Entering a new season is the perfect time to review your wardrobe to find the items you want to keep, sell, or recycle. As you’re unlikely to reach for a cashmere sweater during spring and summer, you could put it up for sale to build a bigger shopping budget for the warmer temperatures.
If you’re planning to overhaul your closet soon, various tactics can help you purge items in your closet, simplify your style, and maximize your cash flow. Here’s how you can decide on the clothing to sell, keep, or recycle.
Try on Every Item
Before hanging an item back in your closet or listing it online, you must try it on. You might find a top, jacket, or pair of jeans no longer flatters your figure, or you don’t like the silhouette or style. Also, it could prevent you from selling an item that suits your shape, skin tone, and the season, which could save you money on a replacement.
Be Honest
Adopt a ruthless attitude when overhauling your wardrobe. When reviewing each item, ask yourself if the quality is good enough for selling online. If you bought an item for $5 and it appears frayed or discolored, you can’t expect others to pay good money for the product. If so, recycle it instead of selling it on the likes of eBay, Facebook Marketplace, or Depop.
Be honest with yourself about wearing an item again. While you might dream of slipping into a pair of jeans or a top that is two or three sizes smaller than your shape, you might know in your heart you’re many months away from doing so. If this is the case, selling the item could top up your finances and allow you to buy clothing that flatters your figure now.
Streamline Your Closet
After purging your closet of items to sell or recycle, introduce products to simplify your closet and make it easier to review the items each season. First, buy quality plastic hangers to match the clothing and sizes in your wardrobe. For example, purchase plastic bottom hangers, outerwear hangers, and heavy-duty options from mainetti.com.
Also, organize your wardrobe by season to make it easier to find any item you’re looking for and review pieces every six months. Also, place storage baskets at the foot of your wardrobe to store footwear and accessories to create a cleaner look.
Learn About an Item’s Selling History
Before selling an item online or via an app, learn about its selling history. Most resale apps often include tools that allow users to review a specific item’s past performance on the site. It can prevent you from underselling clothing, footwear, or an accessory.
For example, people might pay more than a designer item’s original price, as its scarcity may increase its value. Remember, you don’t need to list it at the same or a lower rate to secure a sale, either, as it only takes one customer to find the item and make an offer. This might mean a bit of waiting on your behalf, but it could be worth it.