I once read that the secret to a successful closet clean out was to start by writing a list of your favorite pieces (mine would go something like: striped t-shirt, striped t-shirt, striped dress, blue jeans, pink jeans, lighter pink jeans, striped t-shirt).
The theory being that if you stop and think about what your favorite pieces are—those pieces you grab all the time because you know they’ll (almost) always fit and you’ll (almost) always look and feel fabulous—you’ll find it easier to cull because if doesn’t make the list, out it goes.
But that’s easier said than done, otherwise we’d be forever purging our unwanted clothes and everyone’s closets would look like Carrie Bradshaw’s well-organised, walk-in-wardrobe from the second Sex and the City movie (a girl can dream, right?).
If you’re anything like me, your wardrobe is overflowing with clothes you never wear and more pairs of shoes than there are days in a month, and while you’d like to freshen things up, your bank account is looking a little sad after the holidays.
Well, I have a solution … sell your stuff on eBay.
If you struggle to clean out closet on your own, phone a friend for their opinion on what looks good on you, fits with your personal style and is somewhat classic in style for continued wear.
They went into my closest looking for skeletons, but, thank God, all they found were shoes, beautiful shoes. —Imelda Marcos—
Here are my ten top tips for getting more bang for your buck on eBay:
1. Download the mobile app—it’s quicker and easier than using the web-based version. You can snap your photos on your phone and upload them within minutes.
2. Get yourself a PayPal account—the majority of buyers on eBay prefer to pay for their purchase via PayPal. It also allows you to receive your money immediately and speed up your dispatching time since the money is already on your side.
3. Hang your clothes on the back of a plain coloured door (you can grab a handy over-the-door hook from somewhere like Howard’s Storage World) in a well-lit area, ideally with lots of natural light to show true colours.
4. Take multiple photos (using flash if you don’t have lots of natural light)—front of item, back of item, close up on any details (or damage), tags to show brand and size.
5. Upload to eBay and write your description, using as much detail as possible—mentionwhether the item has been worn, any damage or usual features. I like to include suggestions on what I wore/or thought about wearing the item to (ie. suitable for the races, cocktail parties, can be dressed us for work or worn casual on the weekends).
6. Make your title count—include the brand, the size, what style it is (dress, skirt etc), whether it still has tags, if it’s in a good condition (If your clothing is in perfect condition with no wear whatsoever and no stains or rips, you can describe it as being in excellent used condition), color etc.
7. Set a reserve price—think about what is the lowest price you’d be willing to accept for the item and use that as your reserve, knowing it may sell for that amount.
8. Be prepared to answer questions about sizing.
9. Don’t be tempted to over price your shipping costs and try to make a small profit on this. It’s often easiest to mail items in an Australia Post express post bag, which are available at set prices depending on the weight (500g or 3kg).
10. Try not to get distracted looking at items that other people are selling or you’ll just fill your closet up again!
Happy selling!
