What do you do with the clothes you no longer wear...

Ornella

...e.g. orphans, too-bigs, too-smalls, never-worns-still-with-tags, etc, etc.. and there's no swap to rehome otherwise good items and it's too late to return them.
Do you sell, donate, pass them on some other way?

15 years ago

General

29 replies

Latest reply was from SW Ann

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

Occasionally I will sell things, but usually it just gets donated.

15 years ago

Cilleena

Veteran

I always donate mine. If it's childrenswear, I might hang onto it to give to a friend with children a similar size. But that stuff usually gets donated too.

15 years ago

Inge

(website)

Moderator

I usually give a number of items to my sister (we know each other's style, so I select the items I think she will like). Then I take some of the more expensive brand items that are still in excellent condition to a consigment store. The rest I donate (of course only if the clothes are still in good condition).

15 years ago

rae

(website)

Veteran

All of the above in this order:

Sell, then pass on to sister/friends in informal swap, then donate.

15 years ago

MsMary

Veteran

I generally donate.

15 years ago

biscuitsmom

Veteran

I try to donate once a month...right now I have 2 giant bags (mostly clothes, few accessories) to bring to ARC for donation

15 years ago

Anonymous

Donate.

15 years ago

April

Veteran

Here's my flowchart:

1. Tops and sweaters along with all accessories and handbags go to my sister, who always welcomes a care package. We can't share shoes, pants, skirts, dresses, or anything with long sleeves unless they can be easily worn scrunched up.

2. After separating out the sister-worthy items, I would usually consign things but am currently putting those items in the swap pile.

3. Donate. I don't donate anything that's damaged in any way, but I do donate anything I can't consign because a.) it's not the right season, b.) it's more than 2 fashion seasons old, or c.) I don't have ten items to consign at once (my consignment shop is picky).

4. Anything damaged gets donated to a textile recycling effort.

15 years ago

Deb

Active Member

Donate - esp. to abused women's shelters, where they are in desperate need of clothing for job interviews.

15 years ago

(website)

Veteran

90% of the time donate. 10% of the time give to a friend at work whom it will suit/fit.

15 years ago

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Almost always donate. Sometimes I'll take the really nice things to the consignment store. And occasionally I'll hold onto something for my nieces if I think they'd like it.

If my mother-in-law or one of my friends happens to be here when I have bags ready for donation, they always look through and grab some goodies for themselves!

15 years ago

catgirl

Veteran

i offer my friends any items that they want. Then I either consign them or donate to the local women's shelter or animal rescue thrift store.

15 years ago

Kristine

Veteran

I usually donate, although I recently took some to a swap party.

15 years ago

Lisa

Veteran

I typically give my sister and a close friend with a large family first picks. Then the rest go to Goodwill or the Salvation Army.

15 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Friends, goodwill and DFS.

I recently had a disappointing consignment store experience. I don't think I will ever do that again.

15 years ago

taylor

Veteran

I give my clothes away to whomever can wear them...I don't care how much they cost originally ...I just give away because I have heard of many bad consignment experiences and I would rather not bother at this point...
Angie you must have such FAB stuff to sell!!

15 years ago

Anonymous

I sell designer stuff in nice condition on ebay if I think I'll get at least $40 for it and donate the rest to charity. I never consign. I've tried consigning a few time and it's a big hassle for a few bucks plus the people who work at consignment shops are not always fun to deal with. I had a consignment store "lose" an expensive item before and they would not take responsibility. That was the last time I ever consigned anything. I think the stores you sell clothes to like Buffalo Exchange, etc. are pretty good when you are young and trendy. That worked well for me in my 20's.

15 years ago

Theresa

(website)

Veteran

I only sell things that have only been worn once to say a race day or similar - so fancier stuff.

Everything else is donated to charity - the only friend I have who is very similar in size has a very large wardrobe and really can't benefit from my cast offs!

Oh, costume jewelery and old bags/shoes generally end up in my daughters dress ups or in their jewelery boxes LOL

15 years ago

MsMaven

Veteran

I usually donate to Goodwill or Hope (the latter sends a truck around the neighborhood once a month, so I don't have to haul stuff.) I feel guilty about fairly new stuff that I've only worn a few times, but I've got to get the too-big pants out of the house and not keep them "in case" I gain the weight back.

