Book Review: Billy Summers by Stephen King

StephanieLeave a comment

I got started on Stephen King books late in life because, once I got old enough I was on a romance kick for the better part of 20 years.

For the most part, now that’s over. I always assumed Stephen King’s books were all in the horror genre. Not so!!

So far, I’ve moseyed through Carrie & The Shining and loved both, but nothing prepared me for Billy Summers.

At first glance, it seems like a run of the mill thriller. But, as I’ve become a diehard King fan from what I’ve read so far, the writing style catapults it into prose that sucks you in and drags you along for the ride. Once I picked Billy Summers up, I could not put it down.

Don’t bother to read the jacket because the whole “assassin who makes sure he’s killing actual bad people” kind of seems like a tired concept used by Hollywood in way too many instances. The way it’s written and the additional characters that show Billy his own humanity really make it.

The ending of this book was not something that I expected from King in the least, and maybe that is just because I haven’t read most of his works yet.

I was reading this in bed on my phone next to my sleeping 5 year old as that’s the best time I can find to read. I bawled my eyes out at the end of this story. The grief was immediately overtaken with anger, and I almost called out Stephen King on Twitter about how he could dare to end Billy Summers in that way.

I’ve since come to accept it, but I’m writing this review several weeks after I finished the book.

So…. To anyone who’s interested: 5 out of 5 stars

Absolutely loved it!! But it’ll make ya mad.

Tianna Kirchner Needs Justice!

StephanieLeave a comment

I’ve been back on the podcast bandwagon for the last few weeks while I steam and photograph clothes for my reselling business. And, as some of you may know, I listen to a lot of true crime.

Well, last night I was listening to an episode on Crime Junkie about Tianna Kirchner. The longer that I listened, the angrier I could feel myself getting. By the end, my blood was absolutely boiling, and I put her name into the notes app on my iPhone to remember.

 

Tianna Kirchner
image credit: www.komonews.com

 

So today, here I am to talk about her. This case is from Everett, Washington.

From what is known from the court documents, Tianna was born in May of 2007. She lived with her Mother and biological Father for a short while. In 2009, Tianna’s Father filed for a divorce from her Mother. This divorce wasn’t actually finalized until 2012.  (In a conflicting article, the Mother’s first husband is said to not be Tianna’s biological Father)

A few months later after the finalization of the divorce, Tianna’s mother marries the Stepfather. (also 2012)

Sometime between 2013 & 2014, Tianna’s Aunt was told by Tianna’s Mother that she had lost a job because she had to identify Tianna’s body. There’s no information about how the little girl supposedly died, and the Mother said she didn’t want to have a funeral for her.

Tianna’s step-Grandmother heard from one of the little girl’s siblings that Tianna is dead in early 2015. She was told by Tianna’s Mother that Tianna had died in the tub. Tianna’s Mother stated that she tried to do CPR to revive the little girl, but she couldn’t. She then placed her in a cooler to try to figure out what to do. Then, she poured cement in the cooler, and she put it underneath the house.

 

***Hold up. Hold up.***

WTF?! They drowned her body in concrete and put it under the house…. As of this time — only family knows about this, and it is not reported!!!!

 

Around June of 2016, Tianna’s sister tells the school counselor that her stepfather has been molesting her. CPS & police get involved. HE ADMITS IT!!!!!!! No charges were filed as of November 2016.

August of 2016, Tianna’s sister tells a social worker that Tianna lives with her father, and she hasn’t seen her in a long time. This is when CPS calls Tianna’s Mother who refuses to tell her where the child is. The Mother then lies and says she’s on a camping trip and she’ll be back in September of 2016.

Obviously, when September rolls around, Tianna still cannot be produced.

October of 2016, the step-Grandmother finally calls the police to report the death and concealment of the little girl’s body. **took ya long enough!**

Now, CPS in Washington has been looking for this little girl for 4 YEARS!!! F-O-U-R YEARS!!!!!!!!!!! As of 2016, this child still hasn’t been reported missing, even by CPS.

