Last updated: October 2026 · This is my own experience. What you make depends on what you sell and where you live.
Like a lot of families, we’d been putting everything we weren’t using into the garage. Then one day I went into the garage and started selling the things we weren’t using on local Facebook groups. We made £180 in a week. We sold things like our son’s bike (he’d outgrown it), a mirror and bedside cabinets. Buyers collected from our home, and we always asked them to test the item before they paid. They were happy with what they bought, and we were happy too. It wasn’t a get-rich-quick plan. It was simply clearing out cupboards, taking a few photos and letting someone nearby give our old things a new home. And I ended up with a tidier house and £180 in my pocket.
If you’ve got a garage, loft or spare room full of “I might need that one day”, here’s exactly how to turn it into cash, step by step: what to sell, how to price it, how to write a listing that sells, and how to stay safe.
To plan the next step, try my Side hustle tax calculator.
Why I sell locally on Facebook
- It’s free for local sales. Facebook doesn’t charge a fee when you arrange the payment and collection yourself.
- No posting. Buyers collect, so it’s perfect for big or awkward things like furniture, prams and toys.
- Lots of local buyers. Most areas have busy buy-and-sell groups, as well as Marketplace.
- It’s quick. Some things sell the same day.
For clothes and smaller items you can post, Vinted can be better. Here’s my guide on how to sell on Vinted UK.
Step 1: Declutter one room at a time
Start with the place where unused things pile up. For us, that was the garage. Then don’t try to do the whole house in a day. That’s how decluttering ends with everything in a pile in the hallway. Pick one room or one cupboard, and sort everything into four piles:
- Keep: you use it or love it
- Sell: in good condition and someone would pay for it
- Donate: still useful, but not worth the effort to sell
- Recycle or bin: broken or worn out
My tip: time it around the school holidays
We made our £180 in a single week. My tip is to do your clear-out during or just before the school holidays. Parents are at home looking after the children, so they’re happy to pop round and collect during the daytime, and it’s when lots of parents are looking for things like bikes, toys and garden furniture. It’s also a natural time to sort out what the kids have outgrown.
What sells well on Facebook?
- Furniture: bookcases, chests of drawers, tables, desks, garden furniture
- Baby and kids’ things: prams, cots, high chairs, toys, outgrown bikes
- Home and kitchen: small appliances, lamps, mirrors, storage
- Garden and DIY: tools, lawnmowers, plant pots
- Hobby and fitness kit: exercise bikes, weights, craft supplies
- Seasonal items: Christmas decorations in autumn, paddling pools in spring
Timing helps. Garden furniture sells best in spring, and Christmas decorations in October and November. If you’re decluttering now, autumn is a great time to sell toys before Christmas.
For baby items, be extra careful with safety. Car seats are best not sold second-hand, because hidden accident damage can’t be seen. Always check for product recalls before selling anything for children.
Give some things away for free
Not everything has to be sold. We gave some things away for free, like a sofa and a garden dining table, because we needed the space. They were in good condition, so someone nearby got something useful, and it saved us hiring a van or paying for a trip to the tip. Bulky furniture can be expensive and awkward to get rid of, so “free to collect” can be the cheapest option of all.
If you give things away, post them as free on Marketplace or your local group, say that the buyer must collect, and give measurements so people know it’ll fit. Facebook’s local groups and apps like Freecycle and Olio are great for this.
Step 2: Take clear, honest photos
- Use daylight near a window. It makes everything look better.
- Clean the item first and clear the background.
- Take 4 to 6 photos: the front, back, sides, any labels or brand names, and close-ups of any marks.
- Show any damage. It saves wasted trips and awkward conversations at the door.
Step 3: Price it to sell
Price from what similar things are selling for locally, not what you paid. Search Marketplace and your local groups for the same item and see what’s listed, and what’s gone quickly.
- Want it gone fast? Price a little below similar listings.
- Happy to wait? Price in the middle and allow a little room to negotiate.
- Not selling after a week? Drop the price, or relist with better photos.
Be ready for “Is this still available?” and “Would you take £X?” messages. Decide your lowest price before you list, so you can answer quickly.
