How to Clear Out Your Wardrobe (and Get Paid for What You Don't Wear)

Most wardrobes hold more money than people realise. The bag you bought for a wedding three summers ago. The blazer still waiting for the right meeting. The shoes that pinch. Every month they sit there, they are worth a little less.

Here is how to clear out properly, decide what to keep, and turn the designer pieces you no longer reach for into money for the ones you will.

Start With What You Actually Wear

Turn every hanger to face the same way. Each time you wear something over the next six weeks, hang it back the other way. Anything still facing the original direction at the end has told you something.

If six weeks feels too slow, ask three questions of each piece. Have I worn it in the last year? Would I buy it again today at full price? Does it fit the life I have now, not the one I had when I bought it? Two honest no's and it belongs in the sell pile.

The Four Piles: Keep, Sell, Repair, Let Go

Keep: pieces you wear often, love, and would replace if lost. Your core wardrobe.

Sell: designer pieces in good condition that you no longer wear. Bags, shoes, outerwear, tailoring and knitwear from recognised houses all have a resale market.

Repair: things you would wear if a heel was replaced, a hem taken up or a strap re-stitched. Give yourself a deadline. If it is not fixed in a month, move it to sell.

Let go: high street pieces, worn-out basics and anything stained or damaged beyond repair. Donate, recycle or use a textile bank.

Which Designer Pieces Are Worth Selling

Handbags from Hermès, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Dior, Celine, Bottega Veneta, Prada, Loewe and Saint Laurent consistently attract buyers. Classic shapes in neutral colours sell fastest, but rarer colourways and vintage pieces often find a collector willing to pay well for them.

Designer shoes, coats, blazers and cashmere knitwear also sell, particularly from brands like Max Mara, The Row, Toteme, Isabel Marant and Zimmermann. Fine jewellery and watches from established houses hold value too.

Pieces that rarely sell well: heavily worn items, anything without a label, and very trend-led designs from several seasons ago. If you are unsure, ask. A quick photo is enough for us to tell you whether something is worth consigning.

Sell Before the Value Drops

Timing matters more than most people think. A bag that is having a moment sells faster and for more than the same bag a year later. If a style is everywhere right now, that is your signal to sell, not to wait.

Season matters too. Coats and knitwear sell best from September to January. Sandals, linen and resort pieces sell best from April to July. The weeks before Christmas are busy for bags, small leather goods and anything giftable, so autumn is a good time to list them.

Prices for most designer bags rise every year in store, which supports resale values for the classics. That does not apply to everything, though, and condition drops with every season a piece spends in a cupboard.

Get Your Pieces Ready to Sell

Gather everything that came with the item: dust bag, box, cards, receipt, spare straps or charms. A full set adds real value, particularly for Hermès and Chanel.

Give leather a gentle wipe, stuff bags so they hold their shape, and remove anything from the pockets. Do not attempt deep cleaning or colour restoration yourself. Done badly, it can reduce the value. Our brand-by-brand bag care guide covers what is safe to do at home.

Take clear photos in daylight: front, back, base, corners, interior, hardware and any serial or date stamp. Be honest about wear. Accurate condition notes build trust and speed up the sale.

Prefer Not to Do It Alone? Our Concierge Clear-Out

A full wardrobe edit is a big job, and it is hard to be objective about your own clothes. Our concierge clear-out service brings a second pair of eyes into your home. We go through your wardrobe with you, help you decide what to keep and what to let go, organise what stays, and prepare everything you are parting with for resale.

The Curated Mini Edit, £150: up to 2 hours. Ideal for one category, such as handbags, shoes or denim.

The Half-Day Wardrobe Rejuvenation, £250: 2 to 4 hours. A deeper edit of your wardrobe, with the pieces you keep reorganised and rehoused.

The Complete Wardrobe Transformation, £450: 6 to 7 hours. Your entire wardrobe edited, organised and restyled, with every piece you are selling ready to consign.

Anything you decide to sell can go straight into consignment with us, so the clear-out and the selling happen in one go. See the full details on The Concierge Experience.

Selling It Yourself vs Consigning

Selling yourself on Vinted or eBay means photographing, listing, answering questions, haggling, posting and dealing with returns. For high-value pieces, buyers often hesitate without independent authentication, so prices tend to be lower. We have compared the options in detail in why selling with Luxury Resale Concierge beats Vinted or eBay.

Consigning means a specialist does all of that for you. You hand over the piece, agree a price, and get paid when it sells. The trade-off is commission, which is why the rate matters.

How Consigning With LRC Works

We charge a flat 25% commission on every piece, so you keep 75% of the sale price. One rate, whatever the item.

1. Send us photos. Use our consignment form or WhatsApp. Include the brand, model, size, condition and anything that comes with it. We reply with an estimated resale range within 24 hours.

2. We authenticate and price. Every piece is inspected in-house for craftsmanship, hardware, serials and condition. You can read more about how we verify items. We agree a target price and a minimum with you before anything goes live.

3. We sell it, you get paid. We photograph, list, handle enquiries, shipping and insurance. Once your piece sells and the return window closes, your payout goes straight to your bank account.

Ready to start? Consign with us, or browse what other sellers have just listed in New In.

Your Questions Answered

How do I decide which clothes to get rid of?
Keep what you have worn in the last year and would buy again. Sell designer pieces you no longer reach for while they still hold value, and donate or recycle the rest.

What designer items sell best secondhand in the UK?
Classic handbags from Hermès, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Dior and Celine sell fastest, followed by designer shoes, coats, blazers and cashmere knitwear in good condition.

Is it better to sell designer clothes on Vinted or consign them?
Vinted suits lower-value pieces you are happy to list and post yourself. For designer bags and higher-value items, consigning with an authenticating specialist usually achieves a better price with far less effort.

How much commission do consignment shops take in the UK?
Rates vary widely, often between 25% and 50% or more, sometimes with minimum fees per item. At Luxury Resale Concierge it is a flat 25%, so you keep 75%.

Do I need the box and receipt to sell a designer bag?
No, but they help. A full set with dust bag, box and receipt usually sells faster and for more, particularly for Hermès and Chanel.

When is the best time to sell designer clothes?
Sell seasonal pieces just before their season starts: coats and knitwear in early autumn, summer pieces in spring. Bags and small leather goods sell well all year, with a peak before Christmas.

Can someone help me clear out my wardrobe in London?
Yes. Our concierge clear-out service starts at £150 for a 2-hour edit. We help you decide what to keep, organise your wardrobe and prepare unwanted designer pieces for resale.

Can I sell designer items if I live outside London?
Yes. Send us photos online or by WhatsApp from anywhere in the UK, and we will talk you through the next steps for any pieces we accept.