October 29, 2016 — Tianna’s body is found. — in a storage tote full of concrete underneath a house–

 

Tianna Kirchner was failed at every turn for her entire life. It’s notated in one article that she was born with drugs in her system. But apparently, CPS felt no reason to continue to monitor the situation after 2010 when they say that the last complaint was made.

This child was supposed to have been living with her Grandmother, not her Mother from what I understand about the divorce decree between the Mother and her first husband.

Then, the child’s step-Grandmother finds out the truth and still can’t be bothered to report it for a FULL YEAR!!!!!!!

From what I can find, NOTHING has been done about anything that happened to this baby. Neither the Mother nor the Stepfather has been charged with her murder or even for concealing a death which they 100% DID!!! Dumping concrete into a tote with your baby’s body in it and putting it under the house IS MOST DEFINITELY concealing a death!

There’s currently a “Justice for Tianna Kirchner” petition on Change.org. Here’s the link.

 

Now, on to the other reason for this article — CPS IN WASHINGTON — Y’ALL NEED TO GET IT THE FUCK TOGETHER!!!! I have multiple stories about child disappearances, neglect & murders coming up.

Why TF are so many of these things happening in Washington State???!!! I feel like Washington has a disproportionate number of cases that, for some reason, end up in the public eye.

 

 

How to Easily Write a College Level Essay

StephanieLeave a comment

For years in both high school and college, I’ve pretty effortlessly been able to pound out essays and research papers. It’s just luckily one of the gifts I was blessed with, thank God…. because I was also cursed with ADHD. So, pounding out that college essay in the 12 hours before it was due was something I really needed out of life. It saved me quite a few failures.

Somewhere in the very beginning of my essay writing days, probably around 5th grade, I vaguely remember a teacher telling us to come up with a thesis statement and a topic sentence for each paragraph of the paper that we would write.

This has always stuck with me.

~Freaking OUTLINE.

If you do absolutely nothing else ahead of time, make a basic outline. Figure out what your actual topic is going to be about or what you’re trying to argue, and make up a thesis statement for your paper. -You don’t necessarily have to use it in the end, but it will help you to have it.- What are you trying to prove or disprove? What is your main argument? Hell, just what are you going to be expounding on in said paper?

This will quite literally save your life when you’re down to crunch time, and you’re freaking out in your Adderall and caffeine induced panic attack. (Just kidding, Drugs are bad, mmmkay.) Chill the fuck out, and pull out your outline. It’s literally ALL you need to make this happen. All the rest is bullshit and quotations.

AN OUTLINE WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE!!

~Begin Filling In

Once you have your outline, a large part of the weight is really off your shoulders because you have the basis of what your entire paper is going to be about. There isn’t really a ton more to have to think about.

I generally have a very vague direction in mind for each of my outline paragraphs once I’ve created the outline. To go from there is generally pretty simple. The hardest part is forcing yourself to sit down and ignore all the distractions around you. How?!

Well, my favorite way to ignore distractions and get to writing is to find some classical (or if that’s not your cup of tea, at least instrumental only) music and a decent pair of noise cancelling headphones. My personal preference when doing an outline and first draft of most essays is to actually pen and paper write them first. But….. I’m kind of a weirdo. I tend to get a lot more out of my head to work with by just jotting it into a notebook with a pen and scratching things out and rewriting as I go.

DO YOUR FIRST DRAFT HOW YOU ARE MOST COMFORTABLE!  

Being comfortable will help you get the most out of your head and onto paper (or computer.)

It is 100% best to do this ahead of time. If you wait until the day before, you’ll have no way of being comfortable because you’ll know exactly how strapped for time you are.

~Use big words accurately!

Seriously. If you’re gonna use them, please make sure you’re using them correctly. It’s really best to try to look these up and throw them into your outline, so you’re not trying to come up with stuff the night before that you can’t get someone else to proofread for you. If you’re not absolutely sure you’re using a “big word” correctly, best to take it out unless you have a super smart friend who can make sure for you.

