You know you're bored when cleaning out your closet actually starts seeming like a fun idea. But now that so many of us have all this extra time, it's the perfect opportunity to start cleaning out clutter - in our homes, our phones, our lives in general.

I did a huge closet clean out a few weeks ago and I wanted to share a few tips for all of you finally tackling your closet this week! Whether you've already cleaned it out and are looking for the best ways to sell your items, or are getting ready to start, the lists below will give you a checklist and plenty of ideas!

The task can be daunting, especially when you have years of stuff shoved in every nook and cranny. Anybody else still have clothes from high school "just in case you might wear it"? Yup, I was embarrassed for myself when I discovered some of the things I still had.

Closet anxiety is real, I get it, but once you get it done, minimizing and simplifying feels like such a huge weight lifted off your shoulders, at least it did for me. 

Scroll down for my tips for cleaning your closet out efficiently and effectively, and for the best ways to profit off your old clothes!

Tips for Cleaning Out Your Closet

1. Go through your closet on laundry day! If it's not dirty, you probably don't wear it much. 

2. Get rid of clothes that don't fit! If something isn't flattering or the right size, you're not going to wear it. That dress you're holding on to "just in case" that's 4 sizes too small? Time to let her go. 

3. Get of anything that you don't feel good in! If you don't LOVE it, get rid of it! If you don't feel good, you're not going to feel like you look good. Confidence in an outfit comes from how you feel, so if it's piled, faded, stained, ripped, too small, just not your style, etc. it's time to replace it with something you feel like a badass in. 

4. Get rid of duplicates! You don't need three yellow v-necks. If you wear a black t-shirt every day, fine, keep all three. But if you wear your same favorite one, ditch the other two and replace them with ones you love. 

5. Flip your hangers, or separate items you've worn. If you're really struggling to determine what you do and don't need, try the hanger flipping trick. Flip all your hangers the same way to start, and once you've worn something and are putting it back, flip the hanger the other way. Do this for a month and at the end of the month evaluate the items you haven't flipped the hangers on. Unless it's something you save for specific events, if you haven't worn it in a month, you probably won't miss it. 

6. Take everything out of your closet! It's hard to tell how much stuff you really have until it's all out in the open. As you put each item back in your closet, evaluate whether you really like that item, or why you still have it if the answer is no.

7. Think about how you can transform your clothes! Like the way those jeans make your butt look but hate the cut? Turn them into shorts! There are so many great DIY's on Youtube for cutting your own hems, cropping your sweatshirts, bleaching, etc! If your project goes wrong, you can still always donate the item, but it's worth a shot if you weren't going to wear it in its original form.

I get that it's hard to part with clothes that you've spent your hard earned money on. Even if you don't wear it, some items are harder to just donate than others. So I put together a list of my favorite places to sell (and donate!) every type of item.

Places to Sell Your Clothes + How To Get The Most Cash For Your Clothes

If you want the least amount of cash in the least amount of time with the least amount of effort...

Plato's Closet. When I have random basics I just want to get rid of and get a little return for, I take them to Plato's Closet. They're mostly looking for in-style, name brands like Free People, PINK, American Eagle, etc. As long as your items are not super dated, worn, or overstocked at their store, they'll take your items. The only drawback on selling at Plato's is that they give you a very small percentage of what they sell the item for. If they're going to sell a t-shirt for $15, you'll probably walk away with $3-4. Not the best option if you're trying to get the most amount of return, but definitely the easier option if you just want the items gone. With Plato's, I'd recommend cutting the manufacturers tag (the tiny tag usually on the side seam or behind the main tag) out as they can't technically take anything over a year old.

If you want more a little more cash, have vintage or unique items and want to put in the minimal amount of effort...

Buffalo Exchange. Buffalo Exchange is a little bit pickier than Plato's when it comes to what they take as they're primarily looking for vintage items, unique items, or brand new trendy items. They are pickier, but they give you 50% of what they'll sell the item for, and even more if you opt for store credit instead of cash. 

If you want more cash and have more time...

Poshmark or Depop. I use Poshmark to sell most of the things I clean out of my closet, especially things that still have tags on them that I want the most value back for. I've used it for years, and it's easy and seamless to use. They take a $2.95 commission on all sales under $15, and a 20% commission on any sales above $15, but you don't have to pay for shipping, and they make the process of shipment and payment super easy for you. (You can shop my Poshmark here, and if you sign up for your own seller account, you can get $10 cash when you use the code "ANA_CAHILL" during sign-up!)

I haven't used DePop for as long, but I like them for selling vintage items. They're much more about aesthetic, where Poshmark is focused on searching particular items and brand names.

If you want the most cash and aren't in a rush to sell...

Instagram or Facebook Marketplace. Both of these options offer you an 100% profit (unless you pay for shipping), but it's a lot more work on your end, and more waiting for people to find your items. You're in charge of getting the item to the buyer, managing payment, etc, which if you have the time to wait, is totally fine. The biggest obstacle with this option is visibility. If you have a loyal following on Instagram that loves your style, you'll probably have no problem selling your clothes quickly, but for most people, these options don't move your items as quickly as some of the options above.

Here are a few tips for posting pictures of your items on any of the digital platforms to help them sell faster...

1. Make sure your items are cleaned, lint rolled, etc, before you take your photos! Even if the item isn't new, you want it to feel brand new to the buyer!

2. Take your photos in natural light on a clean, light-colored background - I usually use my white bed sheets or hardwood floor!

3. Fill in all the information you can on Poshmark to make sure your items show up for the most searches! Engaging with other accounts, whether it's following them or liking their listings, also helps!

4. Include a variety of photos, whether that's you in the item, a flat lay, a photo of the item from the website you purchased it on, etc. Just make sure you always include at least one photo of actual item you have.

Places to Donate Your Items

For most people, Goodwill is the go-to donation center, which is a totally wonderful option, but I just wanted to share a few others I donate to that are also in need of items and often get forgotten about.

1. Local Women's Center

2. Local Vet's Center

3. If you're in Nashville, Nashville Rescue Mission is amazing and always in need of clothes, blankets, canned foods, etc. They distribute to people all over the city that are in need!

I hope these tips help you with your closet clean-out projects this week! Feel free to send me a DM on Instagram with any more questions about selling, organizing, whatever!

xx, Ana