Selling vs. donating clothes

Post Reply New Topic

I just realized I haven't gotten rid of any clothes in probably 5 years...I kept meaning to but never could figure out what I wanted to donate vs. trying to sell and it is just so overwhelming I give up.

I just feel like I can't make decisions anymore...perpetual brain fog...

At this point...not only is my closet overflowing...and the wardrobes for out of season stuff are packed to the point I can barely shut the doors...there are also bags stuffed full and crammed into odd spots and piles and stacks everywhere.

I'm just wondering...do any of you sell your old clothes...by consignment? yard sale? ebay? tradesy? thredup? etsy? clothes mentor? etc. Is it worth it?

I have asked around at consignment places...and they just have so many rules and sound SO picky...and one place had a long waiting list and the first available appointment was over 6 months ahead! Just seemed like a real PITA.

I'd love to have a shop on etsy just to unload some of my thrift store finds...or tradesy looks like it might be okay...not sure if I'd want to do this on ebay though.

My sister used to sell old clothes on Ebay.
I think she would also sell clothes at yard sales.

I've donated clothes over the years ...
that said, nowadays it helps if you know
that the clothes you give away are
really going to be used and appreciated.

Maybe try to find a local charity
if the consignment shops are picky?

Or, sell them.
That's fine too.

Good luck whatever you decide!

I didn't think etsy was really used for that.

You might try a local Facebook group (search your city + sale and see what pops up) or Craigslist. Those are easy enough.

For me, I'm too lazy to sell my old stuff. I always just donate. It feels good to just get it out and have it done.

I have some vintage clothes that would probably sell on etsy...just don't know if it's worth it.

Clothes worth selling individually:
1 vintage (cool and/or unique looking vintage, not just anything old)
2 quality fabric (leather, cashmere, angora, etc.)
3 designer label (some people are so label-obsessed they'll even buy ugly/worn stuff with the right name)
4 anything new with tags

For most other clothes, organize them by size, season, etc. and sell them in groups of 5-10 pieces.
Or just donate them - you probably won't get more than about a dollar apiece for them, anyway.

I used to run a charity shop.

i've only ever sold to a thriving local shop which is basically like a "high end" goodwill.
and i've done a test out of the six times over the course of 8 years i've tried selling to them. i only have 3 vs. 3 to go off of so it's not legitimate by any means but..
when wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt i make on average 10$ less than when i go in wearing something trendy and clean. and because 30$ is the most i could realistically make, 10$ is at least 33% of potential earnings.

everything that doesn't get picked i donate to goodwill or throw out if it has a problem with it like stains or holes.

This is absolutely true! I sell my kids' clothes that way sometimes, and it definitely makes a difference what YOU look like, what the container looks like, etc. Another tip: throw everything you plan to sell in the dryer for a few minutes with 3 or 4 dryer sheets. It will all come out smelling purdy and be more appealing.

haha nice!
i've always delivered mine folded nicely in the same black milk crate box but i can imagine if they were all crumpled up in a trash bag it would cause me to make less $

and great tip about the dryer sheets...i've never thought of it before but will definitely try it next time! idk if this is something everyone notices or not, but people smell like themselves very intensely, and so if the clothes are intended to be sold to other people it's probably best to have them smell more standard.

I do vintage and look at yard sales, consignment shops, thrift stores, online places etc. I see a lot of vintage modern stuff and there are a few things to consider to figure out if they are worth anything.

Condition. Modern clothes need to be in good to very good condition. like new is ideal.

Fashion. Are they in style now, or at least still worn by people even if they aren't shown in magazines and on current tv shows. Could it be in style with a few modifications. simple ones. Classic pieces are obviously always in style and this doesn't apply to them.

Original price or designer. If it was expensive to begin with or a designer item, then you can probably still get decent money for it regardless of whether it is still in fashion. As long as it's not considered tacky or out of style, then you can sell it.

Vintage items are different, as are vintage reproduction and vintage inspired. Also, niche market styles as well. you need to look to specialty places for them. For actual vintage items, talk to someone who knows what it will go for.

If you want to sell regular clothes that weren't expensive then you should try looking on Facebook for a yard sale page in your area. You can post a photo of the items on there and your price underneath it. Look at the other items for sale and price yours similarly to similar items. You'll get more there than you will having a yard sale, believe me. I'm one of those yard sale people and I will walk away if it's clothing more than a dollar. unless it's vintage and ill pay a little more but not too much more, and like a lot of yard sale people I'm great at explaining to the seller why it's not worth the asking price. Folks go to sales for bargains and the people who look at a fb page will pay more.

I'd only do test or eBay if it's expensive or vintage etc. I'd do that before I do a consignment shop. If you don't know what to ask for it, take it to a consignment shop, tell them you're selling it online and ask what to price it. Actually price it a bit lower because they may tell you a too high price so you'll bring it there when it doesn't sell, and they can make the profit.

I just give my old stuff away. I've also heard of clothing swap places online and you can swap things. You might could swap several old outfits for one newer or nicer one, etc. Never been to one but if you can find them PM me and tell me about them please. I sometimes only check pm here.

If I can help you out at all, pm me. If you want me to look at some photos and give you an idea, pm me and ill give you my fb info.

But check out local fb pages for used stuff too, to get an idea of what sells.

Good luck! Let me know if I can help. Just because we disagree about some things doesn't mean we can't get along about others. I don't buy anything new if I can help it, so this is my thing.

Please PM me. Not only can I help you with them but I might be interested in buying something.

I don't think it's worth it. I'm a fashion collector and still have clothes from 8th grade that I love. You might decide to wear the stuff you donate or sell.

Thank you all for the comments. I feel like I just can't even make a decision about any of it. Too much brain fog.

I usually donate. I will sell though if I have something that was expensive (like a winter coat or my senior prom dress) and I would like to get at least a little money for it. If it's stuff like old t-shirts and sweatpants, I just donate to the Rescue Mission or Salvation Army.

Most thrift shops around me get tons of donations, and sell the clothing very cheaply, to reduce their backlog. So, the clothes you think could help pay for somebody's job, probably will make a small impact.

If it's a Lilly Pulitzer dress or a Coach purse or something, then it's probably worth the time and trouble of listing it. If it's not, just go for the tax write-off. Bonus points if you combine the two by auctioning it off for a charity you care about.

I regularly donate items of clothing and other unwanted things to the charity shops in my local town, and often buy second hand, too. Ethical vs. economical intentions aside, donating/selling items that eventually go on to be re-used instead of simply destroying them or throwing them away is all environmentally sound practice.