But, use of words that make you sound smarter are always a good way to impress most basic English teachers/professors. And…. for essays outside of the English classes like History and Chemistry — you’re gonna blow them out of the water most of the time.

~Word / Page Requirement?! 🙁

Now, some sadistic professors may have word or page count limitations for their preferred length of paper. These are paper destroyers for those of us who can concisely say what we want to say in half the number of words, but it is what it is. Some professors will even give you a big fat ZERO if you don’t meet their minimum requirements.

So…..  what do you do in this case?

Well, once you’re finished writing the paper that you think is perfection prior to having to make it a certain length, put it all into Microsoft Word or whatever software you’re using if you haven’t already. Then, check your word and/or page count. If you’re at or past the limit, congratulations! You’re golden. If not, well here we go.

When it comes to writing papers, my personal preference is to write it the exact way that I want to write it with the bare minimum of requirements.

Example:

So, let’s say your professor is requiring one quotation. My first draft will include only one quotation from whatever text I’m using.

Once I’m finished my first draft with all original requirements, then I want to check my length requirements. If I know I need 300 more words, then that’s when we go in and start tweaking.

My personal preference and the preference of most actual writers and editors is to write things with as few words as possible to make them understood. I try to keep to this as much as possible even when I’m trying to increase my word count. I don’t want to add just bullshit words into sentences until the very last minute. This will water down your paper and make it much less enjoyable to read.

(Is it the professor’s fault for instituting a word requirement? – Definitely. –But you still don’t want your grade to suffer because of your professor’s stupid rule.)

My favorite thing to do to increase my word count when I know I’ve already written a phenomenal essay is to add in a couple more quotations from whatever text I’m using. Now, the rule for this is they have to actually add something to whatever paragraph you decide to add them into. Don’t just add some bullshit quotation in a random spot where it doesn’t make any sense. Place it well, so that it adds to your argument or statement rather than detracting.

If I’m outrageously short on words, it most likely means that I didn’t come up with enough points for the essay to begin with. You may have to actually rework your essay to add another paragraph or topic in altogether.

~Random Tips

DO NOT FORGET TO DO YOUR BIBLIOGRAPHY IF ONE IS REQUIRED!

REMEMBER TO FORMAT IN WHICHEVER STYLE YOUR PROFESSOR IS REQUIRING! Find more about MLA formatting here. Find more about APA formatting here.

DO NOT WRITE AN ESSAY HOW YOU BLOG! — IT GENERALLY SHOULDN’T BE WRITTEN HOW YOU WOULD SPEAK IN REAL LIFE. AND NEVER END A SENTENCE WITH A PREPOSITION!

IF YOU’RE FINISHED DAYS AHEAD OF TIME, ASK YOUR COLLEGE PROFESSOR IF HE OR SHE WILL GO OVER YOUR COLLEGE ESSAY BEFORE YOU HAVE TO TURN IT IN. SOME WILL. SOME WILL NOT, BUT ALMOST ALL OF THEM WILL DIRECT YOU TO A TUTORING CENTER ON CAMPUS THAT WILL GO OVER IT WITH YOU IF THEY ARE UNWILLING.

There’s a ton more I have to say on this subject. Perhaps, I’ll put out a full tutorial series on writing the perfect essay or research paper. I’ve met many students along the way who did NOT have a good understanding at all of the proper way to lay out an essay.

Y’all are ridiculously lucky to have programs and software like Grammarly now. We had none of that when I was growing up. Of course, that isn’t saying much. The internet was just being put into normal households when I was a teenager…. Dear Lord, I’m old!

 

Y’all comment things that I forgot or things that you want to see better explained in a series.

Mother Arrested in Death of Quinton Simon

StephanieLeave a comment

A pair of baby photos of toddler Quinton Simon, whose remains were found in a Georgia landfill on Nov. 18. 
Quinton Simon – 20 months old (Chatham Police Department)

 

Quinton Simon, a 20 month old toddler, was reported missing on October 5, 2022. As I live very close to where he went missing and, my best friend’s house in high school was actually right down the street from his house, this caught my interest.

