Too many clothes... But struggling to part with them

[LillyLeaf]

I have way too many clothes. I used to work in fashion and have accumulation so many clothes over the years. Some of them don't fit as nicely as they used to, some I know I won't wear again due to them not feeling current or don't suit me anymore, or feel 'too young' but every year I get them out, look through them and put them back in storage bags. I don't know why I'm keeping them. I want to put them on vinted or charity shop them but I'm rubbish at deciding what to do. Another thing putting me off is having to wash everything before selling or donating!

Any advice would be great.

Addictive, isn't it? I've taken a few items off today, put them back on and one has sold within an hour.

Average sales are £75 a month but it does vary greatly.

I can see it being addictive. Another has sold so I'll bring down another bag from the loft tomorrow. If I can keep it up I should be able to get through it all.

If you sell anything on yodel, evri or inpost and get the shop to print the label make sure you write on the bag the code or the name. That way you can differentiate the packages. My husband uses posting as an excuse to go out in the evening

How do you get the shops to print the label? Is a qr code generated in the app when you sell an item? Then you just take the package to the shop?

Yes, but it's not always an option, I think it depends on the buyer, and not every shop/locker does it.

Thank you for your reply! I want to sell on Vinted but im not sure how the postage works.

I found a bag of clothes I’d forgotten about under the eaves and now don’t fit so have listed them. Have made £70 in four days on Vinted! So good to be passing them on for someone else to use and to get them out of the house.

You can choose which couriers are easier for you in settings. Obviously if you have a greater choice, you'll get more sales, but you can switch off any that don't suit you. The buyer pays postage, you never see the money, just the label or bar code.

List the more expensive things on Vinted gradually then drop the things that aren't " you" to charity.
put them in the boot of your car to get them out of the house
Wgen that's done, look through everything left, and try it all on., repeat Vinted/ charity if needed
I've just dropped off 2 shopper bags this afternoon, as I'm wearing softer colours which suit me better
Starting is the hardest.

If you have InPost lockers near you, it's so easy. You scan the code then a door opens to put your item in to send on its way
Its cheaper for the buyer too

just hang them after you've taken the photo, ideally outside, if not in a room with windows wide open, for a day or so, maybe a (LIGHT) spritz of febreeze or similar. People buying second hand might wash the item themselves again when they receive it anyway. tbh I hate it when things arrive absolutely stinking of fabric conditioner.

I'd say no to the Febreeze and fabric conditioner. They stink, Some of them don't seem to ever wash out.

I did this for years - 20 ish tbh

Ive finally been able to let them go - took me two years of putting them in and out

What changed for me was coming out of a depression. It wasnt a full on cant do a thing depression, it was a wading through life one. Where I was functioning, but not living

I changed that by starting to exercise - just walking and taking time for me . Little things, but me things - can you come do this? No Im busy right now as I dived back into my book. Just a few wee changes, which I admit didn't come easy, I woke to the fact I hadn't been living, just existing

Hence the holding on to the past, those trousers that I wore back then when I was happy, those dresses that I always wore on holiday, taking me back to the photos and memories of really happy times . Which also fed into me realising I hadn't been happy for so long

Its taken me 3 years to get shot of those clothes Ill never wear, the ones I won't fit into , the ones which I refused to chuck cos of the cost, the ones that are wayyyy too young

But in those three years Ive changed jobs - I found the courage to, I exercise, I do my stuff and Ive learned to say nope, not happening

So I guess Ive grown and been able to say goodbye to the past . Im no longer needing to hold on to memories as Im now living a good enough life

@suki1964 What a great post.