all of your profits!
eBay
eBay is really the OG of online sales. While eBay might be better suited for toys that are considered vintage or collectible, you may find some luck selling regular kid’s toys as well. There are costs associated with eBay. You might be charged a listing insertion fee however if you have a basic eBay account you are entitled to 100 zero insertion fees per month for most items. You will also be charged something called a final value fee when your item sells.
Mercari
Another online resource you can use to sell used kid’s toys and clothes is Marcari. This site is not just for kids, it has used goods for everyone. What I like is that Mercari doesn’t charge any listing fees; however, you will be charged a 10% sales commission if your item sells.
Where to Sell Used Toys Locally
If you aren’t into selling your kid’s toys online, you can always opt for local options. A few ideas include:
Garage Sale
If you want to keep all of the profits from selling your used kid’s toys or clothes, a garage sale may be the way to go. Yes, you have to put in all the effort when it comes to advertising, setting up, and running the garage sale but, you also put more money back in your pocket.
Once Upon a Child
I live close to a Once Upon a Child store and have brought my used kid’s toys and clothing there on multiple occasions. It’s a great selling process. I go in, drop my stuff off, they look it over while I do some shopping and then, by the time I’m ready to check out, they present me with a cash offer. I can take the cash or apply it to new toys and clothes I want to buy.
Kid to Kid
Another great place you can sell your pre-loved toys is Kid to Kid. Simply prep your items and bring them to the store, no appointment necessary. While you shop, an appraiser will look through your gear and then provide you with a cash offer. You can take the cash or, you can choose to take 20% more in trade value.
Local Thrift Store
If you don’t have a consignment shop in your area that is dedicated to kids’ stuff, you can take your used toys to any thrift store.
How to Price Used Toys
If you bring your kid’s clothes to a consignment store like Once Upon a Child, you don’t get to choose how much your items will sell for. Instead, the store will make you an offer and you can accept or decline. While you won’t always make as much money going this route, it can save you time and effort.
However, if you want to make the most amount of money by selling everything yourself, you need to know how to price used toys appropriately. If you want to make a sale, you need to know how much a toy is worth so you can be competitive with the other sellers.
When trying to determine how to price your used items consider the following:
- How old is the item?
- How in demand is the toy or article of clothing? (1990s Beanie Baby, I’m looking at you…)
- What condition is the item in?
- Is the article of clothing a name-brand or generic brand?
As a general rule of thumb, if your items are in mint condition and maybe even have the tags still on them, you can list them for 60% to 70% of the original retail price. If your items are relatively new, in demand, and in good condition, aim for 50% of the original price. If your items look worn or have any flaws or they aren’t that in demand, price them around 20% to 30% of the original price.
How to Clean Used Toys Before Selling
If you want to be successful in selling your used kid’s toys and clothing, you need to make sure your items are clean. No one wants to buy a stained shirt or a grey teddy bear that is supposed to be pink.
Plastic toys
When it comes to cleaning hard, plastic toys, a simple Lysol wipe can usually do the trick. If you want a more plant-based cleaning product, consider something like Seventh Generation disinfecting wipes. After cleaning, rinse the toys with water to get rid of residual cleaning products.
Plush toys
If your plush toys are machine washable, a quick load of laundry should do the trick. For extra protection, you can put the plush toys into a pillowcase and knot the case at the top before throwing it in the washing machine. If the toys aren’t machine washable, do a spot clean with soap and water.
Electronic toys
You have to be a bit more careful with electronic toys — you definitely don’t want to submerge them in water. You can use a damp cloth to get rid of any visible dirt and then finish with a disinfecting wipe. Toothpicks and cotton swabs are good for cleaning cracks.
Rubber toys
It’s important that rubber toys, like bath toys, don’t have any mold in them. To prepare your rubber toys before selling, you can use diluted bleach (1:10 ratio of bleach to water). Also, be sure to get any water out of the toys. If you don’t want to work with bleach, you might be able to clean some rubber toys by throwing them in a pot of boiling water. Remove the toys with tongs and let them dry completely.
Is it time to sell your used kid’s toys?
If you are looking to declutter and make some money, then selling your pre loved toys can help to accomplish both goals. There are tons of online and local options — it all depends on how much of the profit you want to keep. However you decide to lighten your toybox’s load, your wallet and the environment will thank you for giving those old toys new life.
— By Jessica Martel