After much questioning of the mother, Leilani Simon, it came to light that Quinton’s body had been thrown into a dumpster and was most likely at a local landfill in Savannah, Georgia. The FBI painstakingly sorted through the garbage for several weeks before finally finding remains that were confirmed to be human.

A DNA test was then performed to confirm the identity is that of little Quinton Simon.

His mother, Leilani, has been arrested in connection with his disappearance and murder.

As of now, there has been no release of extensive details in the perpetration of this crime, nor has there been a cause of death released. I hope to update this post soon with more information.

 

Rest in Peace with the angels sweet boy.

 

Read more here.

My Favorite Brands to Sell on Poshmark

StephanieLeave a comment

      There are tons of excellent brands to sell on Poshmark, and to be honest, some will really surprise you. I tend to stay away from the luxury products game because you have to put in a whole     lot more money for inventory, and you risk losing more. I like the good quality, decent turnaround brands, even some basic mall brands. My favorite place to source is the Goodwill Outlet – aka the bins. It’s cheap, and it’s fun! Okay. Fun is subjective. I think it’s fun, but, if you don’t like digging and occasionally seeing people being ridiculously rude at new bins, you might not love it. It’s definitely the most cost effective though. If you’re just starting, I would really say you should try the bins because mistakes are MUCH less of a mistake when you pay next to nothing for your items.

Jeans

  1. BKE – Lots of brands sold at Buckle do fairly well on Poshmark, and these jeans are usually at least a $30 turnaround.
  2. Big Star – These sell for around the same price point as the BKE jeans above.
  3. Miss Me – These always go for a good bit, more when the back pockets are overly decorated.
  4. American Eagle – These jeans move, not for a ton, but you’re looking at $18 to $25 for a pair, and that’s a decent turnaround if you’re sourcing at the bins.

Shoes

  1. Clarks – I love selling these shoes, especially when I find them pretty often in good condition at the Goodwill Outlet aka “the bins.” These sell pretty consistently for between $25 to $35.
  2. Olukai – These are a great brand and endure really well over time. They sell consistently for $25 to $45 (even kids!)
  3. Hoka – Hoka sneakers really hold their value, and these sell regularly for $40-$80 depending on condition and color way. I LOVE finding these at the bins.
  4. UGG – boots and flip flops – Uggs do fairly well all around and usually for a decent amount as long as you can get them for the right price.
  5. Crocs – but mostly at bins prices. Crocs almost ALWAYS sell, but depending on style, not for a ton of money. I wouldn’t pay up for many of them unless you’ve done your research and know what you’re looking at.
  6. Teva – I don’t have a ton of experience with these, but I have sold one pair sourced at the bins. …moved in a week or two and for upward of $30. They were men’s hiking/kayaking closed toe sandal style. I’ve heard that these can be great, and they moved well for me.
  7. Minnetonka – The calf/knee height boots with the fringe on them go quickly and for at least $30 in good condition. I’ve picked these up at the bins twice, and they go within a week or two. Both were great transactions. I do have a pair of unlisted flip flops of the same brand, but I can’t comment on if they’ll move or not as they aren’t listed yet.
  8. Sperry – but ONLY the funky ones – Sperry boat shoes move really well if you find the ones with the glittery effects and sequins. Funky colors like pinks and teals tend to move in these types of shoes, at least in our store.
  9. Nocona – cowboy boots. I’ve found these once. They were vintage, and the bottoms were definitely somewhat worn, and I turned them around from $8.99 to $50. It was a welcome flip.

Dresses

  1. Calvin Klein – These career type dresses have a very big following. If you find these on super clearance at a Marshall’s or TJ Maxx type store, these are totally worth picking up (if they’re cheap enough.) If new with tags, we have turned these dresses around repeatedly for $25 to $40. Even in excellent condition, they are worthy of a pick up and quick search.
  2. Strasburg – These kids dresses have a HUGE following as well. Vintage to new, Strasburg dresses are definitely worth picking up at thrift prices. They generally have hand embroidery and smocking that makes the Southern Mamas swoon.

