Here's Exactly How to Make Legit Money From Selling Your Old Clothes

Turn your closet clean out into a side hustle.

Here's Exactly How to Make Legit Money From Selling Your Old Clothes

General life announcement: You can sell your old and unused clothes online and make some pretty decent cash. I mean, there are even people out here turning the clothing-resell biz into a full-time job! But if your closet is overwhelmingly full of, like, Revolve dresses you only wore a couple times or pairs of pants that don't fit but you missed the return window, you can recoup some of the losses (and even get yourself in the green!) by signing up for a resell program. Better that a stranger gets some love out of your unused pieces than them taking up valuable wardrobe space, right?

Below are all the things you need to know about how to sell your clothes online and all the tips and tricks that'll guarantee some super quick sales. Now go forth and earn those dollars!!!

Gather up all the items you want to get rid of.

Purge your dresser and/or closet of all the things that have been sitting and collecting dust. And, as Marie Kondo would suggest, be honest with yourself as to whether you'll actually wear it. Once it's all in a pile you can move onto the next step of cataloging each piece—i.e., pricing everything and providing a detailed description.

Start snapping those pics.

Some resell apps let you take photos in the platform, but if you just want to start photographing away, go for it! Poshmark seller Candice Villano recommends using the same background and configuration for each picture so everything looks consistent when you upload it onto your seller page. You can chose to wear the pieces yourself so shoppers can see what it looks like on or you can also take photos of the pieces flat on the floor or hanging. Another tip: If it's a relatively recent item, you might be able to find the shopping link and use the e-commerce images. If you do this though, it's still best to document your item as shoppers typically ask to see the actual piece you're selling.

Any wrinkles should be smoothed out and if there are any issues with your previously worn pieces like snags, small holes, or pilling be sure to take pictures of those so you're transparent about the quality. If something is *really* worn and beyond repair, it's prob best to donate it or drop it off at a fabric recycling center.

Best for J.Crew blazers, Gucci purses, and everything in between.

Instead of pricing things yourself, you can mail in anything you want to sell in bulk and Thredup does the work for you. Great if you're lazy, not so much if you like control.

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Best for brands like Adidas, Madewell, and Anthropologie.

Clothes and accessories are the biggest categories, but you can also sell makeup and home goods on here. The range!

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Best for luxury items, special designer pieces, rare finds.

The clothes can obvi be costly, but sellers earn up to 85 percent for each sale...so you can make bank and give that retro Chanel bag new life.

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Choose your app slash website.

There are SO many out there! But be sure to read into how they work before putting effort into it. For example, some sites like The RealReal and ThredUP will require you to ship items for inspection, and then they'll take care of the images for you. (Nice, huh?!) But usually, most will have you do the heavy lifting up front. The plus of this though is that you'll have more control over the pricing, the execution, and the look of your page. See the list below for all the resell sites to take advantage of:

• Poshmark
• Depop
• ThredUP
• The RealReal
• ebay
• Mercari
• ASOS Marketplace
• Facebook Marketplace
• Tradesy
• Etsy
• LePrix
• Crossroads Trading
• Beacon's Closet

Just keep in mind that many of these sites do take a commission from each sale, so be prepared that you won't get 100 percent of the money you're selling it for. (These companies gotta make some dough too you know!)

Start listing.

Upload each item and be as specific as possible. Mention if you wore it only twice or if it's NWT. (That's "new with tags," btw.) Measurements help if you know them, like the length of a dress hem or the length from shoulder to shoulder, and list the materials too. Add your pricing (if you do have control over it), but if you want some help with what number to start it, look at some other pieces from the same brand that other people are selling. That'll give you a ballpark figure.

Ship that ish out.

You made a sale! Congrats!!! Once that happens, sites usually send you a shipping label, but you'll have to take care of boxing the item(s) up carefully before sending out to the buyer. Pro tip: I go around my neighborhood and look for cardboard boxes that people throw in recycling. You'll save money on supplies and get rid of your neighbors unwanted boxes. A win win! Once it's taped up with the label attached, drop it off where it specifies, whether that be in a mail box or at a UPS store.

Stay in touch with your buyer.

You definitely want to be OVER-communicative. If you're a little late with shipping it out, let them know! If there's a USPS delay (as there often is), also let them know! It typically takes a couple days or more for it to be delivered, depending on where you're both located and what carrier you use. And even if you're notified that it's been delivered, check in with them to make them aware and ask if they've received. The customer service element really helps make one-time buyers repeat ones, trust me.

You can also engage with buyers to negotiate prices and answer any other questions they might have.

Get that cash.

Poshmark allows you to link your bank account so you can get direct deposits for your sales, but other sites may use PayPal or will mail you a check. You can find out the payment process on each resell app's website. And once you do receive your hard-earned dollars, you'll want to sell even more of your clothes bc it's a pretty dang satisfying feeling.

This story originally appeared on: Cosmopolitan - Author:Lauren Adhav