Why Australians Sell Secondhand: Decluttering, Cost of Living and Extra Income
Why do Australians sell secondhand? One survey puts decluttering ahead of cost-of-living pressure and extra income. Find out what it means for selling furniture in Melbourne.
Quick summary
Why Australians sell secondhand has more to do with clearing space than making money, according to one recent survey. It put decluttering at 67%, cost-of-living pressure at 42% and extra income at 31%. Treat those figures as a useful signal, not settled fact: the research was commissioned by a business that benefits from resale, and the coverage didn’t publish its full method.
Selling secondhand furniture can mean different things to different people. You might want to clear space before a move, recover some money from unused items or earn extra income. One recent Australian resale survey suggests decluttering is the most commonly reported motivation. Here’s what the findings tell us, where the evidence falls short, and how to apply it when selling furniture in Melbourne.
What the Survey Found About Why Australians Sell Secondhand
According to Just Style, which reported on the research in August 2026, a survey commissioned by an online resale marketplace put decluttering at 67%, cost-of-living pressure at 42% and extra income at 31% as motives. The same research found that 88% of Australians say they have items at home they could resell.
The three motive figures add up to well over 100%, so respondents could clearly choose more than one reason. Cost of living was a common reason, but in this survey it ranked behind clearing space.
How Reliable Is the 67% Decluttering Figure?
Reliable enough to be a useful signal, not enough to build a headline on. Four limits matter:
- It isn’t independent. A marketplace paid for it, and that marketplace benefits when more people resell. That doesn’t make the numbers wrong, but it’s a reason to hold them loosely.
- Key details weren’t published. The coverage I read doesn’t give the sample size, how respondents were chosen, or whether the answers came only from people who sell.
- It leans towards clothing. The surrounding findings focus on unworn clothes and items with tags still on, so I wouldn’t assume furniture sellers split the same way.
- Answers overlap. Because people could pick several reasons, 67% for decluttering doesn’t mean 67% sold only for that reason.
I’m using it because it asks the question directly, and because a second report (below) shows how widespread clutter is.
Why Decluttering Comes First for Furniture Sellers
A separate report adds context. According to the 2025 PayPal Circular Economy Research Report, as covered by nestegg, 57% of Australians still have a clutter zone at home and 94% believe a good declutter helps, whether for the home, their mental health or both. It was also commissioned by a company with a commercial interest, in this case a payments provider, so the same caution applies.
Furniture is the clutter you can’t tuck into a drawer. A spare bookcase or cabinet, an old desk or a second dining table takes up floor space every day. Pieces like these can sit for years until something forces a decision: a move, a renovation, a new baby, a smaller home.
If a move is the trigger, selling furniture before moving house in Melbourne works backwards from your moving date. If you’re still deciding whether to sell, donate or dispose, the guide on what to do with old furniture in Melbourne walks through it.
Where Cost of Living and Extra Income Fit In
Cost of living still matters. At 42%, it was close to half of respondents, and selling a piece you no longer use is a sensible way to take some pressure off a budget. Extra income came in lower, at 31%. I’d expect that group to list more items and care more about price, but that is my expectation, not a survey finding.
The table below shows how each motive can change the way you list. The right-hand column is my reading, not survey data.
| Motive in the survey | Share of respondents | What it usually means for your listing |
|---|---|---|
| Decluttering | 67% | Set a clear-out date, price to move, offer flexible pickup, list the whole room together |
| Cost-of-living pressure | 42% | Set a realistic price based on comparable listings and your minimum acceptable amount |
| Extra income | 31% | List more items, note what sells, and relist at sensible prices |
Setting a price is where these motives pull apart, so the guide to pricing secondhand furniture in Melbourne is worth a look whichever group you’re in.
How Big Is Australia’s Resale Market?
For background only: according to Ragtrader, MMR Statistics values Australia’s resale sector at $34.61 billion for 2025, with growth of close to 10 per cent forecast for 2026. That covers resale broadly, not furniture specifically, so it doesn’t tell us how the secondhand furniture market is moving. It’s also a trade-press citation of MMR’s research rather than the research itself, and firms define resale differently, so treat it as scale, not precision.
