I Used the Organizational Triangle Method to Transform My Clothing Resale Business

I’ve been selling my old stuff online on and off for years, but in the last few months I’ve gone a little crazy. The volume of stuff I can sell has increased significantly, meaning I now have hundreds of listings on Poshmark and other resale sites — and when someone buys something, I have to be ready to find it, wash it, and ship it immediately to maintain my high seller rating. It was confusing for a while, but then I started using a tried-and-true method of organization to stay on track.

The Organizational Triangle Optimizes My Mini-Business

I’m not delusional enough to consider myself a small business owner, but I do work hard at this endeavor and consider my online resale presence a much smaller version of a brick-and-mortar retail business. If you’ve ever worked in retail, you know that everything is stored in a storage unit (or should be). My apartment is my storage unit. In fact, I turned my entire front closet into my storage unit and then used the principles of the Organizational Triangle to organize it. These principles are:

1. Every thing needs a home.

2. Keep like with like.

3. Use the “something in, something out” approach.

Every thing needs a home

This first step involves making sure that each item has its own place. This usually involves using storage boxes or containers to keep categories of items separate. I use the shelves of my front closet: workout and loungewear sets are on the top shelf, tops are on the next shelf down, shorts, skirts, and pants are on the next, and so on.

Keeping my resale items in a designated resale space , rather than leaving them in the closet and on the shelves I use for my real wardrobe, makes them easy to access and keeps them out of sight until I need them. It also makes it easier to organize my real wardrobe since items I no longer wear aren’t taking up space there.

Keep likes likes

Categorization is an important component of overall organization. Whether you’re organizing your kitchen, your desk, or, in my case, the closet where all your oversized stuff is waiting to be sold to a new owner, you should group categories of things together. I keep categories separated by shelves in this closet, so when someone buys a skirt from me, I know right away where it’s going.

Since implementing this step, I’ve reduced my “average shipping time,” which is the metric that counts toward my future inclusion as a top seller in Poshmark’s Ambassador program. My average shipping time has dropped from three days to two because it no longer takes me forever to find a sold item. I can find it the moment it sells, get it to the laundromat, and get it to the post office much faster than before.

Use the “something in, something out” approach

This is the part of the Organization Triangle that I’ve used for my resale business before. For years, when I wanted something simple—a pink bag, black heels—I’ve forced myself to sell the version I had first, then use the money to buy a new one. This means I always have something new, but I don’t have a bunch of the same stuff cluttering up my space.

How and Why This Helped Me with Resale

I don’t like having my entire closet in my small apartment taken up, but I know it’s temporary as I try to get rid of clothes that no longer fit me. Eventually, once that’s gone, I can start using the smaller storage nook in my loft and organizing it in the same way. What I really like is that keeping everything in a designated place, organizing by category, and prioritizing “one out, one in” has simplified my process.

I am also a resale buyer, not just a seller. Several times I have purchased an item, waited days for it to ship, and was ultimately disappointed when the other person texted me that they “couldn’t find” the item I bought. I know we’re all human, but that’s still bad customer service and it sucks. I don’t want to do that to anyone else.

I sell primarily on Poshmark, where buyer feedback is optional but publicly available. My buyers have attached notes saying that I am a fast, efficient, friendly shipper who ships clean, beautiful items as described. I have definitely received more positive feedback since restructuring with the Organizational Triangle. Items waiting to be sold are safe and sound in a “resale closet”; I can quickly find and wash them; and my entire process has been expedited. Positive feedback means more sales, and more sales means I can quickly clear out that closet, make money to buy clothes that fit me better, and succeed in my endeavor.

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