As a hobby seller on my favorite peer to peer fashion selling app, Poshmark, I have learned some great tips and tricks in the past year. I by no means represent myself as a power seller who makes an actual income from it - there are plenty of experts out there! This is very much something I do to clean out my closet, and share great items while making a bit of money in return. I've started this little series to share my favorite best practices in the hopes it will help someone else! This first volume is one of the most basic things and the first thing your customer sees when they place an order: Packaging!

I don't know about you, but I love getting packages and gifts. Online shopping is basically a gift to yourself, so why not make your buyer feel extra special with a pretty package? There's no guarantee it will result in a repeat sale, but there's no guarantee it won't! Here are some quick money and time saving tips for you to put your best foot forward with your Poshmark packaging!

1. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!

• If I have an appropriate size box or vinyl clothing bag or bubble mailer from Amazon or another online retailer, I will definitely re-use it! (Amazon Prime ensures I never run out!) I make sure to carefully tape up all open seams just in case. I have had buyers tell me that their package came partially open so now I'm always very thorough with the tape!
• I would not use cereal or granola bar boxes because they are not thick enough and I would be fearful they would rip or crush easily. 
• Make sure to remove or cover all other barcodes or labels that may confuse USPS.
• I also save the clear plastic bags that my online orders of clothes come, in to ensure items stay dry in all conditions. Those boxes really get thrown around and you don't want your item to get wet.  You can also buy fresh ones, but I try to reuse as much as possible since plastic is forever!
• I also save all manner of bubble wrap and sealed air to make sure my items don't' get tossed around and ruin my beautiful wrapping! 

If your customer appreciates eco-friendly practices (which most people do) they will not mind a reused box or packing material. Do what feels authentic to you as a seller and is in keeping with your brand.

2. Get free boxes from USPS!
You can order them online here or pick them up in store. I tend to order in bulk and pick them up when I happen to be at the post office.

3. Order affordable supplies on Amazon
I also have these 10x13 and these 6x9 pretty pink waterproof vinyl mailers for clothing or jewelry. I just wrap the items in bubble wrap if they are vulnerable and they do fine.  I always add some washi tape to the sealed area and then add extra packing tape to secure. I've received fun printed mailers and it always brings a smile to my face. It helps to add to your "brand" as a seller as well.

4. Make it pretty!
I wrap everything in tissue paper (good condition paper saved from birthday and Christmas or procured from the dollar store) and seal with my logo label and tie a nice ribbon or baker's twine around it.

I included a sample image in this listing so people know their package will arrive beautifully. People give my items as gifts also so it saves them the trouble of wrapping. Using special packaging, tissue paper, washi tape, twine, thank you notes, etc is a way to build a relationship with your customer and give them a nice buying experience. 

5. Add a Thank you Note!
This is somethign that is completely optional but is very nice to do. It makes me feel good to write it and I love when I get one from a seller! You can either use thank you notes you have on hand, hit up the Target dollar spot for some cheapies, or just write on a piece of note paper. It's a nice little touch that goes along way.

​6. Wow them with a free gift
Now this is something that not everyone wants to do, but it's very nice. I know I've been super pleased and felt really special to get one. If it's not for me, I just re-gift it to my own buyers the next time I sell something. Things I've included are make up samples from my ipsy subscription, lip glosses (from the party favor section at Target - super affordable!) and cute love-themed pins that I had leftover from my bridal shower. I will tape them to the thank you card with washi tape. It's super pretty and fun. 

I hope you enjoyed these 6 tips. Know that you don't need to spend a lot of extra money to make your packages look pretty. I am a craft supply hoarder (and general hoarder) so I already had these things on hand. If you're just getting started here is a mini shopping list for you:

1. Packing tape (try to get a gun as it makes it much easier to handle)
2. Tissue paper (dollar store, christmas clearance, save and re-use
3. Washi tape (take advantage of craft store coupons by downloading their app!)
4. Bakers twine or ribbon (make sure you price compare twine in the craft store as it will be priced differently depending on the section it's in - scrapbooking, party supplies, or baking! I love this site for large ribbon orders)
5. Waterproof vinyl mailers (fun colors and prints if you don't have used bubble mailers, vinyl clothing bags or boxes on hand)
6. Thank you notes (I love the dollar store and the Target dollar store for cute ones)
7. Little gifts (buy in bulk or share unused makeup samples or other things that you've accrued but never intend on using, but are still useful and lovely!)

Download the Poshmark App today - use code MOMENT2SHINE to get a $5 credit when you sign up!
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Stay tuned for Vol. 2. Leave a comment if there is a specific topic you'd like me to cover in an upcoming installment! Happy Poshing!

We live in a consumerist, disposable culture. Just watch The Story of Stuff and you'll realize it's not just a personal problem (though many suffer from disorders that cause them to hoard and I by no means wish to trivialize that). Learning about planned obsolescence was a real downer for me: the fact that companies make things specifically to break down faster so you'll buy the newer version. The Earth, and we as humans cannot sustain this forever. I'm sure you have plenty of things you could throw out, or are maybe saving for that magic day when you meet your goal weight, have somewhere to wear it, etc. You can't seem to part with it, but you can't hold on to it forever or you'll literally drown in stuff. If you're feeling stuck, it's time to make a change and start minimizing clutter, making some money, and living your best life!

Ready to get started? It's time to get real. Do some thinking about the following topics before you start decluttering: