Best For: Unloading ordinary items, like appliances, furniture, and books.

How They Work: Once you're at a for-sale site, find the link to post your own ad. You'll be asked to fill out a headline, a brief description of what you've got, what you want for it, and how to contact you. This takes only a minute or two. Once your ad is posted, prospective buyers will contact you via e-mail (or phone, if you put your number in the ad). You can e-mail them a photo and, if they're still interested, arrange a time for them to look at your goods.

Where to Go: www.craigslist.org got its start as an electronic community bulletin board in San Francisco but now operates in 18 cities (the smallest site is for Sacramento, and the largest is for New York) with plans for expansion. The site charges employers and recruiters and makes enough money through job postings to keep the rest free. At the main page, you'll see a list of the cities on the right side of the screen. Simply click on your city and then click on "place a free classified listing." Once you're there, it takes just a few clicks to get your ad posted. According to founder Craig Newmark, the 18 sites average more than 14,000 weekly listings in the General for Sale and Furniture for Sale sections.

Newspaper on-line classifieds are another viable option, but you have to pay for the listing. Check the policy at your local newspaper; if there's an on-line version, the company might list your ad for free once you've paid for the listing in the paper.

Pros: You target people who live nearby and can swing by to pick up the loot over the weekend. Posting is simple.

Cons: You won't be able to put your photos directly in the ad. So you'll either need to post the photos on your own web page (if you have one) or be prepared to send them by e-mail to interested buyers.