Spring Clean Your Closet and Give Old Clothes New Life Sustainably

Out With the Old, In With the New - Spring Clean Your Closet

As the weather warms up and spring approaches, many people get the urge to do some spring cleaning. And what better place to start than your closet? Closets often turn into black holes where clothing gets thrown in but never sees the light of day again. Doing a seasonal closet cleanout is the perfect way to clear out the old and make way for new pieces you'll actually wear.

Evaluate Your Current Closet Situation

Start by taking everything out of your closet and drawers and putting it all on the bed. Yes, everything. As you sort through the piles, get ruthless. Be honest with yourself about what you actually wore over the past year and what has just been sitting there collecting dust. Separate things into keep, donate/sell, and trash/recycle piles. If you aren't reaching for it regularly, let it go.

Consider Selling or Donating Usable Items

For any clothes that are still in good condition but you just don't wear, consider selling them secondhand or donating them to charity. This is a more sustainable option than just throwing them in the trash. Places like Buffalo Exchange will actually pay you for your gently used clothing, then resell it at their stores. Or donate to organizations like Goodwill or Salvation Army so your old clothes can find new homes.

Get Organized with Storage Solutions

For the items you are keeping, now is the time to get organized. Invest in storage containers, shelves, hooks and hangers specifically suited to your space. Proper storage solutions make it easier to see all your choices so getting dressed is simpler. Section off categories like workwear, exercise clothing, jackets, etc. Use slim hangers to conserve space and fold delicate fabrics neatly. With a tidy closet, maintaining neatness is easier going forward.

Give Closet Cleanout Clothes New Life Sustainably

Sustainability and protecting the environment are top of mind for many these days. When doing a closet cleanout, reselling or donating unused clothes allows the fabric and materials to be reused instead of wasted. Fast fashion tends to create enormous textile waste, so making use of perfectly good clothing multiple times over has less impact on the planet.

The Problem With Fast Fashion

Inexpensive clothing retailers pumping out hundreds of new cheaply-made items every season has created a mindset of overconsumption. Shoppers buy these lower quality garments knowing they will wear them only a few times before replacing them with something even more recently trendy. This obsession with always having the latest look leads to crazy amounts of textile waste each year.

How Shopping Secondhand Helps

Opting to shop secondhand is beneficial in many ways. Not only are the prices usually quite affordable, but buying upcycled clothing saves it from the waste cycle. Secondhand stores like Buffalo Exchange choose trend-right inventory that buyers snap up quickly. For sellers, used clothing often fetches a surprising percentage of its original retail price. So refreshing your look sustainably puts some spare cash in your pocket while keeping textiles out of the trash.

Where To Buy and Sell Secondhand Fashions

Thankfully there are many options nowadays both locally and online for buying and selling secondhand clothing. Consignment and thrift stores focused on gently worn fashions continue to gain popularity as more people discover both the environmental and economic benefits of circular reuse. Next time you set out to update your wardrobe, consider hitting up one of these retailers instead of heading straight for the mall.

Local Consignment Shops

If you prefer trying clothes on in person, local secondhand boutiques are a great choice. Stores like Buffalo Exchange, Crossroads, Plato's Closet and Clothes Mentor have multiple locations across the country. All accept the latest style lightly used apparel to sell in their stores. They'll even pay you on the spot for items they want. So gather up your closet clean out clothes and see what they'll offer you for them!

Online Resale Platforms

For those more comfortable with web-based shopping, selling sites like ThredUP and Poshmark make refreshing your wardrobe online easy. Their huge inventories offer endless options for quality pre-loved pieces. Listings often include detailed item descriptions and measurements along with photos at multiple angles to mimic examining garments in person. Returns are simple if anything fails to work out for you. So why not give these digital secondhand boutiques a try next time you need a fashion fix?

FAQs

How often should I do a closet cleanout?

It's a good idea to do a thorough closet cleanout at least once a year, such as during spring cleaning season. You can also regularly evaluate your closet every few months and remove items you haven't worn to keep space clear for new additions.

What should I do with clothes in good condition that I want to get rid of?

Instead of throwing away or recycling usable clothes, the eco-friendly option is to donate them or resell them. Many charities and secondhand stores accept quality used clothing. You can also sell clothes online via sites like Buffalo Exchange to earn a little money back.

How much does Buffalo Exchange pay for used clothes?

Buffalo Exchange pays cash on the spot for trendy, gently used apparel they want to resell in their stores. The amount depends on the brands, condition, and current desirability of the items. Most items fetch between 15-35% of their original retail price.

Is shopping secondhand really better for the environment?

Yes, buying secondhand extends the usable lifecycle of clothing that has already been produced, reducing textile waste. Fast fashion tends to end up in landfills quickly as styles change rapidly. So reusing quality garments is better for the planet.