\u201cIt\u2019s an organic, continuous process that we outgrow things,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd then there are new things that represent what we\u2019re moving into next for our lives.\u201d<\/p>\n
For clothes in particular, KQED\u2019s own senior editor Carly Severn has her own tactic, called \u201cThe Last Chance Saloon,\u201d where you bring all the items you haven\u2019t worn in a while to the front, and you have a week to wear them, or else they go.<\/p>\n
Maynard complimented this strategy, \u201cbecause sometimes you might have an item that you love, but it\u2019s really the past version of yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n
The process of getting rid of your clothes is not always easy. Maynard said the best way to remove friction \u2014 whether it\u2019s memories, shame, distraction or decision fatigue \u2014 is by decluttering with other people.<\/p>\n
Much of her job, she said, is reminding clients that they\u2019re \u201csetting themselves up for the version of their life that they desire. We really talk about it like solving a puzzle with friends.\u201d<\/p>\n
But now that you know what you\u2019re getting rid of, how do you go about it?<\/p>\n
Option 1: Sell your clothes<\/h2>\n
If you\u2019ve got the time, energy and interest, you can start by trying to sell some of your clothes.<\/p>\n
Online options for selling clothes abound<\/a>, including:<\/p>\n You can even try to sell your nicer pieces in person at local consignment stores or chains like Plato\u2019s Closet. If you\u2019re going this route, you\u2019ll have the most success if you price your item in line with the market (look up other similar items for a price range) and include critical details like sizing and any wear and tear.<\/p>\n Here are some of the stores in the Bay Area that could pay you \u2014 or offer store credit \u2014 for your used clothes:<\/p>\n Remember: All of these locations are likely to require you to be 18 or older and present your ID. They will only accept clothing that\u2019s clean.<\/p>\n If selling doesn\u2019t seem worth the effort, here in the Bay Area, there are tons of opportunities to donate your used clothing and make sure it stays as clothing<\/a> and doesn\u2019t end up in the landfill.<\/p>\n Maynard helps her clients give clothes to stores and organizations like Community Thrift, St. Anthony\u2019s, Out of the Closet, Goodwill and The Salvation Army (more info on these below). She said she often helps clients post on local BuyNothing groups, the free section of Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace \u201cto get them into the hands of people that can use them sooner rather than later.\u201d\u2019<\/p>\n Not sure if your clothes are high-quality enough to donate? Rest assured: \u201cBring us everything,\u201d said Tim O\u2019Neal, president and CEO for Goodwill in the San Francisco Bay Area. \u201cWe are happy to take it.\u201d<\/p>\n The Bay Area is a particularly generous market when it comes to people donating clothes, O\u2019Neal said. Previously, clothes you donated here in the Bay Area might get shipped to other markets where fewer people donate<\/a>.<\/p>\n Despite closing its Oakland <\/a>location, O\u2019Neal said Goodwill has plans to expand its Bay Area presence and open 80 new stores here in the next decade, outfitted with drive-up donation centers onsite.<\/p>\n A few Bay Area locations to drop off clothing donations (in general, these centers prefer clean clothing and textiles, but are more flexible than buyers in what they accept):<\/p>\n You could also consider getting your friends in on the act and organizing \u2014 even hosting \u2014 an in-person clothing swap party. You could even start one for your workplace: Here at KQED, we\u2019re lucky to even have a periodic clothing exchange, which helps motivate many of us to finally part with that too-small jacket or dress we\u2019ll never wear again.<\/p>\n If your clothes can\u2019t be resold at all \u2014 for example, if they\u2019re stained or broken beyond repair \u2014 Goodwill can still send them elsewhere to be recycled back to their fibers to be used in other industries, O\u2019Neal said.<\/p>\n \u201cIf we can\u2019t use it, we can find a way to recycle it or repurpose it,\u201d he said. Just don\u2019t bring them any hazardous materials, he stressed.<\/p>\n Other groups, like The Salvation Army in San Francisco, also take textile donations for recycling. And if you\u2019re cleaning out your closet and stumble upon other, non-clothing items to get rid of, most donation centers will take those, too.<\/p>\n How to recycle your clothes at:<\/p>\n Check out this county-run list<\/a> for even more locations in the Bay Area (or this one for San Francisco<\/a>) that accept clothing to recycle, including retailers accepting specific items like denim and socks.<\/p>\n\n
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Option 2: Donate your clothes<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.kqed.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/05\/CTSThriftSFGetty.jpg\")
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Option 3: Recycle your clothes<\/h2>\n
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