Making money from old clothes used to be fraught with hassle; heading out to the car boot sale on a Saturday morning, when you’d rather be having a lie in, and standing for hours as you watch people sift through stuff only to walk away empty handed! Fortunately for those who do want to make pocket money from their ill-fitting garments or disused children’s clothes, the internet has made it extremely straight-forward – you might not even have to leave your sofa! Here’s a look at how to get started:
Check condition
If you’re having a wardrobe clear-out, save yourself the effort of a second sort -through by checking the quality of each garment as you go. Check for non-repairable rips and stains, and make a note of items which have buttons missing. You’ll need to perform a simple fix on these or make sure that your item listing details the imperfection; you don’t want to experience any unhappy customers.
Give everything a wash and press
Wherever you opt to sell your old clothes, or even if you decide to simply donate to charity, take the time to bung them in the wash and give them a quick launder. Not only is a courteous act for the benefit of the recipient, but if you’re taking any photos a freshly cleaned and ironed item will look more appealing than one that’s been left crumpled at the bottom of your wardrobe for months!
Decide where to sell
Now that your garments are ready to sell, you need to decide which way you’re going to go about selling clothes online. Have a think about the amount of money you’d like to make from your old wardrobe, keeping in mind that you may not have worn (or even though about) some of these garments for years! When you’re not fussed about recouping the majority of original cost, opt for a cash for clothes site which allows you to simply send stuff off and get a cheque in return; there’s no need for individual listings with photos and sales descriptions. If you have expensive designer items, considered eBay or Gumtree adverts will help you get the most from a lucrative item.
Prepare your listing
If you do choose to produce individual online listings for your garments, the key is to provide as much information as possible whilst being concise. Easy to read bullet points which note the items: condition, age, brand, colour, size and original price are all things that may be of interest. Photos are of upmost importance too – again the more you include, the better! For the most appealing clothes snaps, use bright natural day light and hold the item against a plain colour background. Take close-ups of any interesting smaller details like designer tag, buttons, stitching and other stand-out features that will help reflect quality.
Be truthful
Always be upfront about your garments and encourage online browsers to ask questions if they’d like to know more. With sites like eBay, a good reputation plays a key part in making a quick sale and getting a good price. Impress your buyers with their first purchase and you’re more likely to have people ready to buy your old clothes following the next spring clean!
