How do you get rid of the piles of unwanted treasure after the big spring clean? Maddie Gressel has a few ideas

For the kind-hearted, there’s still a chance to transform sinful spending into a good deed. Take your cast-offs to your nearest Salvation Army, Oxfam, St John’s Cathedral or charity shop where your ex-treasure can be resold and the profits donated for a good cause. Friends of the Earth has more than 200 collection points around the city and also offers home pick-up. You’ll be providing for those in need and reducing waste in one go.

On the other hand, you’ve probably seen those cheerful green bins dotting Hong Kong’s landscape. They’re not for trash (although some do get mistakenly used for that) and Hong Kong’s government has teamed up with the city’s NGOs to establish the bins in an effort to reduce the city’s mind-boggling textile waste. Just dump your clothes for a completely hassle-free experience. For a full list of bin locations, visit www.had.gov.hk.

For those hoping to fill up the void that the clean-out has left, never forget one girl’s trash is another girl’s treasure. At Forever and Again – organised by Anna Beech and Sam McDaid back in 2010 – you can swap your cast-offs with other clothes-swap attendees for a mere $60 (all proceeds and any leftovers go to charities). Once you have registered for the event, every single exchange is free and the fee includes a drink. It’s the most sociable way to shop and recycle. The next clothing swap happens on Sun Feb 19, 3-5 pm at Kila Bar, Upper Basement, 79 Wyndham St, Central. Email aegbeech@gmail.com for more information.

But if you prefer cash over karma, head to one of Hong Kong’s many second-hand vintage shops, where they’ll sell your old duds on consignment (albeit with a hefty 50 percent commission). The usual suspects are local vintage shops such as Select 18, Vintage HK and Bang Bang 70s, which are all clustered around Hollywood Road in Soho. If you’re on Kowloon side, head to Me & Gee. Everything is dirt-cheap there, so don’t expect to make a killing.

You’d probably expect more returns for your luxury purchases. And since Hong Kong has more socialites per square foot than any other city, Milan Station and Third Station exist solely due to the socialites’ needs to pawn off their ex-season purchases. These second-hand retailers will pay top prices for your impulsive Parisian buys. The sales assistants will size up your ex-season Gucci and Chanel, and verify their authenticity before buying off your limited-editions. Also note that level three of the Pedder Building has a good selection of second-hand boutiques who pay premium for your luxury items as well.

Last but not least, we understand that some of us just can’t be bothered to lug our treasure to the nearest recycling bins/charity shop/second-hand resellers. Just call Ani on 9348 6353 who buys whatever you’re selling at around – oops – $1 apiece. He sells every day from 9-11pm in Hung Hom, near Whampoa Gardens, directly out of his sketchy white van. But if you have more than 10kg, he’ll drive his van over to your house and buy at $3 per kilo. 

Shop these!

Me & Gee 64 Tung Choi St, Mong Kok; 9 Li Yuen St West, Central.
Salvation Army Family Store G/F, 337 Hennessy Rd, Wan Chai, 2836 6246; G/F, 98 Stanley Main St, Stanley, 3197 0070; Shop 233 & 237, Hay Cheuk Lau, Garden Estate, Kwun Tong, 2331 2577. For a comprehensive list of stores, visit www.salvation.org.hk.
Oxfam LG8, Jardine House, Central, 2522 1765.
Vintage HK 57-59 Hollywood Rd, Central, 2545 9932.
Select 18 Shop A, 18 Bridges St, Sheung Wan, 9127 3657.
Bang Bang! 70s 1/F, 16A Aberdeen St, Central, 9045 8006.
Midwest Shop 58, Victoria Centre, 15 Watson Rd, Tin Hau, 2802 6886.
3rd Avenue Shop 304B, Pedder Building, 12 Pedder St, Central, 2537 9168.
St John’s Cathedral Charity Shop 4-8 Garden Rd, Central, 2523 4157.
Milan Station G/F, 26 Wellington St, Central, 2736 3388.