Outerwear

  1. Patagonia – The Better Sweater line and fleeces from Patagonia as well as cold weather pants and clothing do very well. They generally go for some pretty decent money too.
  2. The North Face – This brand has always been pretty great, but their fleeces do particularly well. However, they used to be worth quite a bit more than they are now, so just keep that in mind. You’ll sell North Face, but you won’t sell it for huge money.

Anything

  1. Talbot’s – I know this is a fairly saturated brand, and it doesn’t go for all that much. But, when you source from the bins, totally worth it. Talbot’s moves depending on style and season.
  2. LOFT – Some people pass on LOFT because it’s saturated. But, for our business model, LOFT has always moved, and I’ve never had any issues with the transactions or the people who like LOFT. I’ve sold their shorts, tops, pants and skirts. All have done great for us.
  3. Lilly Pulitzer – Basically anything from this brand is worth it. The more loud and bright prints are generally worth a little bit more. Pick up if the thrift price is not overly elevated. Bigger sizes are always  better.

 

This is, in no way, an exhaustive list of great brands to sell. It’s somewhere to start though, especially if you’re just beginning. Pay attention to styles, colors and seasons. I prefer to list different seasons and holidays year round, but there is something to be said for listing Christmas stuff in November and other holidays like that. In season, items generally command a slightly higher price, but they can still sell year round.

Chech out my Poshmark closet here. Check out my other post with helpful tips from a year of reselling here.

What are your favorite brands for reselling? Let me know in the comments.

 

 

Carrie by Stephen King – Book Review

StephanieLeave a comment

*may contain affiliate links*

 

I’ve been back into reading of late. It’s usually not like me to go a long period of time without having a book in my hand, but alas, I have a 4 year old now. And, let’s just say that the last 3 years have been…… difficult.

I read my first Stephen King novel last year believe it or not. I was less into cerebral type thrillers and more into the trashy romance novels when I was last into reading…… basically when I was a teenager. I’ve realized at the ripe old age of 35 that I actually prefer something with a little more substance.

And boy, this book took me by surprise. It’s absolutely crazy to me that Carrie was Stephen King’s first novel. I was ridiculously enthralled with this entire story of an adolescent girl who has been teased and bullied her entire life and finally strikes back once she’s pushed to the edge.

From the first few pages, I was sucked in and taken on a ride that sadly lasted fewer than 24 hours because I couldn’t put it down.

I knew the very basics of this story. Having never really been into horror, I never saw the movie, so this was me really reading the story for the first time. And I loved it.

In the very beginning, the style of writing and back and forth between multiple publications in the “future” did throw me just a little bit. But, once I got the hang of it and how it’s written, this story just ripped me along on a whirlwind til the very end.

If you’ve read anything I’ve reviewed before, you know I hate traditional book reviews with all their verbose crap. So here you are:

Carrie by Stephen King 5 out of 5 stars!!! Absolutely loved it.

Trigger warning: religious zeal, child abuse & rape

 

Feel free to check out my other book review here when you get a chance!

Book Review : Water for Elephants

StephanieLeave a comment

Disclaimer: My “book review” may be kind of unconventional for some of you. I don’t care though. I hate long ridiculous book reviews. When I ask what someone thought about a book, I just want a “totally worth it!” or a “don’t waste your time girl!” So, here it is y’all…

As some of you know, I currently have a three year old. So, for the last year or so, my Goodreads challenges have been lost by the wayside. I haven’t been able to get through a whole book in quite a while which is really odd for me.

Well, this book!! I finally got through one: Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen and personally, I LOVED it!!

The first time I picked up this book, I must’ve just not been in the mood because I couldn’t even get through the first couple pages. This time, once through the first few, I blew through this book in maybe 2 or 3 days (and that is… FAST with a 3 year old.)

