5 Things To Sell When You’re Ready To Retire

For many people, moving onto a new chapter of their lives and retiring requires downsizing. You won’t need many things in retirement anymore, so it’s worth it to put them on the market to make a few bucks. 

Below, we list some things to sell when you’re ready to retire.

Large Family Home

When many people finally retire, they still live in the same house they raised a family in. But once the kids have moved out, they have tons of extra space they don’t need. 

Maintaining a large family home, especially as you age, becomes challenging and more of a burden. Instead, retirees should consider downsizing to a more manageable home—perhaps somewhere in a warmer climate to better enjoy retirement. 

You can use the money from the sale toward your new home.

Unused Vehicles

Along with a large family home, many of those on the brink of retirement also have more than one car. Along with downsizing your home, you should also consider downsizing your fleet of vehicles. 

Now that you’re retired, you don’t need to go to as many places, and instead of two older cars, you can trade them in for something newer, better, and easier to manage.

Excess Furniture

Since you’re downsizing your living space, you’ll likely also have to downsize your furniture collection. This is another opportunity to mark a new chapter in your life by getting rid of your old stuff for cash that can go toward your new retirement lifestyle. 

If you can’t sell that old couch or broken recliner in your basement, try giving it away, or it may be time to kick it to the curb.

Collectibles

Another thing to sell when you’re ready to retire is any collectibles you’re no longer interested in. If you’ve got a collection, whether it’s stamps, magazines, or whatever else, now is probably the best time to cash in after years of collecting. 

If you’ve got a stack of trading cards collecting dust, consider selling your baseball card collection to clear some space and put extra cash in your pocket for retirement.

Old Electronics

Every home seems to have a drawer, cabinet, or shelf somewhere full of old and outdated electronics. Whether you’ve got an old laptop, television, cell phone, or tablet, now’s the time to get rid of it. 

You might have some success selling them online, but there’s always the option to take your old electronics to an electronics store. 

Many offer trade-in programs so that you can put your old stuff toward some new equipment and gadgets for retirement.

Retirement means a new chapter in your life, which often means parting ways with things you’ve kept and collected over the years. 

Selling your old stuff and putting the money toward retirement can be immensely lucrative and satisfying!

Top 3 Most Beloved Novelty Items To Collect In 2021

Novelty items are remarkable. You get to hold a piece of art or history that no one else has. It may represent a significant investment, but you have to figure out what to invest in. The following are three precious novelty items you may want to have in your collection.

1. Vintage Video Arcade Game

One beloved and collectible novelty item that's an absolute must is an arcade game. These are not popular anymore because of the introduction of more sophisticated arcade games, but they're still beloved. People remember going to the arcades, and nostalgia is still worth something.

These games are still playable today, so you can plug them up and play them if you want. They are a symbol of a bygone era that people are always fond of. Find the arcade game you feel most connected to and have it delivered.

Some of these arcades are in pristine condition, so you'll get a lot of use out of them. Those who have enough space could consider investing in more than one to create your indoor arcade room. There are also a few vintage pinball machines if you want to add those to your collection. You may want to have a little get together to share these games with others.

2. Beautifully Handcrafted Clock

One unique and beloved novelty item you must have is the cuckoo clock. Yes, this is one of those cuckoo timepieces that are pieces of art rather than just a clock. Years ago, these vintage works would be meticulously designed and would sometimes tell a story.

Every hour a little bird would come out to tell you one hour passed, or maybe a couple would come out to give you a little dance before retreating into the clock. The possibilities are endless, so if you're going to be purchasing a beloved cuckoo, then you have to make sure you choose one that fits you best.

Some modern clockmakers create unique pieces by hand. It does take some time, but it's all worth it to make sure the clocks do their job for a long time. Some clocks can be mounted on the wall, while others are much larger, so be sure to keep space in mind before making your decision. You should also pay attention to your decor to make sure you're choosing the right one.

3. Personalized Porcelain Doll

If you love dolls and want to own a truly unique one, consider a personalized porcelain doll. Yes, this means the doll is going to be made just for you, and it's going to look like you or your kids. It's going to be a work of art because you'll have to work with an artist.

It may take some time before you can hold the doll in your hands, but once you see it, you'll be happy that you did this. A doll-like this isn't a toy, so if the doll looks like your kids, let them know it's not a toy but a collectible. 

You'll have to place the doll in a safe place because kids can get tempted to pull the head off or a leg, and you don't want that. You want to preserve the doll for future generations.




Porcelain dolls are exceptionally delicate, and kids are not always the most careful with fragile items. You probably will have to do some research to find someone who can get this doll done right. 

Many artists might say they can do what you want but aren't too experienced. Request pictures of past work so that you can see their expertise. When you find the right artist, the next thing to do is choose a picture you love. The artist will use that to create a look-alike doll.

You've got three special and unique collectible novelty items here, so just choose what speaks to you the most. You can always choose all three if you want, or you can keep on looking; maybe you prefer something that involves pop culture, like a fireplace in the shape of the Death Star from Star Wars.

How to Earn Some Extra Cash by Selling Your Collectibles

Collectors of all stripes occasionally need to sell items from their collection. This may be because you have duplicates, because you need the money or because you simply don’t want that particular item anymore. 

No matter the reason, you will want to go about the selling process the right way. Here are some important things to keep in mind when hoping to earn some extra cash by selling your collectibles.

Determine Its Value

After deciding you want to sell a particular item, the next step should be determining how much the item is worth. This will give you a good sense of how much you can sell it for so you won’t ask too much or too little. Ask too much money and you will be unable to sell the item. Ask too little and you will lose money on the sale.

Consider Where to Sell

Next, you will want to consider where you plan to sell this item. Presumably, you want to get top dollar for your collection, so you will want to place the item for sale where interested buyers are most likely to find it. 


To sell your coin collection, for example, you may want to go through coin collecting-specific channels to find interested buyers. Do some research and determine the best places to sell certain kinds of items.

Be Honest

You need to be honest and upfront with your buyers regarding the exact condition and type of item you are selling. A good way to do this is take detailed pictures or allow an interested party to inspect the item in person. 

Add details such as information on the exact edition, any defects and how an item has been stored. Dishonesty will only create problems for you down the road.

Ship the Item Carefully

If you have found a local buyer, you may not have to ship the item. However, in many cases you will be responsible for shipping the item to the buyer. Be sure you pack the item securely in quality packaging so it will arrive to your buyer undamaged. 

This is especially important for fragile or very valuable items. Also make sure the package is trackable and insured to protect yourself in case something goes wrong.

Thanks to the Internet, it is easier than ever before to earn some solid extra cash by selling your collectibles. Be sure to do some research ahead of time so you will know where, how and for how much you can sell your collectibles. If you do, you can find the right buyer willing to pay what those items are worth.