Cleaned Out Your Closet – Now What?

Clothes organized in piles to donate discard sell or recycle

A Professional Organizer’s Guide to Mindfully Discarding Clothes in Hilversum

So, you finally tackled that overflowing closet, and now you’re staring at a mountain of clothes that no longer spark joy. It’s a liberating feeling, but also a bit overwhelming—what do you do with everything? Before you toss them in the bin or squeeze them into a dark corner, check out the options below to help responsibly discard clothing in Hilversum that won’t be cluttering your closet any longer.

A little planning goes a long way when it comes to getting rid of clothes efficiently and sustainably. Consider these four factors before deciding where your items should go:

  • Volume – Are we talking a couple of T-shirts, or do you need a fleet of bicycles to transport everything?
  • Condition – Are they gently used, or have they seen better days?
  • Age & Style – Are they trendy, vintage, or past their prime?
  • Seasonality – Is it the right time of year for someone to buy them? Even fabulous winter coats don’t sell well in July!

Once you’ve sorted your clothing into sellable, reusable (gently worn), and recyclable (damaged/stained) categories, you have three main options: sell, donate, or recycle. 

Sell – Give Your Clothes a Second Chance (and Make a Little Money)

Selling your clothes is a great way to ensure they go to someone who really wants them. While it’s not a way to make a fortune, it’s one approach to extending the life of your garments, and you might make a few euros in the process. Selling used clothes generally requires more effort than donating, so be selective about which items you choose to sell.

Consignment Stores in Hilversum

Consignment stores take care of the selling for you and give you a percentage of the sale. Clothes and accessories for consignment should be clean, in excellent condition, and in line with current fashion trends.

A consignment store will put an item up for sale for a fixed period and thereafter require the original clothing owner to collect the items by a certain date or agree to the item’s donation. Consignment shops usually have pre-identified charities and will happily tell you to where your clothes will be donated if they don’t sell, and you don’t collect them back.

  • Appel & Ei – Kerkstraat 63-9, Hilversum | www.appelenei.nl
    • Accepts men’s and women’s clothing that is less than two seasons old.
    • As a franchise Appel & Ei has a refined process for intake clearly layed out on their website. Learn what you need to know prior to heading to the store.
  • Sweet/Repeat – Kerkstraat 63-40, Hilversum | www.sweet-repeat.nl/en
    • This consignment shop specifically consigns upscale children’s clothing.
  • Second Lifestyle Hilversum – Gijsbrecht van Amstelstraat 206 | Tel: 035-631 92 22 | www.secondlifestyle.nl
    • In addition to men and women’s clothing, Second Lifestyle accepts active sportswear, maternity clothes, and children’s clothing.
    • No appointment needed, just drop by. But note: they stop accepting clothes an hour before closing.
  • Petit Piaf – A boutique option for high-quality pieces. Appointment required.

If you have success with a consignment shop, it can be the beginning of a beautiful relationship – when your style aligns with a shop’s clientele, you may have an easy choice for where to bring future clothing discards and a bit of pocket change to boot!

Sell Online

If you prefer to handle sales yourself, online platforms are an option. Depending on your proximity to the shop it may take more effort to sell clothes online than it does to sell them via a consignment shop. You may, for example, have to post and repost before people discover your items and buy them. On the upside, selling used clothes online allows you to reach a broader audience.

Back and forth communication and negotiation can wear on you (pun is purely accidental) and it’s wise to avoid frustration when you are undertaking a comprehensive declutter. In other words place a value on your time and energy when deciding if you want to handle your clothing discards by selling the clothes you no longer want online.

  • Vinted – User-friendly app for selling clothes across Europe.
  • Facebook Marketplace – Good for local buyers.
  • Marktplaats – The Dutch version of Craigslist, but much better! If you are not comfortable communicating in Dutch this site might be a bit challenging. Non-Dutch language postings are likely to get fewer views than similar listings in Dutch.

Tips for Selling Online

  • Keep descriptions clear and concise.
  • Brand-name items tend to sell faster.
  • Take well-lit, high-quality photos.
  • Don’t waste time posting way out-of-season items.

Donate – Give Your Clothes a New Home

If selling sounds unappealing, donating is an excellent way to clear out your wardrobe while benefiting others. Hilversum has several donation options – from large thrift stores, medium sized second-hand shops and smaller charity initiatives.

Typically, the large shops can accept donations on an ongoing basis and volume isn’t a limitation whereas the smaller charity shops specify days/time for accepting donations and cannot always take all you have to offer. Either way if you are going to be lugging bags of discarded clothing around it reduces frustration to pre-check by calling or dropping by the shop to see in advance what they will accept.

Big Thrift Stores

Leger de Heils Donation Bin Hilversum
  • While there is no “Reshare” branded store in Hilversum, but there is a Hilversum Leger de Heils store which has a large green collection bin in around the corner from the store, in the alley, where you may deposit your clothing, anytime.
  • The Leger de Heils Foundation office at Van Hengellaan 6, in the Trompenberg neighborhood, has a large green collection bin for used clothing (down the driveway, near the building entrance).
  • The Leger de Heils offers collection points through through affiliated retail partners. Partners. The listed partners in Hilversum are WE Fashion Kerkstraat 59 and Scapino Northern Forest 7.

Medium-Sized Secondhand Stores

  • Kringloop Hilversum Gijsbrecht – Gijsbrecht van Amstelstraat 67
      • Accepts most clothing donations.

Smaller Charity Shops (Call Ahead to Check Their Needs)

Recycle – When Clothes Are Beyond Repair

Some clothes are too worn out to be resold or donated, but that doesn’t mean they should go in the garbage. Hilversum’s GAD municipal waste service (www.gad.nl) offers multiple recycling options for textiles:

  • Drop them off at the GAD separation station in Hilversum: Nieuwe Crailoseweg 6.
  • Use neighborhood textile containers – Find the closest one at GAD’s website.
  • Arrange a free pick-up via GAD’s online service.

What’s Accepted?

✔ Clothes (even torn or incomplete)

✔ Towels, bedding, curtains

✔ Shoes (tied together), socks (paired)

✔ Bags, belts, scarves

What’s NOT Accepted?

✗ Wet or soiled textiles

✗ Carpets, cushions, hard toys

✗ Small fabric scraps

Final Tips for a Smooth Decluttering Process

  • Check pockets – You never know what you might find!
  • Use sturdy, closable bags for donations and recycling.
  • Wash and fold items before donating.
  • Tie shoes together before placing them in textile bins.
  • Prevent future clutter – Keep a donation box handy and empty it regularly.

By thoughtfully choosing where your clothes go, you’re not just tidying up—you’re contributing to a more sustainable and compassionate community. Happy decluttering, Hilversum!

Not sure where to start? As a professional organizer, I can help! Whether it’s your closet, kitchen, office, or entire home, let’s create a clutter-free space that works for you.

Message via What’sApp to book a free consultation today!