Reading this thread has given me an idea though. In the future I think I'll pack up things such as nicer jackets and sweaters and send them to my sister who lives in an area that has become economically depressed. She can donate them to her local women's shelter.

15 years ago

CocoLion

(website)

Veteran

I donate to a variety of charity thrift shops but recently my favorite is one that benefits a home and program for special needs/MR (some are Downs Syndrome) teens and adults. I really love everyone involved in this project, it is a very happy place.

Last month I had my final consignment store experience, the $40 I was paid was not worth the experience. My S.O. will kill me if we ever go back there (it was traumatic for him too).

15 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Coco, that's interesting. I spoke to Greg about my one and only consignment experience a few days ago and he agrees that I should go with what's in my heart - donate. (Taylor, perhaps you've heard the same type of stories).

I won't go into the unpleasant details but long story short: I'd rather see my stuff go to someone who really wants and needs it for free, than be paid a laughable pittance for goods that someone else will make a profit from. I wonder if that resonates with anyone else? Perhaps I'm alone in this and it's unreasonable. I can get a bee in my bonnet about certain things which closes the door for good.

15 years ago

Marley

Veteran

A few things go to my sisters, but most I donate either to a women's shelter here in town or to an orphanage in Mexico.

15 years ago

Anonymous

I know about three or four women who can really use anything I can pass on to them. Otherwise it gets donated to a thrift shop that is totally run by volunteers and uses the profits to get professional help for troubled youth.
I'm one who looks for even damaged woolen items at thrift stores to give to an aunt who felts them to make fabulous things. My SIL uses dresses and skirts from the thrift store for quilting fabric and buys sweaters for the yarn in them. Moth holes and such don't matter to them. A man who is a professional painter told me his wife gets his tee shirts and jeans at thrift stores and stains don't matter. He'll be painting in them. One man's (or woman's) trash is another's treasure.

15 years ago

taylor

Veteran

Resonates with me Angie.!! I would also rather see someone get things they cannot afford otherwise than have someone profit from me! I do this with furniture also. It takes some work to find a needy family but i would rather just give away ...that seems to be the vibe of most YLFers here too:)

15 years ago

lynne

Veteran

I'm with Taylor and Angie. I've taken things to a consignment store, and to a place that buys them outright. For the percentage of items they accepted versus the amount of items I brought in, it just isn't worth it to me. I donate instead. My things were in great condition and mid-high end, but both places will not accept things that were in stores more than 2 years ago. So there are some homeless people here that now have nice warm cashmere sweaters.

15 years ago

catgirl

Veteran

I have had mostly good experiences with consigning. I do it at one place, which is really good and sends me an account of what has sold along with a check every month. I've learned what they will take and what sells, so I pre-sort they pretty much take everything I bring in. I donate all my casual clothes to charity, and anything that doesn't sell within 90 days gets donated to charity by the shop as well,

15 years ago

Lena

Active Member

I've been donating everything to local charity shops and organizations and shelters. A lot of my clothes are in very good condition. I wish I could give more to friends (my sizes are either too small or too big), or give specific items to people who want those specific things.

I've also tried Buffalo Exchange out of curiosity, and the experience was so unpleasant, I'll never go there again. And my items were so-called young, current and in-season. Blerg.

15 years ago

Lena

Active Member

Lynne, several years ago (before YLF) I gave away a high end designer vest (from a Euro boutique) that I got through a grapevine of acquaintances. It kept getting passed around because it was too small for everyone. I couldn't squeeze into it either and I didn't like it well enough to consider alterations. Oh well. It ended up in a charity shop, and I hope somebody found good use for it.

15 years ago

SW Ann

Veteran

I had a really bad consignment experience many years ago and have never done it again. I give most clothes to Goodwill, and furniture to Habitat for Humanity. Here in Arizona, there are lots of great thrift stores who take clothes and stuff gratefully and graciously. I like to think that someone else will find some of my clothes just perfect for them when I can no longer use them.....

15 years ago

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