How To Get Paid To Clean Out Your Closet.
Whether you're still dealing with the residuals of winter or if you're basking in the beauty of blooming flowers and longer days, it's officially spring.
With the advent of a new season, many of us are looking into our closets and resurrecting or letting go of some pieces. For the past month, I've been looking into my closet and closely examining the pieces I will keep and the ones I will let go of.
If you're a fashionista like I am, it can be hard to let go of some pieces because there is always that thought that I may need it at some point in the future.
What I've learned from my years of clothes-harboring is that the hypothetical event that needs this particular outfit rarely ever happens. With that in mind, I've learned to let go of pieces that no longer serve my style.
If you're still fighting the ability to part with old favorites, consider selling your best pieces and donating the rest.
You don't know how? I'll walk you through it.
Selling your clothes online has been easier than ever with the introductions of apps & websites like Mercari, Poshmark, and the popularity of events like clothing swaps and pop-up shops. I'll list the pros and cons of each of these and let you pick what'll resonate the best with you.
Mercari - for selling any and everything.
Pros
- Easy User Interface
- Multiple shipping options: Mercari allows the seller to choose between who will be paying for the shipping (the buyer or seller)or using a prepaid shipping label.
- Multiple selling options: Mercari allows users to sell anything ranging from clothing to furniture. If you can ship it, you can sell it.
Cons
- Smaller User Database: Mercari isn't the most popular selling app but it's been steadily gaining popularity within the seller's community.
- There's a 10% selling fee for all transactions.
Poshmark: for high-end resales
Pros
- Great for selling higher end items like designer bags & clothing.
- Huge and continously growing database boasting over 3 million users.
Cons
- Standard shipping for all items is $6.49 for items that are up to 5lbs. Heavier items have a steeper price. The price of shipping is automatically placed on the seller.
- For all sales under $15, Poshmark takes a flat commission of $2.95. You keep the rest. For sales of $15 or more, you keep 80% of your sale and Poshmark's commission is 20%
Etsy: for vintage resales, custom & handmade items
Pros
- Allows the seller to make a completely unique and distinct online shop.
- Etsy allows user to sell everything and is a widely respected selling platform.
- Etsy has over 50 million users.
Cons
- Sellers can only sell handmade, custom and vintage pieces ( items that are over 20 years old).
- There is a $0.20 charge for listing items and a 3.5% fee for selling an item.
Clothing Swap: A shopping party in your living room
Pros:
- You can have anywhere w/ very little setup.
- You can exchange old pieces for different pieces that you may enjoy more.
Cons:
- You typically do not make any money because it's a swap.
- You need a sizable number of attendees (10-15) in order to create a varied pool of clothing.
- Hosting the event will be a bit of a cost, if you're providing drinks and snacks.
There are a few other sites like ThredUp, Ebay, DePop etc. that are often used for resale but I wouldn't recommend them because I don't believe they are worth the time and/or effort. Sidenote: If you have something truly unique & sought-after, Ebay may be worth the time and effort.
For items that do not sell, please donate them or have them recycle at clothing mills. Let's make some money and help preserve Mother Earth in the process.
Clean up and cash out, folks!
Until next time!
