3 things to do with clothes you don't use anymore KHUSHI K KAUR

I love clothes. Every year when it’s time to receive Christmas or birthday presents, anything fashion related is usually what I ask for. To be honest clothes, not so much. Just because I know what I like and my sizing etc, which some family relatives might not understand. Imagine getting your hopes up that your family is buying you clothes as a present and they just give you a plain t-shirt and socks. But I love a good shopping day and trying on clothes especially with friends and taking loads of pictures. I know I’m not the only one who has a wardrobe full of clothes but can still never seem to find something when going out…

Anyways, today’s blog post is about ways you can turn your old clothes into useful items for others. I have this one dress in my wardrobe which I’ve never worn and am not planning on wearing. So the best option is for me to get rid of it to make space for something I actually like and will wear. There are so many things you can do with clothes you don’t use anymore, but today we’ll be talking about 3 of them: donating, selling, upcycling.

Donating

Why wouldn’t you donate your clothes when you’re done with them? I think this is a very nice thing you can do as you’re giving items to other people which they necessarily aren’t able to afford at regular retail prices. This is an act of kindness where you’re asking for nothing back, and it’s all about giving. I know charity shops are very appreciative when people donate some stuff as it helps them sell more items and then use that money towards a good cause. There are no rules that have to be followed when making a donation. Whatever you have to give, whether it’s one top or six pairs of jackets, it’s still a kind donation. However keep in mind it’s nice to donate items that don’t look too worn out or damaged. Would you buy a top with a huge stain or rips everywhere? No, neither will other people.

Selling

If you prefer to get some money back from your clothes, or your items are quite valuable, try selling them. I used to do this a few years ago on eBay, where I’d sell clothes for a few pounds each. Obviously I didn’t make a lot of money but it was a good source of extra income. There are many apps and sites you can such as Vinted, Depop, Ebay, where people view your items and potentially buy them. All you have to do is take good photos, include detailed descriptions, list reasonable prices and be patient with it.

Upcycling

Upcycling means to reuse items in a creative process to transform unwanted items to something valuable again. I’ve seen tiktoks of people embroidering an old pair of jeans or cutting tops to make it look a certain way. And it looks so cool! I’ve never done it before but I think it would be so fun and creative to design something interesting with an old item of clothing. Here are some ideas:

Slash some rips into a pair of jeans for a ripped jean effect – this way you can make rips literally anywhere you want
Cut out holes or shapes in a top for that asymmetric look – perfect for a night out
Dazzle a jacket by putting faux fur on the cuffs and neck for a little fur coat moment

I think if you get a group of friends, buy a ton of accessories and arts and craft equipment, you can have a lot of fun with this!