8 Ways to Make Money Off Spring Cleaning

Before you clean your home with store-bought chemicals and toss your clutter in the dumpster, consider these tips to make money while spring cleaning.

1. Use natural cleaning products. Most homemade cleaners rely on super cheap items you probably already have at home: vinegar, lemon juice, and baking soda. But do they work?

I tested homemade cleaners in two super dirty rooms - my kitchen and bathroom - and was shocked by the results.

I scrubbed my kitchen sink with baking soda, skeptical that it would leave the porcelain sparkling white like my usual solution of diluted bleach. But guess what? After less than two minutes of scrubbing, a few tablespoons of baking soda on a steel wool pad washed away stains. My sink was white! Plus, I didn't have to breath in toxic fumes. Score!

Would I see the same results in the bathroom?
Even the toughest chemicals were powerless to remove the white drip marks on my black bathroom tile. (Don't ask me why my landlord chose black tile. The stuff shows every speck of dirt!)

I applied a good dose of baking soda to a damp sponge and got to work. It seemed to do the job, removing the white marks from the wall tiles, but I had to wait until the tiles dry to really tell. Tick tock tick tock.

The before and after pictures were amazing! I'll definitely be cleaning with baking soda in the future.

2. BuyMyTronics.com will buy your unwanted iPod and other electronics.

3. Head to your local consignment shop to sell whatever clothes don't fit, are out of style, or remind you of that terrible date you are trying to black out.

4. SimplySellular.com gives you an estimate online of how much they will buy your cell phone for, then sends you the cash in about 45 days. Damaged phones won't pass their inspection tests. (My old RAZR is not worth the $12 they quoted me because part of the screen is whited out.)

5. Haul unwanted books to your local used bookstore. You will get the most money for recent titles in excellent condition.

6. The price of gold has gone up so much recently that pawn shops are paying nice prices of jewelry. Do a little research first to know what a good price for your item is.

7. Hold a garage sale to unload file cabinets, decorative pillows, kitchenware, small appliances, chairs, gently used furniture, electronics, CDs, books, artwork, mirrors, clothes, bicycles, musical instruments video games, toys. Is there anything you CANNOT sell at a garage sale? To get the best prices and move a lot of your belongings make sure items are very clean and well organized. Advertise at major intersections and on Craigslist. Mention specific brands and other salient details in your Craigslist post. Join forces with a friend if
your location is poor or if you don’t have too much to sell. Price items at no more than 50% of what you paid or at 25% or less if the item is clearly used. Be flexible if buyers want a deal. Remember how good it feels to talk someone down in price? Allow some room for dropping your prices. By 11 a.m. if traffic slows cut your prices by
half. Wouldn’t you rather sell a shirt for $.25 than drag it to Goodwill?

8. Donate whatever you cannot sell. Get a receipt so you can write it off on your taxes.