Got stuff that needs to go? We have ideas on where you can sell things in Champaign-Urbana
From online marketplaces to annual consignment events, here’s where you can sell some of your family’s items that you no longer need
Do you remember that show that helped people organize their homes? It suggested you have three labeled boxes when you’re cleaning out your clutter: throw away, donate and sell.
We know you know where to throw things away. We’ve covered where you can drop off things to donate. A big thing now is swapping or giving away things when they aren’t trash, but maybe aren’t appropriate for sale or donation, either (and yes there’s a local group for that too). But what about those items you’d like to sell? We round up local options and group them below.
Keep in mind, the suggestions below are what we’ve compiled based on what’s available in Champaign-Urbana. You are solely responsible for carrying out your sales and Chambanamoms.com does not specifically endorse or promote any of the resources listed below, nor are we able to help troubleshoot technical issues or otherwise you may encounter while utilizing one of these resources to sell your things.
Selling Locally through Online Marketplaces
With each of these online sales options, you will connect with potential buyers and arrange a meet-up to sell your things on your own. There’s no fee for utilizing any of these sites and you take sole responsibility for your transaction, including appropriate safety measures involved in meeting up with strangers. (The Champaign Police Department offers some options, as well as safety tips for online sales, here.)
Some people choose to offer no-contact porch pick-up, which involves leaving the item on the seller’s porch and the buyer leaves the money under a mat or such.
Other items, such as furniture, may necessitate that buyers come to the house to check out your item. We recommend moving the item (couch, etc.) to an outdoor location for sale whenever possible.
Facebook Garage Sale Sites and Facebook Marketplace
There are two main ways to sell stuff via Facebook. There’s Facebook Marketplace, where you can find local buyers — or sell to people from all over the place. There are also many local Facebook groups in and around Champaign-Urbana; if you join one of these groups, you have the option to publish your item to Marketplace in addition to the group you’re listing it to.
A few of the local buy/sell groups on Facebook:
- Champaign County Garage Sale (Sell your stuff here)
- Champaign Mom Swap (mainly kids items)
- Free and For Sale at UIUC (this tends to cater to students but open to all)
- Mahomet Area Garage Sales
- Saint Joseph-Ogden Area Garage Sale
- Tuscola Area Buy, Sell & Trade
You can always JUST post to the Facebook Marketplace by clicking on the Facebook icon that looks like a house.
VarageSale exists as its own app, but will require you to log in with Facebook so it can verify who you are. Operating a lot like Facebook Marketplace, this is just another way to sell your stuff to a local group of buyers. You can see a buyer’s “ratings” by clicking on their VarageSale profile, so you can find out about the possibility of no-shows, etc. ahead of time. The VarageSale mobile app is easy to navigate but you can use the website on your computer, too.
OfferUp is another mobile app which offers a way to sell locally. It operates similarly to VarageSale but doesn’t require you to log in with Facebook. It claims to be obsessive about safety.
Yes, this is still a thing. Compared to the other options above, which allow you to see a person’s photo and verify their local status, craigslist seems a bit more ambiguous as you prepare for a meet-up with a stranger. However, you can find eager buyers here, especially for larger items, like furniture and some baby items Marketplace won’t let you sell, and you can find buyers who are not on Facebook.
Selling Locally: Champaign-Urbana Area Consignment Stores and Sales
The consignment method of selling your items involves either dropping off your items at a brick and mortar store or holding your items for an annual or semi-annual consignment event. We have some great options for these in Champaign-Urbana. Consignment means that someone else will carry out the actual sale, with the owner receiving a designated percentage of the sale price.
Kids Stuff:
One Week Boutique: Typically happening twice a year with a focus on the two different seasons (Fall/Winter or Spring/Summer), One Week Boutique is popular with Champaign-Urbana families. Register as a consignor well in advance of the actual sale so you make sure you get all the instructions along the way from the OWB, and pace yourself to get ready. You’ll even get perks, like the opportunity to shop the sale before the public. Big items are very popular here (think strollers, pack n’plays, swings, outdoor toys, etc.)
All Things Kids: Drop off your gently used items during designated hours at this Champaign consignment store. The money from your sales is registered as credit in your consignor account; use that credit to shop or request cash or check.
Women’s Clothing and Accessories:
Karen’s Kloset in Champaign: Accepts designer and better label items including apparel, shoes, and accessories in “like new” condition; it accepts only current fashions in new, ready-to-sell condition. Learn how to consign here.
Divine Consign: A typically twice annual consignment event featuring women’s clothing and accessories.
Women, Men and Children:
Briella’s Boutique in Savoy specializes in consignment of women’s, men’s and children’s clothing. It takes consignors by appointment only. Learn more.
Plato’s Closet in Champaign buys “gently used teen and young adult clothes, shoes and accessories that are in good condition.” If Plato’s likes what you bring, it will pay you in cash on the spot (rather than the traditional consigning model of giving you a percentage after the sale). Be aware that Plato’s mostly buys (and therefore sells) clothes that fit its definition of “trendy.” Learn more here.
Furniture and Housewares Consignment:
Two popular options are Classic Home Consignment or Crossroads Corner Consignment, both in Champaign. We also hear about a lot of people utilizing Willow Tree Missions in Monticello.
Selling Outside of the Local Area Online — outside of Facebook
The go-to here still remains eBay. You may be intimidated selling on eBay, but for certain items it’s worth the investigation. If you have something like a comic book collection, collectible baseball cards or other niche items that may need to find a buyer beyond C-U, you can check out eBay. You also need PayPal set up to send and receive money. The most time-consuming piece here is packaging your items and shipping them at the post office. However, it’s certainly do-able and can be a worthy investment of your time depending on the category of items you’re selling; we know of someone who sold a childhood comic book collection to pay for a home renovation project!
