Find buyers for house contents at auctions, online venues, yard sales and consignment shops. Valuable collectibles and antiques can be sold at local auction houses. The auctioneer usually charges a commission of 10 to 25 percent of the sale price. List items that are easy to ship on eBay or Amazon.com. Other online resources include Craigslist and Kijiji. Selling on these sites is free and attracts local buyers.
Yard sales and garage sales are two good ways to draw buyers for smaller household goods and clothing. These sales are usually weekend events and involve pricing and tagging each item and then setting them out for sale. Large poster board signs can be hung along major routes to guide potential buyers. Running a classified ad in local publications alerts buyers that a sale is taking place.
Some towns require a permit to hold a yard sale for more than one day. Consignment shops offer an alternative for mid-sized household items and odds and ends that are in good condition. The shop owner often suggests a price for the items and profit is split 50-50 if it sells. The price is reduced if the item doesn't sell within a certain amount of time.
