When seasons change and new trends emerge, our natural inclination is to want to buy more. But, it’s a good idea to evaluate your wardrobe first and make sure that you’re wearing things enough to justify owning them. A good rule of thumb is to think back a year. If you can’t remember wearing something within that year, you probably won’t miss it. With Fall settling in, and Winter just around the corner, now is a great time to clean out your closet to make room for all of those new sweaters and jackets you just have to have!
Once you get to the point when you’re ready to purge, there are plenty of options for sending your clothes to a new home. If thrift shops and drop centers aren’t your thing, turn to your phone. Here are three fabulous apps where you can buy, and sell, new and used clothes:
1. Poshmark:
- Cost: Free
- Compatibility: iOS and Web
- The Details: Upload images to list new or used items you are looking to sell, or browse the vast inventory by designer, category or keyword. Save your favorites for later or share items from other people’s closets. Attend virtual shopping parties several times a week. These are great if you’re looking for things from a specific designer or going for a certain vibe.
- Shipping: Sellers are provided with pre-paid, pre-addressed USPS labels. All you have to do is package your items and find a mailbox.
2. Threadflip:
- Cost: Free
- Compatibility: iOS and Web
- The Details: Upload images and info on your items to list them for sale. Choose the Smart Pricing option to offer a range of prices you would be willing to sell for, and have your price automatically lowered if your items aren’t selling. Bonus: Skip the posting and selling process with White Glove Service (for a fee). You can also take their Style Quiz to be matched with other users who have similar taste.
- Shipping: Shipping is a flat fee that can be paid by the buyer or seller. Sellers can also choose to purchase a pre-paid label from Threadflip.
3. thredUP:
- Cost: Free
- Compatibility: iOS and Web
- The Details: If you’re looking to sell like-new clothes, order a free thredUP Clean Out bag online. Fill the bag and send it back. thredUP inspects your clothes (note: they have very high standards), and pays up to 40% of the resale value upfront. They take care of listing the salable items online. You can also donate the proceeds from your sales or create a fundraising campaign.
- Shipping: The Clean Out bag comes with a pre-paid label so you can ship it back for free.
Have you ever used one of these apps? What do you do with clothes you no longer wear? We would love to hear more in the comments!
By Samantha Tananbaum
I’ve used both Poshmark and ThredUp with huge success. Customer service with ThredUp and community on Posh are both stellar.