How to Find Out What Mom's Stuff Is Actually Worth | Free 7-Step Guide

Why this matters

Stop wrapping mystery crystal in newspaper.

When you are helping mom pack up a house she has lived in for thirty years, there is a moment where you pick something up and think: is this worth anything, or am I carefully wrapping a worthless bowl for the next hour?

Google can answer that in about 45 seconds, for free, without calling anyone. Most families give away far more value than they realize, so this little habit pays for itself the first afternoon you use it. Here is exactly how.

A mother and daughter looking at a family brooch together at the kitchen table — Some things are worth money. Some are worth more than money. This guide helps you tell which is which.

The seven steps

Your phone, Google, and 45 seconds.

Open Google on your phone

Open the Google app and find the small camera icon on the right side of the search bar. Tap it.

iPhone users: if you do not see the camera icon, download the free Google app from the App Store first.

The Google app with the camera icon on the right side of the search bar — The camera icon sits at the right end of the search bar.

Take a photo of the item

Set the item on a plain white towel or countertop. Get close, and make sure the lighting is decent. If there is a brand name or logo anywhere on the piece, get that in the shot too.

Photographing a vintage teacup and saucer on a plain linen napkin with a phone — Plain background, good light, get close.

Read what comes up

Google shows what it thinks the item is, plus similar items for sale right now. Scroll through and look for price ranges. If it is showing up on eBay or Etsy, that is a good sign it has real value.

Google Lens results showing matching vintage china with price ranges — Matches with price ranges, straight from the photo.

Tap the Shopping tab

At the top of the results, tap Shopping. eBay sold listings tell you what an item actually sold for, not just what someone is asking. If it is listed on multiple platforms, there is real demand.

The Shopping tab in Google results showing the same china listed on eBay and Etsy — The Shopping tab shows real listings and real demand.

Search the maker's mark

Flip the item over. Most china, pottery, and silverware carry a small mark stamped on the bottom. Photograph that too. If Google does not recognize it, type what you see and add the words "maker's mark."

The maker's mark stamped on the underside of a china plate — The mark on the bottom is often the whole story.

Know what is actually worth selling

Some categories surprise people in both directions. The grid below is the short version.

A flatlay of household items: cast iron pan, depression glass, silver spoon, commemorative plate, VHS tape, and figurine — Same shelf, very different values. The cheat sheet below sorts them.

Know when to call a professional

If something looks like it could be worth $200 or more, get a second opinion. A local antique dealer will usually look for free, eBay sold listings give you a reality check, and for jewelry or fine art, find a certified appraiser.

The cheat sheet

Worth more than you would think, and less.

Usually worth real money

Depression glass, cast iron cookware, vintage Pyrex, sterling silver (look for a 925 stamp), mid-century furniture, and vintage advertising tins.

Usually worth less than hoped

Commemorative plates, VHS tapes, encyclopedias, and most mass-produced figurines. Sentimental value is real value too, it just is not resale value.

One more thing, from the listing side

What is still in the house when it goes on the market affects how buyers see it, what it photographs like, and what it sells for. Clearing things out thoughtfully, before listing rather than after, is one of the biggest things a family can do to protect the price. It is also exactly the kind of planning I help with.

Ready for the bigger picture?

The stuff is one chapter. Here is the whole book.

If you are helping mom figure out this next season, the house, the options, the timing, start with the full downsizing guide. And when your family wants a real number for the home, or just a quiet conversation, I am easy to reach.

Read the downsizing guide → Call or text 801.420.2284

Kelsie Jimenez · The Perry Group · Real Broker LLC
kelsie.jimenez@theperry.group