If you remember my New Year’s fashion resolutions from earlier this year, getting rid of the clothes I don’t wear much was a biggie on the list. Well, we’re getting through January, and I’ve made some “get rid of” piles. Only problem is, I haven’t actually gotten rid of anything yet. This tends to be a problem for me.
Let’s face it, I pay a lot for my clothes, and sometimes when I’m ready to remove them from my closet, I really haven’t worn them a whole lot. This makes it tough. Yes, there’s the option of consigning (and I know this works great for some people), but at this point, I’ve got a lot that’s got to go, and taking a few pieces to a chosen store really isn’t going to put a dent in things.
So here’s what I think my plan is going to be: First off, take my clothes to a shop that will buy them outright. I’ve had good luck doing this at Rumors Boutique, which skews toward the college set. You take in your clothes, shoes and accessories (guidelines for what they buy and when can be found here), browse around while the employees look through your pile, get cash for what they want (you can also get a higher value if you take in-store credit), and take back the stuff they don’t want. It’s easy, and you don’t have to wait and see if your items sell. The last time I did this, they probably only took a quarter to a third of my stuff, but I still got a nice sum of money, so I was happy.
B-Sides is another shop that buys outright, but I haven’t tried them out yet. I’m thinking I might have more luck with some of my more mature apparel here, but I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure. Anyone have any other faves?
Once I’ve gone through the buy-outright phase of my plan, it's time to donate the rest of my clothes. But in order to make this easier, I’m looking for some local spots that’ll make me feel better about giving away old favorites. At the top of my list right now is Diversity Thrift. I like that it’s local and that sales of my donated goods go to help operate the Gay Community Center of Richmond. Plus, if you’ve got a lot to give, they have a truck they’ll send to you! Does it get any easier?!
I’d love to find some other local nonprofits that accept gently used women’s clothing donations, too. Anyone have ideas?
