👕closet audit before you bag anything for donation
so it doesn't just go straight to landfill. learned most of this the hard way from a consignment shop saying no to half my bag
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1
smell test every piece, not just the pits
smoke and mildew are the two rejections i see most and neither comes out in one wash
2
check stains under a bright light, not the closet bulb
yellowing pit stains basically never come out, i learned this the hard way with a whole bag of shirts
3
count missing buttons and broken zippers
consignment shops want it wearable as-is, not a mending project for them
4
sort by destination before you even start a bag
consign / swap / recycle / trash - one pile each, otherwise everything ends up in the donation bag by default
5
pull anything bought in the last year you never wore
tags-still-on stuff sells the fastest and fastest tells you what you actually don't like
6
check for a manufacturer or brand label
no-label pieces (a lot of amazon/shein basics) get turned away at intake almost everywhere
7
skip anything that's been in a garage bin over a season
silverfish and damp get in there and you won't notice til it's on someone else's hanger
8
separate out-of-season stuff into its own pile
consignment shops mostly buy current season, off-season sits in their back room and then gets returned to you
9
check elastane/waistbands for stretch-out
leggings especially - loose in the store means it's not bouncing back, still going strong is not a thing waistbands do
10
no garbage bags, ever
sounds petty but it's an actual rejection reason, they assume the worst about what's inside
11
photograph anything nice before it leaves the house
for my own records honestly, not the shop's. i regret not doing this with a coat i loved
12
double check kids and maternity go to a separate specialty spot
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