How people are making money from clutter and unwanted gifts

You can’t always avoid bad presents - but you can still make them worthwhile to someone

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A new year clearout can be a great way to make room for gifts you received over the festive period or to get rid of unwanted ones, as well as offloading unused clutter and making a bit of extra cash.

But rather than letting unwanted items rot in the loft or the back of the shed, you could make money by selling them online - or save money on having to buy presents for others by regifting.

Research by online selling platform Vinted identified a surge in sales of unwanted gifts in January, with listings up by nearly a third (29.4 per cent) annually.

The top five listed categories for unwanted gifts between Christmas day and early January were perfume, jewellery, makeup, body care, and facial care.

Here are the best ways of getting rid of unwanted items, from gifts to old and unused gadgets.

Be honest

Whether it's Christmas or your birthday, sometimes a gift just goes wrong.

A recent survey by consumer watchdog Which? about unwanted gifts found one respondent received a Tottenham Hotspur book even though they supported Chelsea and another was gifted a helicopter ride by their daughter - despite having vertigo and a fear of flying.

You will usually need proof of purchase to return an unwanted item, which may mean being honest with whoever gave you the gift to see if they still have the receipt and can arrange a refund. They may even give you the cash instead.

Lisa Webb, consumer law expert at Which? said: “It’s hard to think of a more disappointing present than used pyjamas or rotten fruit but our research shows that a fifth of us have been left wondering what to do with an unwanted gift.

“It’s always worth getting a gift receipt so your loved one has the option to return their gift if needed.

“Sometimes, for online orders, only the buyer can request a refund or exchange. But if the item was marked as a gift when ordered, the retailer’s returns policy may enable a recipient to return or exchange it.”

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Regift

Just because you don’t like a present, that doesn’t mean it won't interest someone else.

(Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Start a gift cupboard so you have readymade access to presents you didn’t want, so you can pass them on for birthdays, anniversaries, or other celebrations.

This is a risky strategy if you get caught by the present giver so make sure you keep a note of who gave it to you!

Helen Dewdney, of consumer website The Complaining Cow, also suggests planning a regifting party with friends or colleagues.

She said: “Re-wrap all the gifts you don’t want and everyone puts them in the middle of the table.

“You all get raffle tickets and when your ticket is pulled out you can pick a gift, or steal a gift from someone else if you think it looks good.”

At the end everyone unwraps their packages at the same time. You can, of course, swap with others afterwards or just regift another time.

Sell online

You could make money out of your unwanted items by selling them online. There are a range of options online, including auction website eBay, preloved and Vinted.

Rohit Parmar-Mistry, founder at business consultancy Pattrn Data, said: “eBay remains king for reach, while Vinted and Depop take the crown for clothing.

“Avoid Facebook Marketplace unless you enjoy a treasure trove of dodgy half-chancers and time wasters.”

Watch out for tax traps though. HMRC provides a £1,000 online trading allowance, but after that you may have to report any untaxed income to the taxman through self-assessment.

Repurpose or donate

If selling and even regifting seems too time-consuming, another option is repurposing.

Dewdney said: “Get creative with clothing and accessories. If clothes are too big you could take them to your local tailor or seamstress for alteration. They can tweak the overall style too. Or make them into cushions or bags or dye them. Remodel jewellery by reshaping and refashioning.”

Alternatively, you could just donate unwanted items to charity shops or food banks.

This is the “good karma” option, said Parmar-Mistry. Plus, if you sign up with the charity you will receive a donor number on your items and can claim Gift Aid on any sales - making it tax-efficient.

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