 Water for Elephants is a flashback or memoir type novel. The old man who is telling the story is now in a nursing home, and he’s basically dreaming the story of his youth and getting his start in the circus world. The book really delves into the darker side of circus life in the 1930s. Even though it’s technically fiction, many of the happenings are rooted in fact.

There’s action, adventure, violence, a little romance and a dash of danger. It had zero trouble holding my interest. I’m all about easier reads these days that I don’t have to really concentrate to decipher. This was one of those… a semi-quick, entertaining and easy read.

I would have definitely gone for 4/5 stars if it weren’t for the ending. The ending absolutely did it for me, and I’m all in at 5 of 5 stars.

8 Baby Products You Actually Need!

StephanieLeave a comment

 There are lots of insane lists all over the internet about baby products you just MUST have, but, in reality, having a baby can be much more affordable than some of the obsessive Mommy bloggers would have you believe. I too made the mistake of putting tons of crap on my registry that I didn’t actually need, but, if you’re doing this whole thing on a budget, you’re going to want to pare it down some.

1. NoseFrida – Seems gross but works better than anything else I’ve ever used when your little monster is having a hard time breathing due to congestion.

 2. Resinol – THE BEST FREAKING DIAPER RASH OINTMENT YOU’LL EVER USE!! Literal lifesaver! You can sometimes find this at pharmacies, but generally, you have to order it either into a pharmacy or on Amazon.

 3. Shopping Cart Cover – Seriously… Get one and use it. I’m 99.9% positive that my kid got Hand Foot Mouth from a shopping cart at Walmart. Nightmare!!! (And on a kind of related note, the teething gel listed below in #5 also REALLY helped with the pain from the Hand Foot Mouth.)

4. Boppy Nursing Pillow – This was a lifesaver for breastfeeding… much easier to hold baby up to the right level without causing back pain and general discomfort.

5. Nuby teething gel WITH the clove oil!! – If clove oil (or eugenol) isn’t on the ingredient list, it ain’t shit!! (Disclaimer: test this stuff before going ham just to make sure you’re little rotten doesn’t have a sensitivity to it.)

6. Graco Xtend2Fit – Loooove this carseat!! It’s not one of the insanely expensive ones, but it’s a great, safe brand. It’s also good from birth until your kid needs a booster seat.

7. something for that kid to sleep in…. – Sorry no specifics here other than it should probably be a crib or some type of flat well aerated cradle for it to be as safe as possible.

8. Cloth diapers — I DID NOT use these!! I was unprepared for all of my 3 children, and I’m not sorry. I have ADHD, and I don’t regret them a bit. However, if you’re better prepared than I was and have the stomach for it, cloth diapers are the most cost effective way to cover your little’s butt. They are more expensive up front, but they’re a one and done type of expenditure if you get the resizeable ones. Pro tip:: Save even more. – Buy these second hand – You can find them on Facebook Marketplace pretty much everywhere locally for a fraction of the cost of buying new.

Now, this is, in no way, an exhaustive list of baby products. However, the people who claim you need $1200 strollers, expensive baby food makers and tiny $45 baby Nikes (Come on! That kid can’t even walk yet!) are just WRONG! That’s right. I said it. …not agree to disagree just wrong. If you don’t have the money for all the nutso extras, don’t go into insane debt to get those things. Your kid will need a massive supply of diapers, wipes and clothes that he or she grows out of every 2 months. You will NEED your money for those things!!!

Having a baby if not for the faint of heart (or wallet,) but you can make this happen cost effectively if you try.

How Personal Capital Tracks my Net Worth

StephanieLeave a comment

Personal Capital is my favorite net worth tracking app/website. I absolutely love it. It has helped me increase my net worth so much since I started using it several years ago, and it’s ridiculously easy to use.

I first learned about the Personal Capital app from one of the myriad personal finance blogs that I read, so I decided to try it. So many personal finance bloggers have reviewed Personal Capital or use it that I figured it much be pretty secure. I have never regretted it, and I’m so grateful that it has been silently tracking my net worth. I have learned so much.

