Is your closet bursting at the seams, yet somehow you feel like you have nothing to wear? If so, then it's time to learn how to clean out your closet and make money doing it!
Closets have a tendency to get cluttered FAST. It makes sense, too. In our world of social media influencing, we’re always being shown the latest and greatest items that we should be “obsessed with”.
If you find yourself regularly adding to your wardrobe, but not editing it out at the same frequency, it’s bound to create clutter—visually and mentally. The good news is that you probably have a lot of pieces in your closet that you can part with, which means you can make money by getting rid of your unworn/unwanted clothing.
If your closet is overdue, try these few steps to make money on your own closet clean-out.
(Disclosure: I may make a small commission if you click a link within this post.)
HOW TO MAKE MONEY SELLING YOUR CLOTHES
How to decide what and where to sell
Pull out clothes you don’t wear regularly
When people ask me for help cleaning out their closets, I tell them it's simple: remove everything from your closet and then only put back items that you regularly wear. Of course, there are a few exceptions to this rule, like that little black co*cktail dress that you love for special occasions. For the most part, though, this rule is pretty failsafe.
donate clothing that is overly worn
Separate out items that are overly worn from those that are gently used or like new. Consignment stores do not take items that are faded, contain holes, or are balled from constant wear, and usually online shoppers don't buy these pieces either. Instead, set these overly worn items aside and either toss them completely or donate them to charity.
List higher-value items online
My general rule of thumb is if the item is designer or over $100, then I list it on Poshmark or eBay. For the record, Poshmark is a super easy and user-friendly app for making money on your old clothes, shoes, and accessories. Jenna, the blogger of Balance and Chaos, also wrote a great Poshmark tutorial which you can read here. (If you're interested, you can review my Poshmark closet here.)
Take lower-value items to a resale center
Many consignment shops offer cash-for-clothes options in addition to consigning. Note that, if you go the cash-for-clothes route, you'll receive a smaller amount for your clothes since the store doesn’t know if they will sell. Personally, I'm okay with that because I prefer the one-and-done option of selling my clothes outright. That is 100% personal preference though, and either option allows you to make money cleaning out your closet.
Selling clothes at a resale center
Depending on the store, you can either sell your clothes to the store outright or consign them--where the shop sells the item for you, and then you pay the shop a percentage of the sale price after it sells. My personal preference has always been to sell outright instead of consigning, but that decision is totally up to you. Both options have pros and cons.
PROS AND CONS
Generally speaking, the biggest "pro" to selling your clothes outright is that the process is relatively quick and painless. Cleaning out your closet is the hard part, and by the time you're ready to drop them off, that is all taken care of. Whatever option you choose, be sure that you spend some time after your closet cleanout to separate lightly worn clothing from those items beyond wear.
The downside of selling your clothes on the spot (stores refer to this as "cash for clothes"), is that you'll typically receive much less for your clothes than you would if you consigned them. In this scenario, you're selling the clothes to the store "at cost" so that they can still profit on the sale without accepting a ton of risk. Consigning, on the other hand, means that you'll receive payment once the item sells, and not beforehand. The store assisting in the sale will receive a percentage of the sale, and that percentage will vary by store. However, you're likely to receive more for your clothes when you consign versus sell. If you don't mind getting paid as your items sell, then this might be a better option for you.
THE SECONDHAND PROCESS
In the Pittsburgh area, there are a variety of secondhand stores that provide cash for clothes on the spot, including Plato's Closet and Style Encore. The process is the same, regardless of where you go: you'll hand over your laundry basket of clothes and driver's license. The store associates will go through each piece, determining which ones they're willing to buy and for how much. It's not uncommon for a storenot to accept your clothes--even if they are in mint condition. The items they are willing to buy are based on demand and the likelihood that the items will sell to their customer base.
Stores usually only accept items for the current (if it's early enough) or upcoming season. For example, stores aren't going to accept bathing suits in late August because vacation season is coming to an end, and they'll be less likely to sell those items.
Selling clothes online
If you want total control over the pricing and sale of your items, then you'll probably be more comfortable with a service like Poshmark or eBay.Personally, I reserve Poshmark for higher-end clothing, accessories, and shoes, and that is simply because--living in a small space--I don't have the extra room to hold on to pieces until they sell. It's generally easier for me to work through a store for most of my clothing since they are responsible for holding onto it.
All in all, there are many ways you can cash in on your unworn clothing. I'm personally a big fan of selling outright and moving on. It's simple and painless, and it doesn't force me to hold on to things in my own space. For others, consigning may be a more comfortable option and you're likely to make a bit more money that way, too. Whatever your situation, being able to receive a bit of extra cash for something you're not using anyway, is a win-win. Usually, I just use the money I make selling my clothes to invest in new ones--or use it to save up for an extra special purchase as a bit of incentive!
Consign clothes with ThredUp Clean Out Kits
My personal favorite method for making money selling my clothes is ThredUP. It is an online consignment shop, so it’s a hybrid between the two methods mentioned above. They have a fantastic resale-as-a-service program that allows you to get credit at other retailers in exchange for your used clothes. I’ve been able to add high-quality pieces to my own wardrobe by doing this, and I love that they responsibly recycle anything they don’t keep. It’s the most low-maintenance way for me to clean out my closet and that’s the most important thing for me during this phase of life!
Read the post here. ThredUP Clean Out Kits: The Easiest Way to Clean Out Your Closet
Cleaning out your closet is a nice way to give clothing a second life while also making a little extra cash. Trust me when I say that you'll feel much lighter starting off the new year with a simplified, organized closet!