Buyers Are Motivated Differently
The buying side reads differently. In the same PayPal research, saving money was the top reason for buying secondhand (64%), followed by managing cost-of-living pressures (40%). Furniture was among the popular secondhand purchases at 38%, behind books, DVDs, music and vinyl at 42% and level with clothing.
Put the two sides together and you get the practical tension in any secondhand marketplace: many sellers want the piece gone, while buyers are watching the price. Pricing to move is how the two meet. Melbourne’s rental market adds pressure on the buying side too, and our look at vacancy rates and secondhand furniture covers that.
What This Means If You’re Selling Furniture in Melbourne
If clearing space is your goal, which was the most common answer in this survey, a few habits help:
- Set the deadline first. A lease end, a move or a renovation date tells you how fast to price.
- Price to move. If a fair price brings few enquiries, lower it rather than letting the piece keep taking up room.
- List a room at a time. Photograph in daylight, add dimensions, and offer a few pickup windows so buyers can collect quickly.
- Decide what happens if it doesn’t sell. Donate or recycle it rather than keeping it in the hallway. The piece on furniture waste in Australia explains why that matters.
For the listing itself, our playbook for selling secondhand furniture faster on Zirkly covers photos, descriptions and pickup.
The Short Version
Why Australians sell secondhand comes down first to clearing space, then to cost of living and extra income, at least in the survey covered here. The data has real limits: both studies were commissioned by businesses with an interest in resale, and the method wasn’t fully published. My own recommendation for furniture sellers, which the survey doesn’t prove, is that a fair price and an easy pickup usually serve you better than holding out for the last dollar.
Ready to clear a room? Start selling on Zirkly. It’s free to list, with no commission.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do Australians sell secondhand items?
One recent survey, reported in August 2026, found decluttering was the most common motive at 67% of respondents, ahead of cost-of-living pressure (42%) and extra income (31%). Respondents could give more than one reason, so the figures overlap. The survey was commissioned by an online resale marketplace, so treat it as a signal rather than a verdict.
Is cost of living the main reason people sell secondhand?
In that survey, no. Cost-of-living pressure came second at 42%, behind decluttering at 67%. On the buying side, a separate report found saving money (64%) and managing cost-of-living pressures (40%) were among the top reasons for buying secondhand, so price matters a lot to buyers.
How reliable is the 67% decluttering figure?
It’s a useful signal with limits. The research was commissioned by a marketplace, the coverage didn’t give the sample size or method, the findings lean towards clothing, and respondents could pick several reasons. Use it alongside other sources rather than on its own.
How big is the secondhand market in Australia?
Ragtrader reported in March 2026 that MMR Statistics values Australia’s resale sector at $34.61 billion for 2025, with growth of close to 10 per cent forecast for 2026. That figure covers resale broadly rather than furniture specifically, and research firms define resale differently, so treat it as an indication of scale.
What furniture should I sell first when I’m decluttering?
Start with pieces that take up the most space and that you no longer use, such as a spare desk, a second dining table or an extra bookcase or cabinet. Bulky items free up the most room and are the hardest to store while you wait. The guide on what secondhand furniture sells in Australia can help you check demand before you list.
How do I sell furniture quickly when I’m clearing space in Melbourne?
Set a deadline, price to move, photograph in daylight, add dimensions and offer several pickup windows. If a fair price brings few enquiries, lower it rather than waiting. Listing a whole room at once also helps everything move together.
Where can I sell secondhand furniture locally in Melbourne?
You can list on Zirkly for free with no commission, message buyers in the app and arrange pickup that suits you. Listings show by suburb, so buyers nearby can find your piece.
How do I decide whether to sell or donate furniture I no longer need?
Sell pieces in good condition that a buyer would plausibly pay for, and donate ones that are still usable but unlikely to sell. If something is damaged or unsafe, don’t pass it on. Our guide on what to do with old furniture in Melbourne sets out the decision step by step.
Sujith
Zirkly Team
Sujith is the Founder of Zirkly, Melbourne's dedicated secondhand furniture marketplace. He writes about Melbourne's secondhand furniture market, consumer behaviour, and the circular economy, drawing on his experience building Zirkly and what helps furniture listings sell across Melbourne.
