Even though I belong to a Facebook KonMari group, I am quite far from being Monica from Friends. The kind of woman who has just the right amount of clothes and a place for everything. With a collector’s nature in my genes, I’ve kept everything from my one-year-old outfit to my confirmation dress. My wardrobe holds the most valuable square meters in my home, because I love fashion and my closet is filled with several fashion brand classics in every color of the rainbow.
However, I have to learn to recycle my clothes, because in my daily life, the challenge is that I can’t find the outfit I want. Of course not, because it might be hidden on the top shelf of the closet or even gathering dust in storage. As a busy mom, I haven’t had time to sell at traditional flea markets, so recycling has been left undone because of its complexity. So it was high time to try something easier and less time-consuming—letting Emmy handle the selling.
My first attempt at KonMari ended in a fiasco. I laid the clothes on my bed and asked myself about each item: does this bring me joy? Unfortunately, every piece of clothing sparkled and shimmered, practically begging to stay in my closet. So, feeling miserable and a bit embarrassed, I hung the clothes back in the closet.
A couple of days later, I psyched myself up with my friend’s example to try decluttering again, this time with a better attitude. I realized I’m no longer a size S, and managed to set aside dresses that were too small and heels that were too high.
I familiarized myself with the seller instructions and, while inspecting my clothes, noticed that quite a few shirts and dresses were only in satisfactory condition. Emmy only accepts clothes that are in good condition and clean, with no missing buttons or loose seams, for example. The biggest surprise came when I realized that all I had to do was choose the clothes to sell from my closet. That was all I needed to do, besides filling out the seller’s form. Easier than I thought. I didn’t have to type out product descriptions, just pack the items in a cardboard box.
I ordered a home pickup service, and the next day I received a text message telling me when the courier would be at our door. I put the box outside the door, and when I peeked out a moment later, the package was on its way to the Lohja warehouse.
A week later, I saw the clothes I had put up for sale on my seller account. It was great to see the Italian brand outfit I had listed for sale on a mannequin, beautifully photographed. The prices set for the items were, in my opinion, sufficient. Especially for clothes priced over 60 euros, the seller gets a nice profit. The first item of mine that found a new home was a thick black domestic wool sweater. I was surprised that it was my good Scandinavian basic clothes that seemed to attract the most interest.
I took the payout as an Emmy gift card, which gave me 15% more for the items I sold. I wanted to reward my selling experience by buying something for myself. It didn’t take long before I found a designer belt on Emmy, just the kind I had been looking for. Recycling has never been this fun! Secondhand shopping is like a game, where by putting my clothes into circulation, I get items I actually need in return, and can offer them a new home.