Raising twins is non-stop, and let’s be honest, expensive. Between, clothes and toys they outgrow overnight, and all the extra “stuff” that comes with having two at once, the costs add up fast. One of the easiest ways I’ve found to bring in a bit of extra cash (and reclaim some sanity in the house) is by decluttering. You’d be surprised how much money is hiding in cupboards, and how much calmer life feels when the clutter’s gone.
Here’s how I usually tackle it, plus a few extra ways to squeeze some money out of things you’ve probably got lying around.
Sort Into Four Piles
Don’t try to tackle the whole house at once. Start small, like one cupboard or one corner. Make four piles as you go:
- Keep: Only stuff you actually use or love.
- Sell: Good condition, worth something to someone else.
- Throw: Broken or unsafe (recycle where you can).
- Donate: Lower value items or bulky lower value items
👉 Tip: have bags or boxes ready so you don’t end up with messy piles all over the floor.
I’ve also used a spare space to store the items, freeing up the home of that clutter, sooner rather than later. Plus, it helps you remember where you put everything when it finally sells.
Sell the Good Stuff
This is where the money comes in. A few places that work really well for me so far:
- eBay: I stick to “Buy It Now” instead of auctions. I’ve lost out too many times with low bids as visibility can be low if not promoting. There’s even a collect option which I’ve used and this was fantatsic – the buyer collected and I had to scan the QR code – so it all felt very legit and structured.
- Vinted: Brilliant for kids’ clothes and shoes (especially when they’ve been worn twice before the twins grew out of them).
Other options, but not my faviourite
- Facebook Marketplace/Gumtree: Great for bulky things like buggies or cots. No postage hassle, people just come and collect.
- Car boot sales: Perfect for the random bits you don’t think are worth listing online. I’ve had some decent success rates in the past – it’s just not a place I would take the kids when selling. You ca’t be distracted at car boots and I’ve even had people steal items from the tables.
Electronics
Old tech can be worth more than you think:
- Phones, tablets, laptops – Music Magpie and Mazuma Mobile have been my past favourites
- Consoles and game – again, Music Magpie or CEX
- DVDs, CDs, Blu-rays – Music Magpie again comes up trumps for these or CEX
- Hair irons, curlers and hair dryers – eBay is great for these, just show pictures of them being plugged in and with lights on
Books
Books take up space and some sell surprisingly well.
- We Buy Books or Sell Your Books: I’ve made a few quid selling old books on these. They don’t buy all titles and cross check other sites for the same books. Any titles they don’t buy, consider donating or trying eBay.
- Amazon Marketplace: Yet to sell on here but currently researching for the niche titles we have. We have some decent books in very good condition that will sell well here. I’ll do more about the journey on this at some point.
- First editions: Quick Google check might be worth it. You never know if you are sitting on a 1st edition valuable book. Check online and look at selling at aution houses such as Sotherbys.
Hidden Treasures
Sometimes the best money-makers are things you didn’t even realise had value.
- Vintage Cash Cow: Send off old coins, jewellery, cutlery, watches, medals… they’ll value it and make an offer.
- Gold & silver: Even broken chains or single earrings have scrap value. Local bullion shops or jewllery shops might buy your scraps.
- Records: If you have any old vinyl that you don’t want anymore, you could look at specialist record shops, eBay or places like Hard To Find Records. Personally, I’m selling my collection on eBay to maximise the price I get.
Donate the Rest
Anything that doesn’t sell but is still usable, pass it on to a local charity shop. Keeping a “donation bag” tucked away in a cupboard makes it easy to add things as you go. Just check with the shop what items they are looking for. Some shops are filled and not taking more donations – so you don’t want to create more work for them by passing on your old goods. Check other towns local to you as well and see what items they are taking in. Always make sure items have all working parts, are clean and sellable.
A couple of hours of sorting can give you a tidier house, a clearer head, and a bit of extra money in your pocket. And honestly, when you’re raising twins, that extra space (and cash) makes a real difference. It’s a job worth doing, if you can put aside the time. I’ve even loaded up items such as Lego Mini Figures and Lol Dolls as individual items and they have been selling quite well.
