A household clear-out is an easy way to raise cash in a recession. And with a ready market for everything from CDs to hand-me-down clothes, you should be able to make a few hundred pounds without flogging the family silver.

The best places to sell are websites such as eBay.co.uk, and local auction houses. Be sure to check fees and commission - eBay charges up to 9 per cent, plus a nominal “insertion fee”. Auctioneers should be happy to make free identifications and valuations.

Ian Peel, author of the Rough Guide to eBay, says that the key to selling online is to give as full a description of an item as possible - with good photos. “For example, someone selling old magazines will even list the adverts and features in them,” he adds.

He advises people to list books, CDs and DVDs at the Marketplace section of Amazon.co.uk, rather than on eBay. “You don't have to enter a detailed description because Amazon will already have the cover art, as well as editorial and customer reviews,” he explains.

Below is Times Money's pick of the best frequently found items to sell.

Music and film

With music collections increasingly stored on computers and iPods, many readers are likely to have stacks of unwanted CDs. Mr Peel says that the shift from discs to downloads means that demand for the former will tumble within the next couple of years. He adds: “Now is your last chance to sell second-hand at a reasonable price.”

He listed 160 of his old CDs for sale at Amazon Marketplace recently - selling about 100 at more than £4 each, after the site's fees and commission. DVDs are also threatened by downloads and sell for a similar price.

Books

Newish paperbacks can sell for a pound or two each, after fees, at Amazon Marketplace or on eBay. However, first editions fetch much more - with Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone making up to £9,000 in salerooms. Check dealers' prices at Abebooks.com to get a feel for the market.

Old magazines are a popular collectible. Mr Peel says that the fastest sellers on eBay include fashionable 1980s and 1990s titles, such as The Face. He adds: “Worst case, you should make back the cover price.”

Electronics

Laptops and iPods are among the most sought items on eBay, and pristine, boxed examples fetch hundreds of pounds. Buyers in search of parts, or a bargain, will also snap up PCs in normal, used condition. Mr Peel says: “A laptop from a few years ago will be fine for the basics, such as word-processing and web use, and a good deal at, say, £40.”

This year eBay has reported a surge of interest in apparently obsolete technology, with boxed Sega Megadrive games consoles making up to £250 and Sony cassette Walkmans up to £60. Carey Maguire, of eBay, says: “Retro technology has a real kitsch value and many people have fond memories of it from childhood.”

Furniture

Elizabeth Talbot, senior auctioneer at TW Gaze and an expert on the BBC's Flog it! programme, says that the credit crunch has boosted the market in used furniture. “It's win-win,” she explains. “People are selling to raise cash, and others are buying because older pieces are excellent value.”

She adds that larger Victorian pieces, such as wardrobes, and mid-20th century items, are popular sellers. At recent sales, a 19th-century cupboard in painted pine made £520, while a 1950s “lounge chair” made £150.

Clothes and jewellery

The contents of your wardrobe may have a value, too, with vintage and designer items the biggest sellers. Ms Talbot says that there is significant demand for characteristic 1940s fashion for themed nights - so think twice before carting grandma's old frocks to Oxfam. Meanwhile, the TV hit Mad Men has increased interest in 1950s and 1960s cool. At the time of writing a 1950s leather jacket by Levi Strauss in worn condition was listed on eBay with a starting bid of £99.99.

Ms Talbot says that the perception of gold as a safe haven has boosted sales of jewellery in the metal. She adds: “Sales of gems, especially to the county set, have also increased.”

Elsewhere in the house

Philip Serrell, of Philip Serrell Auctioneers, also an expert on Flog it!, says that “kitchenalia”, such as blue and white ware by TG Green, is selling well. Mr Peel adds that it is worth listing even odd items, such as incomplete tea sets, on eBay, where buyers may use them to complete their own.

Your home's fixtures and fittings may also be valuable - for instance, period fireplaces, Belfast sinks and decorative tiles are popular with design-conscious DIY-ers. A pair of decorative brass door handles sold for £100 at TW Gaze - alongside a marble fire surround at £460 and a number of Art Deco chrome towel rails for about £10 each.

Banking on bootsales

Selling at a car boot sale can make a fun day out and is the easiest way to shift items fast if you are willing to go cheap. The main disadvantage over selling online or at auction is that goods will not be listed on the internet, where they can be found by potential buyers worldwide.

Car boot sales are listed in local newspapers and on websites, such as carbootjunction.com. Sellers pay a “pitch fee” of about £3 to £10, and do not normally have to book in advance. It is best to ask organisers when you should arrive, however, as this may be up to two hours before the advertised start time.

There are a number of potential set-up costs. You will need a folding table, or at least a rug, to spread your wares on, for example, and a folding chair to spare your legs. Other necessities are price tags, change, carrier bags for buyers, and a book - in case business is slow.

Food and drink are generally available on site, but most sellers bring sandwiches and bottles of water, or flasks of tea or coffee.

Note that dealers will sometimes trawl sales early in search of bargains. Do not be too tempted to sell for a song - you can always accept an offer later in the day. Check guidelines on boot sales at www.tradingstandards.gov.uk.

Star buys

With Britons queuing up to cash in on their clutter, there are plenty of bargains to be had in second-hand goods, antiques and collectibles. Here are some of the highlights:

- You can now pick up 20th-century designer furniture with quality and character at Argos-busting prices. For example, TW Gaze, auctioneer in Norfolk, recently sold a 1960s sideboard by Isokon for £60, and five C3 stacking chairs by David Colwell's Trannon company - a 1989 design classic - for £190.

- Another cheap area is predigital photographic equipment. Used 35mm cameras by top makes, such as Nikon, are arguably as good as anything made today and sell online for a fraction of their 1990s values. Check buyers guides beforehand at auction websites, such as eBay, for some common pitfalls.

- Prices for fine wines have tumbled, with a case of 2005 vintage Château Lafite Rothschild Bordeaux now selling for £6,000, down from £11,000 last summer.

- The art market has suffered a downturn, too, with the recent Impressionist and modern art sale at Sotheby's raising £32.5 million, well short of its £46 million estimate. Works by a range of urban artists, including Banksy, may go cheap at Bonhams on Tuesday.

- People list goods to give away at websites such as uk.freecycle.org. Recipients usually have to collect items, which include furniture, bicycle parts, old magazines and crockery.