Spring cleaning your house need not wait until the spring.

This post-Christmas lull is the perfect time for a good tidy up and a clear out of those unwanted items which have been gathering dust at the back of a draw for the past few years.

By being brutally honest with yourself, you may find there are sackfuls of items which you no longer need, want nor use.

So here are some tips to help you make some extra cash by selling off those goods which could actually worth a lot of money.

Old records

Although some records will be worth little and can often be bought in charity shops, certain early and rare vinyl can be hugely collectable.

Picture discs and early Beatles records can sell for over £100.

Lego

Rare Lego sets can sell for thousands of pounds online.

The sets that sell for the most money are still in the boxes, not opened since they were bought and are still factory sealed.

One of the most-desired items is the Star Wars Millennium Falcon.

On eBay, the spaceship is selling for as much as £6,500 while used editions are selling for more than £3,600.

Vintage jewellery

Quite often old jewellery will end up in children's dressing up boxes but vintage pieces are popular among collectors, with items selling online for anything between £10 and £1,000.

There was even a plastic brooch bought in a charity shop for £1.50 which was sold at auction for £2,400, according to auction house Bonhams.

Harry Potter books

First editions of the Harry Potter books are now worth a hefty sum.

First editions - especially of the first two books - are worth at least £20 no matter what state they're in and can be worth thousands of pounds.

"Bonhams sold a set of first editions of the Harry Potter books in 2005 for £14,400, and on two occasions in 2007 sold copies of The Philosopher's Stone for £9,000," Matthew Haley, head of books at auction house Bonhams, told Mirror Money.

First editions of Harry Potter books are said to be worth thousands
First editions of Harry Potter books are said to be worth thousands

Beano comics

The first edition of the Beano, which was launched in 1938 and came with a free gift, is thought to be the most valuable in existence - and can fetch thousands.

However, there are only 20 left in the world. A copy of the first Beano annual from 1940 is selling on ebay for £7,000.

VHS tapes

Surprisingly, a few rare tapes are worth a lot.

Experts say films that have never been released on DVD or Blu-ray and are original ex-rentals are more likely to sell for money.

Coveted titles include classic films such as Star Wars and King Kong as well as popular cult films.

Frankenstein's Castle of Freaks, The Beast in Heat and Betrayed have all sold for more than £1,000.

There are many specialist websites available on which you can sell your old and vintage items.