Confession no. 5

Reduce -> Re-use -> Recycle // Clothing Edition

If you're like me, the idea of getting rid of any type of clothing article may seem slightly scary, or even like a chore you don't want to do. As much as I hate to admit it, I'm totally a clothing hoarder. I will hold onto a shirt I've worn once because "I may need it again"... even if the thought of that top makes me cringe. Lets dive in and hopefully upon reading, you'll be able to open your mind up a little more to all things thrifty.

The worst part about hoarding? Well, I'd like to say its because my closet is on its lest leg and the rack is literally about to bend in the middle.... I'm not kidding guys. But on a serious note, hoarding clothes is a bad idea for many reasons! Not only are you in possession of clothes someone else could be wearing, but you're hurting the earth. If you don't care about your home (planet earth) then you should hop on the trend, because its totally cool to go green~

So why should you give a sh!rt about your clothing footprint? Look at these statistics and tell me your mouth didn't drop! Honestly, if it didn't..thats okay because some of this doesn't even come as a shock to me. Please, please don't throw clothes out- at least donate or sell them to a local consignment/ thrift store! Someone else is always in need. But the point of this post isn't to lecture you or convince you to do the three R's (well only a little bit) but I wanna bring everyone's attention to online thrifting- a college gals life saver. 

If you're new to the concept, get ready to be in awe. If you're not able to make it to thrift stores for whatever reason, there are other ways to get rid of your clothing/ buy used clothing at a good price. Trends come and go, sometimes quicker than expected and this lifestyle can get EXPENSIVE! But no need to fear, there are places online to save you. As much as I wish I could find trending, quality pieces on Amazon because prime is crazy convenient, it's just not possible.. yet. Therefor, I turn to other online outlets like Depop, Poshmark, Instagram (there are so many vintage thrifters who buy + sell on Instagram.. and shipping is usually $5-$7.), ThredUP, and Leprix. 

It's 2019 and social media is on a whole new level guys. I'd say Depop, Instagram or Poshmark are the most common for gals on a budget, but don't sleep on the other sites, they have some awesome stuff. If you're looking to sell, Instagram is totally convenient because you can create an account and make your 'Rules' then start posting items like normal. I've noticed a lot of sellers offering two options: 'BIN', Buy it Now, or a 'BID' option, which usually starts at $5- depending on the name brand and value. 

As an advertising major, I feel the need to put emphasis on the importance of advertising your stuff! If you're trying to sell clothing and make an account but don't post it on your private accounts or on local pages, do you really wanna sell your items? These sellers don't tread lightly, they go HARD. They will make individual posts for items AND post them on their story/ highlights until the item is sold. They will also advertise for fellow thrift accounts if the opposing account sends them $$$.. crazy right? I feel like we live in a world that is so technologically advanced, its almost impossible to make it by in the selling side without social media and proper marketing skills. 

So my challenge to you guys is to go through your closets sometime in the next week, pick through every.single.item and try it all on. If you've been holding onto a dress as motivation so you can one day fit into it, keep it girl! But if you have absolutely no intentions of wearing an item again or simply don't fit something, I highly recommend repurposing them! If you're crafty, cut your articles up and get nifty! If not, resell on one of the websites above or just donate. Please don't toss your clothes in the trash. Fun fact- places like Goodwill will even sort through items and hesitate to put certain things on their floor if they're appalled by the condition. So, undergarments (as mentioned in my last post) are not recommended to donate or sell, and if they're goners- burn them in your fire pit this winter instead of trashing them :) 

Thanks for tuning in friends, till next time <3

-Ray