Be specific with your listing, embrace your niche: expert Vinted sellers share their tips | The Big Decluttering Guide

Eleanor knew Vinted was a great place for buying clothes, but a recent discovery has her raving about something else.

“ My ankles have been really hurting. I needed to stretch my calves, but the device I found to help cost £60 online, so I’d been putting off buying it. Then I suddenly thought: ‘Gosh, I wonder if they have them on Vinted.’”

It was a hunch that paid off. She did a quick search for “calf stretcher”, one came up and she immediately hit Buy Now. “I got it for a lot less”

The platform loved for secondhand fashion is now a brilliant source for a whole range of household items – from functional goods such as Eleanor’s calf stretcher, to quirky home decor, electronics, children’s items and beyond. It’s even inspired a brand new show, Live Better For Less, which sees lifestyle aficionados from across Europe (including Strictly judge Motsi Mabuse) help families part ways with their unused things on Vinted. But the appeal goes beyond the benefit of decluttering and earning a little extra money. It also includes the feeling of being part of something mutually beneficial and making the most of what we have. According to a Vinted study,* 56% of sellers take better care of their items in anticipation of selling them on.

“Buyers prefer authentic character over pristine mass-produced stuff,” says Lisa, who loves selling vintage homeware on the platform. The minor wear and patina add to the charm, she says, especially with lovely traditional materials such as wood, metal, glass and brass. Adding these details to your product description when selling is also best practice, as buyers then know what to expect.

Catherine, who sells equestrian gear she no longer needs, stumbled across Vinted’s horsey niche while looking for secondhand horse boots (to keep flies off the animal’s legs during hot weather). She’s since gone on to sell secondhand horse tack – girths, bits and a saddle gullet bar – as well as a trailer camera, which allows owners to watch their horse from the car when towing the trailer.

“I think Vinted has a nice community feel,” she says. “Sometimes you end up having a bit of a chat with someone you’re selling to or buying from. For example, someone who bought one of my girths wanted to know how quickly I could send it as she had the saddle fitter booked. I know how difficult it is to get an appointment with the saddle fitter, so I understood why she needed it so urgently. It arrived in time!”

Alison, the host of the top-rated Not Another Mummy podcast, appreciates how the platform benefits both buyers and sellers. “You can turn unwanted gifts or items that you or your kids don’t use any more into some extra cash.”

By branching out to other items, the platform has become a regular part of her household finances. “Last week, I sold £280 of unwanted kids toys and tech, which will be paying for my eldest’s 16th birthday present next month. Vinted genuinely is now part of how we budget and spend as a family.”

Alison has found luck with kids collectibles, an enduringly popular category on Vinted. “I sold some kids’ Yoto players [compact audio devices] and cards, and I couldn’t list them fast enough. People were clamouring to get them. It was adrenaline-fuelled as I tried to respond to messages and offers and bundle requests! Who knew they were so in demand?”

Even specialty buyers roam the virtual aisles here, according to Sarah, an art and book enthusiast who uses the platform to clear space on her shelves. “I sold Deborah Harkness books – they were in mint condition, signed by her – to somebody who collects.”

And so the cycle continues. As Eleanor describes it (in the case of her calf stretcher): “This one product was really helpful to somebody else, they’ve sent it on, and now it’s really helpful to me. And when I don’t need it any more, I’ll put it back on Vinted because it’ll really suit someone else.”

Sellers’ top tips

Embrace the niche
Often what makes a listing stand out is how much it doesn’t “fit in”. Expert bookseller Sarah says she’s discovered an appetite for specialised titles. “I had two copies of a book called Lost Time, Standing Still about the artwork of British painter Doreen Fletcher from 1983 to 2020,” she says. “It’s not a particularly expensive book but it’s hard to find.” They became some of her fastest-selling items.

Be specific with details
Measurements, condition, tech specifications all matter. “Dimensions are huge for homewares since sizing isn’t standard” says Lisa. “So adding exact measurements or holding the item [in your hand] on camera gives buyers instant confidence.”

Always use natural light for photographs
“Artificial light can totally change the colour of something – I’ve photographed something which is white and it turns out looking yellow or cream in the image. During winter, I’d only photograph items between 10am and 2pm, using natural light,” says podcaster Alison.

Ready to turn your unused items into some extra cash? List them on Vinted now

_{*Data retrieved from Vinted’s impact report 2025, for the report and methodology please visit: company.vinted.com/sustainability}