Decluttering? Don't take these 7 items to consignment shops—here's why

Key Points

• Consignment stores avoid items that take up space when unsold, like dish sets and wedding dresses.
• Consignment shops reject goods with pungent smells and noticeable wear.
• High-end and luxury consignment shops will likely decline items without tags.

Whether you're decluttering and looking for someone to take your old closet items or your old couch, or you're seeking out something secondhand, it's good to know what you probably won't find in a consignment store—and why that is.

Unlike thrift stores, consignment shops sell items on behalf of the original owner, and the profit is shared between the shop owner and the item owner. But much like with any secondhand shopping, there are consignment options available for both clothing and furniture.

Before you go driving a van full of items to your local consignment, read the list of no-gos below.

Meet the Expert

• Jennifer Mayrath is the director of operations for Clotheshorse Anonymous, selling luxury fashion and accessories.
• Marina Lobanova is the marketing manager at Ballard Consignment, selling high-quality furniture and decor.

Fast Fashion Brands

Consignment shops often feature a curated selection of high-quality goods, which is why their criteria for donated items are much higher than those of the local thrift shop. Since fast-fashion brands are so commonplace, many consignment store employees, including Jennifer Mayrath, the director of operations for Clotheshorse Anonymous, steer clear of these items.

"Brands that produce large volumes at lower price points typically don’t hold enough resale value to justify the cost of processing them in a curated luxury consignment shop," she says. "Most luxury resale boutiques focus on designer labels because they retain value much better than fast fashion."

Standard Dinnerware

Marina Lobanova, the marketing manager at Ballard Consignment, which sells high-quality furniture and decor, says dinnerware can be especially challenging to sell, even if the set is complete and in good condition.

"Unless it's a very rare or unique vintage find, we pass on most dish sets," she says. On top of the fact that dinnerware is ubiquitous, Lobanova says these pieces also difficult to store safely and occupy a lot of showroom space.

Wedding Gowns

Unlike many clothing items that consignment owners decline, wedding gowns aren't typically tattered or ordinary. Instead, Mayrath says it's their one-of-a-kind nature that can make these items difficult to resell.

"Wedding gowns are beautiful but extremely personal pieces," she says. "Most have been altered to fit the original bride, which makes it difficult to find someone whose size and style preferences match."

Mayrath adds that these items take up a lot of space to store and display, and demand is much lower than for everyday designer pieces. "Because of that, many resale stores focus on items that move more quickly," she says.

Items without Labels or Fabric Tags

For many consignment stores, words like "premier," "high-end," and "upscale" distinguish their business from their secondhand peers. For instance, Clotheshorse Anonymous focuses on highly curated luxury fashion and accessories. So if someone attempts to consign an item with missing labels or fabric tags, it's often an immediate "no" for Mayrath.

"In most cases, it comes down to practicality, whether we can authenticate the item, price it fairly, and realistically find the next buyer," she says. "The label tells us not only the designer but also the materials and care requirements. Without that information, it’s impossible to give customers confidence in what they’re buying."

Mattresses

Got a new mattress? Great! You might be able give your old one a second life through Facebook groups or a mattress recycling program, but you likely won't be able to bring it to a furniture consignment store.

According to Lobanova, many consignment shops, including hers, reject secondhand mattresses as a rule, even if they appear to be in good condition, citing sanitation issues and potential pest infestations.

Items with Noticeable Wear

Perhaps the most obvious reason to rule out an item at a consignment shop is if it has noticeable wear and tear.

"Even designer pieces need to arrive in excellent condition to resell well," Mayrath says, adding that most of her shoppers expect secondhand luxury pieces to be in "like-new" condition.

"Visible wear, such as underarm discoloration, heavy pilling, stretched fabric, or lingering perfume or smoke odors, can make an item very difficult to place on the sales floor," she says.

Lobanova's shop sells furniture rather than clothing, and she says the same rules apply.

"We only take items that are ready for a new home," she says. "If a piece has broken frames, major wobbling, or heavy staining, it doesn't meet our quality standards."

Items with Pet or Cigarette Smells

Even if an item is rare, desirable, and free of visual blemishes, Lobanova says smell can make or break a sale. This is yet another distinction that can set consignment shops apart from thrift stores.

"We don't accept anything with cigarette smoke or pet smells," she says. "These odors are nearly impossible to get out of wood or upholstery and affect the rest of our inventory."

Items like these are not always a lost cause, she notes, but many consignment shops don't have the time or staff to clean them properly.

Read the original article on The Spruce