We all have those boxes of junk that we haven’t touched in years but keep tucked away in our cupboards, garages, or attics. If you have finally put the procrastination aside and started sorting through them, it could be useful in more ways than one. 

You will be doing some cathartic reorganizing and may even uncover some forgotten items that are emotionally valuable. Plus, you could actually be sitting on a treasure trove of earning potential that you weren’t previously aware of. 

If you feel like you have a mountain of junk and clutter that is weighing you down, don’t be too hasty to throw it away – you could make some money off of it. Here are a few ways to make money from your junk. 

Scrapyards

Scrapyards make money off of scrap metal, and in the same way, they are usually willing to pay for it too. Copper is one of the most in-demand metals, but you can still make some money getting rid of your scrap if it is iron. Depending on the scrapyard, they may even be willing to fetch your scrap metal if you have enough of it. 

You are more likely to find substantial amounts of scrap metal if you work in construction, potentially giving you another income stream. However, scrap metal can come from many different sources, including cars, bikes, file cabinets, cans, old barbeque grills, etc.

Yard Sales

Yard sales (or garage sales) are a very common and effective method for getting rid of unwanted household items while making a bit of extra cash. This age-old method has stood the test of time, and whatever you don’t sell, you can donate to a local charity. 

Garage sales are convenient because you can sell everything you don’t want at the same time, and you don’t even need to leave the comfort of your home. Put your junk up for sale and invite your neighbors over to come and see what they would like to buy. Be sure to price your items fairly and be prepared for negotiations. Make sure you display them in an attractive, organized way, and try your best to host the sale in nice weather. 

When you’re done, take whatever is left to a local charity. You can even forego the yard sale altogether and just take your unwanted items down to Goodwill or the Salvation Army. Take notes of what you’re donating, and keep the receipt given to you by the charitable organization so that when tax time comes around, you can get a discount on your federal income taxes – it could even potentially help you land a refund. 

Make And Sell Your Own Compost

Extra compost is surprisingly easy to sell; plus, you will be saving money by making your own. Use the power of word of mouth to tell your friends, put up a sign, or use Facebook and Craigslist to advertise. You’ll find plenty of buyers if your price is reasonable. 

Sell Old Motor Oil or Cooking Oil

A lot of people enjoy fixing up or servicing cars. If you are one of these people, or if it is your profession, you will likely have a lot of used motor oil. The same goes for people who frequently deep fry food or own a restaurant; there is likely a lot of excess cooking oil that needs to be disposed of. 

Did you know that you can actually sell your old oil? If you’re unsure where to look for sellers, a quick Google search will show you a few options. It should be relatively easy to find a buyer; motor oil is usually in high demand, and cooking oil is becoming a more popular source of biodiesel. 

Sell Your Used Bottles and Cans

Do a bit of research into whether or not your state has a bottle bill. If it does, you can easily get money back for every bottle or can that you recycle. If your state doesn’t have a bottle bill, don’t give up hope – there are other options. 

Many local recycling companies are willing to pay for glass bottles and cans, and some even go as far as to collect them from your home. Supermarkets or bottle stores are also a good option – many of them accept these items and will even pay out a bottle or can deposit. 

As you can see, there are quite a few creative ways that you can turn your junk into money. However, there will always be items that you can’t donate or sell. Instead of letting them pile up, call a junk removal company to help you remove and dispose of any extra junk. 

Call Junk Boss today for professional and prompt service from a friendly, reliable, and environmentally-conscious junk removal team.