Every January, I set myself the same New Year’s resolution: I will actually clear out my wardrobe this year. You see, I’ve long been a serial hoarder – partly because I find it difficult to let go of clothes that have a memory attached to them (even if it’s just a nice holiday) and partly because I can’t bear the thought of where my discarded clothes might end up.

New Year’s Day in 2025 served as an acute reminder of why, when a catastrophic fire ripped through Kantamanto market in Accra, Ghana, one of the world’s largest second-hand clothes markets. In the wake of the disaster, thousands of sellers were left unable to make a living after their stalls were razed to the ground. While it’s taken time, and much-needed financial aid, to rebuild over the past year, it’s worth remembering that about 15 million garments arrive at the market every single week, from countries such as the United Kingdom, United States and China. The quantity is so great – and quality so poor – that about 40 per cent of these clothes can’t be resold and are instead dumped in unofficial landfill sites and washed up along the shore.

Given that only 10 to 30 per cent of clothes that we donate to charity shops are actually resold, there’s a high chance that your (and my) old clothes have ended up contributing to this ecological choke that blights countries across the Global South, whether Ghana, Chile, India, Pakistan, Kenya or elsewhere. That’s why consciousness about how we get rid of our unwanted clothes, and ensuring that they actually go to a new home, is so important.

“I hate to see anything go to waste, so I go that extra mile to really take care of where an item ends up,” says Naomi Smart, British Vogue’s shopping director, who has a highly organised approach to clearing out her wardrobe. The key? Assessing the quality, condition and target demographic of each item before deciding whether they should be sold online, at a car boot sale, donated to charity or kept for the dressing-up box. “We are spoiled for resale platforms now, so dividing up by where you’ll get the most interest and best price is key,” Smart explains, noting that she looks up the prices of similar pieces being sold online by using Google Lens. If you’re parting ways with a large haul, taking it to a car boot sale might be your best bet. “You can shift a lot in a few hours and car boots in London have changed so much in the last 20 years,” she says.

In fact, IRL closet sales have surged in popularity of late, alongside the rise of online resale. No one knows this better than Neverworns founder Liana Satenstein, the brains behind the Chloë Sevigny closet sale in 2023. As seen in numerous viral TikToks, the event had hundreds of New Yorkers queuing around the block in the hopes of getting a piece from the downtown It girl’s wardrobe. “People want to know where their clothes are going; you want to make sure that the person who buys them appreciates it,” Satenstein says. Take the vintage Blumarine pompom top that she used to wear all the time. “I got the best message the other day from the girl who bought it from me – she sent me a photo of herself wearing it,” she continues. “Thank God it ended up on her and she’s getting so much joy [from it].”

Creating a sense of community was one of the reasons Thick Threads founder Alessia Golfetto began running biannual closet sales in London. “I really wanted to have a wardrobe clear-out but I didn’t want my clothes to just sit on Depop for a year,” the stylist and creative producer says of how the first sale came about. “I thought, ‘OK, this has potential to be something really transformative and great, because I’ve noticed that we don’t really have [an organised] plus-size community in London or in the UK.’”

Indeed, this kind of intentionality is crucial when donating your unwanted garments. It’s why actor Yasmin Finney decided to donate the majority of her clothes to a small charity raising money for people living with HIV when she was clearing out her wardrobe earlier this year. “I know that most of the clothes will go to the community, which is amazing,” the Heartstopper star tells me.

While charities are inundated with fast fashion these days, quality clothing is still in high demand – both for organisations that resell used garments as an important source of income and for those that offer basic essentials to those in need. Clothing poverty remains a huge problem in the UK, with an estimated 5.5 million adults unable to afford the clothes they need for everyday life. It’s one of the reasons British Vogue launched its Fashion is for Everyone campaign earlier this year, partnering with Smart Works (a charity that provides clothing and coaching to unemployed women in a bid to help them secure employment) and Give Your Best (an online platform that allows women and children, including refugees, asylum seekers and those escaping domestic violence, to access clothing) to shine a spotlight on the issue. “Each donated item can really transform a life, and I don’t say that lightly because I’ve seen it first hand,” says Sol Escobar, founder and CEO of Give Your Best.

Of course, it goes without saying that whether you’re reselling your clothes or donating them to charity, making sure that your items are in good condition is a prerequisite. “Think of quality and purpose,” Escobar advises. “Give clothes that you would be proud to give a friend, as they may become someone’s outfit for a job interview or milestone moment.” Everyday items such as coats and shoes will always be in high demand too – look out for particular call-outs from charities, so you can be sure they end up where they’re most needed.

Knowing that my old clothes will be cherished by their new owners has spurred me on to finally finish my closet clear-out once and for all. I’ve divvied up much-loved items between friends, listed select items online and via Thrift+ (a UK-based online marketplace that will sort your unwanted clothes for you), and donated the rest to charities such as Give Your Best and Smart Works. Clearing out your wardrobe should feel good – and luckily there’s more ways than ever to ensure that you doing so does some good too.