How to Consign Clothes and Furniture

To consign clothes or furniture, pick a shop that takes your category, prepare the items so they look ready to sell, bring them in on the shop’s intake days, and read the contract before you leave them.

Consigning clothes

Wash or dry-clean everything, press it, and bring it on hangers or folded flat, not in a garbage bag. Shops want current styles from the last two or three years, in season, with no stains, pilling or missing buttons. Brand matters: mall brands sell, fast fashion mostly does not. Designer pieces with tags, dust bags or receipts earn a higher split.

Consigning furniture

Send photos first; nearly every furniture shop screens by email or text before you move anything. Solid wood, mid-century, upholstered pieces in clean fabric and matched sets sell. Particleboard, worn mattresses and anything with pet damage do not. Ask who pays for pickup and whether the shop delivers to buyers, because that changes the split.

Getting a better consignment split

Compare two or three shops in your city. Splits, periods and markdown schedules differ, and a store that specialises in your category will price higher. Choose store credit if you shop there anyway; many add 10 percent.

Start with furniture consignment stores for large pieces, or the consignment stores near you for clothing.