Storage Units: What to Know Before Storing Your Belongings

If you have fallen on hard times or are just looking to get some extra cash, you might be thinking about selling some of your jewelry to a pawn shop. Doing so is a great way to get money right away without having to find a private buyer, but you might be afraid that you won't get what you want for your pieces. Luckily, following a few tips can help you get as much as possible when selling your jewelry to a pawn shop.

1. Choose a Pawn Shop That Specializes in Jewelry

Most pawn shops buy and sell jewelry to some extent, but many specialize in other things. For example, some pawn shops focus more on selling guns, and others put more work into buying and selling electronics. To find the most interest and to hopefully fetch the highest prices for your pieces, look for a pawn shop that has a large section of jewelry for sale.

2. Sell Your Most Valuable Pieces, Not Your Prettiest Ones

You probably have your favorites in your jewelry box, but your favorite pieces might not be the ones that will get you the most money. Even beautiful costume jewelry that you paid a reasonably high price for won't compare to tarnished and broken gold jewelry in most cases. Put your emotions aside, and look for pieces that are made of real yellow or white gold or that feature real stones.

3. Clean Your Pieces

A good pawn shop has the right cleaning supplies and know-how to clean jewelry that comes in, but that doesn't mean that you shouldn't take a few minutes to clean your jewelry. If someone at the pawn shop can actually see your pieces on the shelf -- or even better, in a bag as someone is walking out the door after purchasing it -- then they are more likely to offer you more. Take a few minutes to polish and clean your pieces so that they look their most dazzling when you walk through the pawn shop doors.

Selling your jewelry to a pawn shop is a great way to make a few bucks and get rid of pieces that you no longer wear. If you are afraid that you won't get enough for your pieces, you shouldn't worry. If you follow these tips and check out a few different pawn shops, like Advanced Pawn Shop, to get offers, you might get more for your jewelry than you think.