What Should You Do With Your Old Clothes?

Donating to Second Hand Stores

When I was younger I used to give all of my clothing and accessories to second hand stores. I feel as though second hand stores are important to have in society because they are very beneficial to people on a tight budget. It also tends to be the most convenient of options. However, I think donating your items to a second hand store is the worst thing you can do with them. First of all, you get absolutely nothing in return. Second, I have a hard time donating to any kind of organization whose entire business model is based on getting items for free and then selling them for a profit. Third, there are a lot of people (like myself) who go to second hand stores and buy inexpensive items with the intention of reselling them. All in all, when you donate to second hand stores, someone is making a profit on your items.

Donating to Charity

Sometimes I will choose to donate my old clothing and accessories to charity. Something to consider when doing this is to choose a charity that would benefit from receiving these items. For instance, some charities, like the Heart and Stroke foundation could benefit from just about any kind of clothing or accessory. However, other charities have more of a niche for what they’re looking for. I have donated formal wear to organizations whose mission is to find prom dresses for girls who may not be able to afford them. I have also donated work wear to organizations who aim to help women reenter the workforce. I like to donate to charity because it makes me feel good to help people (especially women) out. I also claim this on my taxes and often get money back by doing this.

Selling to Consignment Stores

Selling your clothes and accessories to consignment stores is always a quick and easy way to make a little extra money. The key word here is little. Most consignment stores will pay you 20%-40% of your item's value. However, that percentage is based on how much they value the item at. I have had consignment stores give me as little as 20 or 30 cents for items valued much higher. A lot of people will accept this price because it is so easy and hassle free. You also need to understand and respect that consignment stores are buying your items with the intention of selling them for a profit.

Selling Yourself on Poshmark/Other Platforms

In my opinion, this is hands down the best option for getting rid of your old clothes and accessories. I primarily use Poshmark to sell my old items. There are a lot of different alternatives to Poshmark out there. However, I find that Poshmark is the busiest and most popular. I will also sell the odd piece of clothing or accessory on Facebook Marketplace but I leave all of my high end name brand and designer items for Poshmark. I view anything I sell on Poshmark that I would have given to the above three options as a win because the vast majority of the time, I get significantly more money than I would have at any of the above three options.

Conclusion

All in all, what I usually do is sell all of my items on Poshmark. If I have had an item listed for a significant period of time that no one is jumping on, I will donate that item to charity. I truly believe this is the most profitable and beneficial way to go about getting rid of clothing and accessories you no longer want.

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