Cleaning & Organizing Organizing Decluttering

Tips on How to Get Rid of Clothes

Placing denim clothing items into a donation box

The Spruce / Ana Cadena

Right now, you might have some clothes in your closet that you need to get rid of. Maybe the items no longer fit or aren't suitable for your lifestyle anymore. Perhaps you need to make space in your closet. Or you've decided to embrace a minimalist lifestyle and want to purge anything that doesn't bring you joy.

Whatever the reason, here are 13 ways to get rid of clothes you no longer wear.

  1. Sell Gently Used Clothes to a Consignment Shop

    Find a consignment shop in your area that takes used clothing and bring in your items for a once over. If you have multiple consignment shops nearby, consider shopping around to see which will give you the best prices. Some stores will pay you right on the spot, while others might wait to pay you until your items sell.

    Selling gently used clothes to a consignment shop

    The Spruce / Ana Cadena

  2. Hold a Yard Sale or Garage Sale

    A convenient way to get rid of your clothing is to hang it up in your yard and stick on a price tag. Get the word out about your yard sale with posters around town and through social media posts in neighborhood groups. You can even have a joint sale with neighbors to draw a bigger crowd.

    Boxes of clothing to be sold at a garage sale

    The Spruce / Ana Cadena

  3. Donate to an Animal Shelter

    You can often donate linens, blankets, and towels to your local animal shelter. Call the shelter first to make sure it's accepting donations and inquire about the specific items you'd like to donate. Some shelters accept things that others do not.

    Box of clothing for donation to an animal shelter

    The Spruce / Ana Cadena

  4. Sell Them Online

    Poshmark, eBay, Thredup, and Tradesy are just some of the many options where you can sell clothing online. Thredup conveniently mails you a large shipping envelope, so you can pack up your clothes and mail them. Once it has decided what it can sell, the company sends your payout minus the cost of the shipping bag. You can collect it via PayPal or a Thredup gift card. Tradesy works just like Thredup, but it favors more high-end fashion items. 

    Selling clothing online

    The Spruce / Ana Cadena

  5. Give Clothes to the Vietnam Veterans of America

    Sign up online at Vietnam Veterans of America to schedule a pickup, and the organization will pick up your donation right from your home. You can leave your boxes and bags of clothes on the front porch. After your first pickup, the group will email you the next time it has another scheduled pickup on your street. This option is excellent for those who are continually decluttering.

    Donation boxes in the back of a car

    The Spruce / Ana Cadena

  6. Reach Out to Dress for Success

    Dress for Success is a wonderful option if you've changed careers from attorney to yoga instructor. You may decide you no longer need five suits, and just one will do, or your sizes have changed one way or the other. Donate your used professional attire to Dress for Success, and it will get the items into the hands of women who have problems paying for business attire for an interview.

    Reaching out to Dress for Success

    The Spruce / Ana Cadena

  7. Supply Them to a Rummage Sale

    Many charitable organizations host rummage sales, which you can support by donating your old clothing. They'll often accept household items you'd like to get rid of. Common organizations include churches, children's groups, women's shelters, and more.

    Preparing donations for a rummage sale

    The Spruce / Ana Cadena

  8. Drop Off at the Salvation Army

    You can drop off a bag or box of clothing, small home goods, and linens to the Salvation Army. The organization will sell your items or deliver them to a shelter for those in need. The group also has a truck that will pick up donations from your home if you schedule an appointment.

    Handing a box of clothing donations over to an organization

    The Spruce / Ana Cadena

  9. Contact Local Homeless Shelters

    Call or email area homeless shelters to see whether they're taking clothing donations. Be sure to ask which items they will accept. Also, ask whether the items must be sorted or boxed in a specific way before bringing them in to donate.

    Searching an online database of homeless shelters

    The Spruce / Ana Cadena

  10. Organize a School Fundraiser

    Get in touch with your local school administrators and suggest setting up a fundraiser to benefit the school. Everyone—students, teachers, and community members—can bring in their used clothing. And then, a group of volunteers can organize the items to be sold.

    Organizing a school find raiser for donations

    The Spruce / Ana Cadena

  11. Turn Used Clothing Into Rags

    If an item isn't in a condition to be worn again, you can often turn it into a rag for cleaning. For instance, cotton T-shirts are great for using as dust cloths. And you can even buff a table or other furniture with a hole-filled sweater.

    Turning used clothing into rags

    The Spruce / Ana Cadena

  12. Give Away Hand-Me-Downs

    If an item is special to you, but you no longer want to wear it, you can always present it to someone in your life as a hand-me-down. If necessary, have the item professionally cleaned and restored to make it look as new as possible. Even if you're not wearing it anymore, you should be happy to see it get a second life.

    Giving away hand me down clothing

    The Spruce / Ana Cadena

  13. Throw It Out on Dump Day

    If all the other options don't work for you, see if your town has a dump day. Your municipality might call it bulky waste day or large trash collection day, but you can take advantage of it no matter what it's called. Box up your used clothing that's in no shape to donate or sell, and trash it on dump day.

    A box of free clothing on front steps

    The Spruce / Ana Cadena