Decluttercore and Yard Sales: The Latest Trend in America

There’s a new emerging celebrity-backed trend called “decluttercore.” The new trend comes from the fashion world’s nickname “cluttercore,” which means “oversaturated” with different styles, colors and fabrics.

Where the fashionista approach is to wear a mix of awkward, overly complementary pieces, Cluttercore takes a different approach. Whether it’s an estate sale, a flea market or a flea market, this everyday American item offers new options for those looking to make a profit. In short, the flea market is entering the modern age.

W Magazine’s Carol Twersky writes, “The idea behind this trend is to transform found objects into fashion, trash into design, and trash into luxury.” Decluttercore’s goal is to transform household decorations or non-decorative items into wearable items.

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Naturally, such a policy attracts influencers and celebrities who have happily jumped on this fad. Miley Cyrus made a show-stopping appearance at the Grammy Awards last February wearing a Maison Margiela dress made entirely from safety pins.

Cyrus posted on X (formerly Twitter) to express her appreciation for the stunning design. The singer revealed that it took 675 hours, “used 14,000 gold safety pins and embellished with uniquely selected French antique beads.”

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A spectrum of clearing options

Apparently, the former Disney prodigy and current pop sensation didn’t find the safety pins in her Toluca Lake garage. Still, there are opportunities at the other end of the scale for anyone who wants to try selling high-quality fashion items.

Social media is abuzz with Decluttercore concept designs and successful artisans showcasing their rare upscaling talents. Nicolemclaughlin, for example, with 816,000 followers on Instagram, posts videos of her whimsical, upscaled creations.

While not all of them are wearable, her portfolio of work does contain quirky curiosities that could make a notable art exhibition, such as:

A high heel show converted into a mini artist’s kit, with the heel doubling as an easel and a mini artist’s palette tucked into a bow; A kneeling Crocs tennis net that two people carry while playing; Micro backpack panties that the wearer can slip into to store their belongings; China cup headphones lined with real headphone cushions, headband and spiral wire. Shorts converted into a garden tool storage set.

The advantage of this magpie-like methodology is that the possibilities are endless and most people will find flea markets and thrift stores on every corner. Additionally, other local flea markets could be a treasure trove of inspiration for any budding Decluttercore fan.

Take it to the runway

If the task is to incorporate everyday items into high fashion, then Ellen Hodakova Larsson has made it her own. The Swedish designer’s latest fall collection appeared in Vogue and showed equal parts ingenuity and humor.

There is a certain irony in the appeal of Decluttercore; On the one hand, it serves the upper echelons of society with what is essentially garbage. Nothing embodies this ethos more than Larsson, who shares in the article how her upbringing on a working farm showed the true value of everyday objects.

Conservationists are on board

Her clothing designs include everything from award ribbons to pencils to belt buckles – and are now the toast of Tinseltown. Star actress Kate Blanchett made headlines at the premiere of her film Borderlands (2024) wearing a dress made from 102 spoons straight from Sweden.

Nothing says “I care about the environment” more than reused clothing.

In a Women’s Wear Daily post, Blanchett shares her motivation for wearing it. The Australian doesn’t just wear different clothing designs for her red carpet appearances; She also stands firmly behind the Decluttercore message.

For the actress, there is reason to act “when you know that the world consumes 18 billion items of clothing every year.” Additionally, Blanchett mentions that this statistic represents a 400% jump from a decade ago.

Martina Igini of the conservation platform Earth claims that the US is responsible for “an estimated 11.3 million tonnes of textile waste – equivalent to 85% of all textiles…” Numbers like these can only reinforce Decluttercore’s message about reducing waste.

A reuse market

A decluttercore mindset is not limited to the fashionista world; Other items such as furniture may fetch a reasonable selling price. Some people have a natural talent for reusing unwanted furniture found in such places, but there are steps everyone can follow.

This year Statista presents “goods and furniture recommerce”. [sic] Spending is nearly $22 billion and will rise to $23.5 billion next year. It’s clear that learning how to renovate interiors can bring financial benefits.

First steps

Newcomers who want to join the upscaling community can search the market for good developments or seek advice from experts. Side Hustle Nation has a useful furniture reuse checklist you can download.

Moving furniture from its old home (and in old condition) to a new buyer requires a number of steps:

procurement of furniture; transportation of the item; upgrading or reusing; photography; Creating an online offer; Negotiations about the sale.

Even though this process sounds straightforward, problems can arise at any stage when playing pinball for the first time. The passive income platform also interviewed an experienced furniture flipping enthusiast, Ryan Cron.

Make it easy the first time

Cron is not a full-time pinball machine. Like many other decluttering wizards, Cron has a career, with furniture being a separate project that happens to turn a profit. His advice for a newbie is to avoid overly detailed woodwork, antiques, and faux wood products that contain particle board.

Instead, the easiest items to convert are simple, real wood pieces at a low price (under $75) – namely dressers. “With dressers there is a lot less work and you can do more painting work in less time,” he reveals. “We found these to be the best – they turn around quicker and you get more money for them.”