Spring is approaching and that means it’s time to purge old trends and clutter from your life and welcome a clean slate. Spring cleaning can be made easy and fun! You will want to get in the mood for some deep diving into those piles of clothes invading your space. Put on your favorite playlist, one that makes you feel energized and uplifted because the break-up with your closet and that “forever” pair of shoes now brown from endless nights out, is looming. “It’s out with the old and in with the new” like Sharpay Evans said in High School Musical 2. The process of making space for your emerging new style and interests doesn’t have to be all drab. Let’s make it enjoyable; tune into that podcast or press play on that song and pick an area or category to begin with. This may be shoes, school clothes, dresses, athleisure apparel, sunglasses, hair accessories, books, jewelry, bags, or makeup. Start organizing collections by “keep” or “get rid of”. Ask yourself the hard questions. Will I wear this often? Does this shirt fit with my style? Have I worn this at all this year? Are these sneakers too run down? Is this eyeshadow still good? Do I really need a hundred hair clips when I only wear my go-tos? If the answer is no, part ways with it. Be honest with yourself and allow room to grow into you. Try being minimalist, set apparels that you can mix and match, select basics that never age and always go with something. This method may save you from hours of undressing hangers over your bed and the trouble of finding the “right” outfit until you just don’t want to go out anymore.
Now what should you do with this half-full wardrobe of yours? A great place to start is gathering all of the used-goods from the “get rid of” piles and freshen them up. Then, look up the nearest Goodwill, consignment shop, thrift store, or download apps that allow personal online shops. Generation Z is immersed in the online world, always creating side hustles and DIY projects. They have the right idea when it comes to creating yourself, your brand, and your identity. Limiting fast fashion and the waste of supplies is in! You can offer your used-goods or never-worn items to donation bins, shelters, or sell them at multiple stores for extra money in your pocket. Many people are participating in thrifting, specifically in the online space. One can build a profitable store using their own items with a biography and shop policies. Apps like Depop, Curtsy, Poshmark, thredUp, and Instagram are global platforms and perfect tools for this. For example, Instagram has taken off with many entrepreneurs gaining a large following through networking and selling out of their online thrift store like the two sisters behind Second Wave Thrift based in South Carolina. One can explore marketing, graphic design, business, and communication skills through profiles on the apps listed. There are endless options of where to offer your stock and doing so is a great way to support yourself, other entrepreneurs, and sustainability through secondhand resources!
Let’s get productive. Be honest. Be sustainable. Be minimal. Become brand new!
Second Wave Thrift Instagram: @secondwavexthrifts