I made £2,000 in 2 months looking in the back of my cupboards - this is how you can too

A mum-of-three from the Peak District has pocketed more than £2,000 in just over two months by selling forgotten and unwanted items around her home.

Lisa Beever, 35, said the side hustle started out of necessity, with two of her children's birthdays falling just before Christmas and no income after finishing maternity leave. She set herself a mission to raise £1,000 in one month to ease the financial burden. She told Express.co.uk: "I'd just finished maternity leave and didn't have any income coming in yet, so I set myself a challenge to raise £1,000 a month by clearing out the house. We had so much stuff lying around - old phones, cameras, kids' toys and clothes - and I thought, why not turn it into cash?"

Inspired by home organisation guru Stacey Solomon, Ms Beever began the declutter. She started small, listing an old iPhone XR and a camera, before realising just how valuable her unused items could be.

She said: "I started with things we didn't use anymore, like my old iPhone and a camera gathering dust, then moved on to the kids' outgrown clothes and toys."

Ms Beever now makes thousands of pounds selling second-hand items on platforms like Vinted and other online marketplaces.

Ms Beever said: "Mainly Vinted for clothes and baby bits, and a few online sites for old tech. I've found Vinted great for timing things right - listing seasonal stuff like Halloween or Christmas outfits just when people start looking."

In just two and a half months, Ms Beever's cupboard cleanout earned her more than £2,000 - helping her head into Christmas with money to spare.

She said: "It's honestly made such a big difference. I've just come off maternity leave and I'm setting up my childminding business, so having that extra income each month takes a lot of pressure off. It's helped cover the day-to-day costs - food shops, bills, things for the kids - and means I can start putting money aside for Christmas without worrying."

Ms Beever's story comes as Virgin Media O2 research showed Brits could make up to £541 for Christmas by trading in old tech through O2 Recycle.

According to the network provider's survey, 60% of Brits are worried about meeting Christmas costs, and 40% are already looking for ways to earn extra cash before December. A further 67% would recycle old tech if they knew it could fund their Christmas spending.

The updated O2 Recycle service lets customers send in up to five devices at once with free postage. Each item is wiped, refurbished or recycled - with nothing sent to landfill.

Ms Beever has urged other families to check their own cupboards to see if they have anything to sell.

She said: "Start with what you've already got lying around in drawers, cupboards, even the garage. You'll be amazed how much value is just sitting there.

"Try to time your listings around what people are looking for, like festive outfits or toys in the run-up to Christmas. And don't overthink it. Once you get started, it's really satisfying - and a bit addictive - seeing things sell and the money add up."