Spring cleaning is in full swing, which means you're organizing, going through your closet, and clearing out your junk drawer—but not everything needs to go to the trash or donation bin. The resale market offers regular homeowners an opportunity to make money selling old, unwanted, or unused items. As the adage goes, one person’s trash is another person’s treasure, right? Whether you turn to Etsy, Facebook Marketplace, or auctions, there's no shortage of ways to turn your pre-loved items into cash.
However, doing so isn’t always easy as posting something online and hoping it sells. Like anything, the secondhand market experiences trends, and some items likely won’t interest any buyers, no matter how pretty your photos. Doing your research, setting realistic expectations, and knowing what’s worth selling versus what to donate are all essential steps before you start listing your items for sale.
With over three decades of experience in antiques, collectibles, fine art, and appraisals worldwide, professional appraiser Nora Curl knows a thing or two about valuation and the secondhand market. She broke down the top six categories of items worth the time and effort to resell this year, plus how much you might expect from each.
1. Vintage Lighting
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According to Curl, unique vintage lighting always sells quickly on the open secondary market.
“Vintage lamps that do not look like the cookie-cutter, mass-produced styles found in big box stores add a special touch to making a home look curated over time,” she says.
As long as they're in good condition and working order, resale values can range from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand. However, even lighting in non-working condition can sell sometimes, especially if it’s rare, antique, or custom. You'll find a big market of people interested in these special pieces and willing to invest time and money to restore them.
Sell These:
- Capiz shell chandelier
- Tiffany lamps
- Milk glass fixtures
2. Authentic Wicker Furniture
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We’re not talking about the all-season, resin-based wicker furniture you can find in nearly every department store here (although you can probably resell that too if it’s in good condition). No, we’re talking about the authentic rattan wicker furniture you inherited from your grandparents.
“Wicker furniture from the later 19th to mid-20th century is now ‘chic’ again in enclosed patios and three-season rooms," Curl says. "It adds an aesthetic of nostalgia and is relatively lightweight to move when seasons change."
If your set is in good condition, you can expect to make a couple hundred dollars. According to Curl, certain brands can sell for up to $1,000 per set, depending on the condition and style.
Sell These:
- Heywood Wakefield wicker sets
- Bentwood-style chairs
3. Handmade Quilts
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Those handmade quilts taking up space in your linen closet may be worth more than you think. Nostalgia sells, and people increasingly want to add warmth and character to their homes with these vintage and handmade pieces.
“They are evolving as one-of-a-kind wall decor, to be hung and admired as a piece of art," Curl says. "Quilts, in good condition, can sell for under $50 and well into the thousands, depending on the age, style, origin, and design."
Sell These:
- Lone Star-patterned quilts
- Kantha quilts
4. Murano Glass
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Murano glass, also known as Venetian glass, is another hot commodity on the secondhand and vintage markets, according to Curl. This delicate, colorful glassware was a popular collectible in the mid-20th century, found tucked away in display cabinets, never actually to be used. As a result, many people have Murano glass collections that are in "like new" condition. The value can depend on the type of piece, style, and the year it was made—but on average, Curl says you can expect to get from $50 to $200 per piece.
Sell These:
- Chandeliers
- Vases
- Glassware sets
5. Vintage Wood Furniture
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A few years ago, everything midcentury modern was in demand, particularly vintage furniture. Now, styles are leaning more traditional, with classic, Victorian-era designs coming back into favor. Curl points to the popularity of Eastlake furniture: These chunky wood pieces signaled a shift away from the intricate, high-relief designs of times past and were popular from the late 1870s to the 1990s.
“A willing buyer can spend a few hundred to a thousand dollars for quality pieces from that era... and you will gain a chunk of real estate space back in your home, garage or attic,” Curl says.
However, don’t worry if you don’t have any Rococo furnishings kicking around. While you may not get hundreds or thousands of dollars for more recent pieces, vintage furniture is always a thriving market. As long as your items are in good condition, attempting to sell them online is worth a shot.
Sell These:
- Eastlake furniture (sideboards, dressers, tables)
- Mission furniture
- Giltwood
- Rococo-style pieces
6. Framed Prints & Original Paintings
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“If the framed prints and paintings that you promised yourself you would hang on the wall one day are still sitting on the floor in stacks, then it is time to relinquish them for sale on the market," Curl says. "There are always willing buyers for a good print by a listed artist or eye-catching original painting."
What you can expect to make depends on: the print, style, artist, frame, and condition of the piece. Doing your research pays off, and remember that you’re rarely going to make back what you originally paid for it (unless you have a rare print or artwork in your possession). It’s better than the piece collecting dust at the back of a closet, though.
Sell These:
- Vintage advertising posters
- Matisse, Bauhaus, Yayoi Kusama
- Canvas prints/paintings
What’s Not Worth Selling in 2025
There are some items that, while sentimental, simply aren’t worth the time and labor to sell. If you happen upon these items during your spring cleaning, the better option is to donate them. Collector’s plates rank high on this list.
“You know the ones—perhaps your parents bought them monthly and annually from Bradford Exchange, Knowles, Franklin Mint, etcetera," Curl says. "At that time, they were considered so precious that they remained sealed in their original boxes shoved in a closet, attic, or bin in the basement."
Unfortunately, these “limited edition” collector’s plates did not appreciate in value the way your parents or grandparents expected. According to Curl, this is partly due to the fact that there’s simply an excess of them available, with little buyer demand.
Similarly, Curl says fine china dining sets are also difficult to offload on the secondhand market. The way we dine and entertain has changed (just think of how many people you know with formal dining rooms anymore!), and in 2025 this leaves little room for antique sets and novelties like collectible serveware. For the same reason, dining furniture can also be tough to sell—particularly full sets (think: a dining table, chairs, sideboard buffets, and display cabinets). Unfortunately, this includes that gorgeous vintage dining set your mom passed down to you. Homeowners are dealing with smaller dining spaces that act as casual, multi-function rooms, which means full dining room sets are becoming increasingly obsolete.
Lastly, those precious teddy figurines and 1980s to early-2000s bisque porcelain head collector dolls that have been sitting in the corner of your attic? Unfortunately, Curl laments they’re destined for the donation bin.
“What may have cost your parents a few hundred dollars to make your holidays and childhood milestones sparkle will no longer light up your wallet with the passage of time,” she says.
While they may hold special memories for you, there simply isn’t demand for these kinds of items on the secondhand market, meaning you’ll waste precious time and energy trying to sell them. If you’re itching to clear out your space, the donation pile is the best spot for them—take a few photos before letting them go so you don't have to worry about forgetting them.
Source: Sears, C. (2025, April 15). 6 Things Worth Selling from Your Spring Clean This Year (and What to Donate). Better Homes & Gardens. https://www.bhg.com/spring-cleaning-what-to-sell-11714583