Step 4: Write a listing that answers every question
A good listing saves you lots of messages. Include:
- What it is, including the brand and model if you know it
- Condition, honestly
- Measurements for furniture (people need to know if it fits in the car and the house)
- Collection area (just the town or area, not your full address)
- Whether it needs taking apart, and if you’ll help carry it
- Payment: cash on collection, or bank transfer before collection
Here’s an example listing:
Example: “White 5-shelf bookcase, good condition, a few small marks on one side (see photo 4). H 180cm × W 80cm × D 30cm. Collection from [area]. Already flat-packed. £[price], cash on collection.”
Step 5: Use Marketplace and local groups
Facebook lets you sell on Marketplace and in buy-and-sell groups. I’d use both:
- Marketplace reaches lots of people in your area.
- Local groups (search your town’s name plus “buy and sell” or “selling”) often have keen local buyers. Read each group’s rules first: some only allow certain items or certain days.
Follow Facebook’s Commerce Policies too, because some things, like medicines and some electricals, can’t be sold.
Step 6: Sell safely
- Keep messages on Facebook where you can, so there’s a record.
- Watch for scams. Common ones include fake “payment sent” emails, buyers asking you to click a link to “receive” money, buyers who want to send a courier and overpay, and requests for codes sent to your phone. If anything feels odd, don’t go ahead.
- Get paid before the item goes. Cash on collection, or check the bank transfer has actually arrived in your banking app.
- For small items, meet in a busy public place.
- For big items collected from home, have someone else in, and put the item in a porch or garage if you can. That’s how we sold ours: buyers came to the garage.
- Let buyers test it before they pay. We always asked buyers to check or test the item before handing over the money, especially anything electrical. It means no arguments later, and buyers leave happy.
Do you pay tax on selling your old things?
Usually not. GOV.UK says there’s no new tax on selling things online. If you’re decluttering and selling your own unwanted possessions, you probably won’t owe tax.
Online platforms now share information with HMRC about sellers who sell 30 or more items, or earn about £1,700 or more, in a year. That doesn’t mean you owe tax. It’s just information.
It’s different if you buy things to resell or make things to sell for profit. That can count as trading. If that income is more than £1,000 a year before expenses, you may need to register for Self Assessment. My side hustle tax and £1,000 trading allowance guide explains more.
What to do with the money
It’s so tempting to spend it, but decluttering money is perfect for:
- Starting your emergency fund: here’s my guide to your first £1,000
- Christmas savings in a sinking fund
- Paying off a small debt
And the best part: you won’t fill the space back up if you’re mindful about what you buy next.
Selling on Facebook: FAQs (UK)
Does Facebook Marketplace charge fees in the UK?
There is no listing or selling fee for local sales where you arrange payment and collection yourself. Facebook’s built-in delivery and checkout are not currently offered for UK Marketplace sales. Paid listing boosts and separately arranged delivery can cost extra.
How do I find local selling groups?
Search Facebook Groups for your town or area plus “buy and sell”, “selling” or “for sale”, and ask to join. Read the rules before posting.
What’s the safest way to get paid?
Cash on collection, or a bank transfer you’ve checked has arrived in your account before the buyer takes the item. Never click payment links sent by buyers.
Do I have to pay tax on things I sell on Facebook?
Not usually, if you’re selling your own unwanted things. If you buy or make things to sell for profit and earn over £1,000 a year, you may need to tell HMRC.
My Facebook selling summary
- I decluttered my home and made £180 selling on local Facebook groups.
- Declutter one room at a time into keep, sell, donate and recycle.
- Take clear photos, price from local listings and answer every question in the listing.
- Use Marketplace and local groups, and get paid before the item leaves.
- Selling your own things usually isn’t taxed.
What’s the first thing you’re going to sell? Tell me in the comments.
Sources
- GOV.UK: Information for online sellers (checked 9 October 2026)
- Facebook: Selling on Marketplace
This is my personal experience, not a promise of any earnings. Check Facebook’s current rules and fees before selling.
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- Vinted tax explained
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- Vinted seller safety
- Side hustle tax calculator
- Start a practical money makeover
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