In order to use Personal Capital, you will need to be comfortable linking your banking and credit accounts. This way, the program can track your balances and payments. I currently have credit card accounts, bank accounts, vehicle loan accounts and a few manual accounts that are through private lenders and are unable to link. By using manual accounts, you will have to track your payments and balance yourself in order to keep up with it.

Because of my student loans, I’ve been in the red, so to speak, since I began using Personal Capital. But, I continue to see an upswing. I’ve reduced my debt by around $20,000 in the past few years, as well as further building my pension fund through my employer. This has, in turn, increased my net worth quite a bit (always a good thing!)

Being able to see everything in one fell swoop is VERY helpful for me. Spread sheets and logging every single expense in a budget tracker stress me out, but Personal Capital makes it so I can just see the overall big picture. This is MUCH easier and less stressful for me. If you’ve never tried tracking your net worth, you should really give it a go. It will definitely open your eyes to exactly what your situation is right now. Then, you can begin to either fix it or make it better.

Do any of you track your net worth?! What apps and/or websites do you use?

10 Poshmark Tips from a Year of Selling

StephanieLeave a comment

*this post contains affiliate links*

My best friend has a love affair with thrift stores. She loves everything about them and will spend hours searching through every item to leave with the best deals. I started selling on ebay a few years back, and we joked about reselling as a business for a while. Then, one day, I said “let’s do it. If you buy stuff, I’ll list it.” Of course, I meant it, but I also assumed we were just still talking. We were not. She started dropping off boxes of stuff to me at work, and it was list and sell or be crushed by the mountains of name brand clothing. The rest is history, so we began this whole selling on poshmark thing.

1. The more you list, the more you sell. Yes, you should list consistently most days of the week if possible, but I’d also say you should put up more in the beginning. If I had to do it all over, I’d probably try to get up at least 20 in the first week and do that consistently until I’m at 100 items.

2. Share your closet as often as possible. Because of Poshmark’s algorithm, the more you share, the more your items are at the forefront of people’s brand searches. We use Superposher to share our items and relist, and I’ve never been more happy to spend $40 per month in my life. This has saved me SO much time and gotten me many more sales than if I had to just share our closet myself over and over. However, I would probably wait to start your Superposher trial until you have at least 100 to 150 items in your store because having less than that just won’t lead to as many sales. This is our SuperPosher referral link if you want to get $10 off your first month: https://superposher.com/refer/?r=69d519df-9aba-4488-a950-c635c1f72dc5

3. Your pictures need to be awesome. This is super easy to accomplish, even without a camera. I use my iPhone. Use a plain white background, and edit your pictures, so that your colors are true to the item. I use PhotoRoom, and yes, I actually pay the monthly fee for it. It’s been super helpful, and having the pro version removes the watermark and gives you more options when cutting out your background. Plus, it’s not that expensive, and it’s a tax deductible business expense. If you’re serious about selling on Poshmark, it’s best to take on some minimal expenses in order to make your closet stand out.

4. Decide on a storage system. I started out with diaper boxes, but now, I use clear plastic totes that I bought at Big Lots. I also found these on Amazon that are actually a better deal than I got at Big Lots I tape a number to the front of the tote (1 through 16 so far) and track what item goes into which tote in a spreadsheet. Why a spreadsheet? ..because you can put a row in alphabetical order. I put my sheet into alphabetical order by brand, so that I can more quickly find which box I stored the item that has sold.

5. Include measurements on all adult clothing. I’ve only had to go back and measure one or two kids’ clothing items, but it’s always best to include measurements for adult clothing. I include waist, inseam and length for shorts and pants,  and I include shoulder to hem length and armpit to armpit measurements for shirts and dresses.

6. Buy as cheaply as possible. We thrift everything and sell things from our own closets when we get tired of gently used items that are still in good condition. We also get things for free from friends and family when they’re looking to get rid of items. Our major source is shopping the bins. You can’t beat $1.49 a pound for clothing.

7. Use the free priority shipping supplies from the post office. You can order them for free and have them delivered right to your door, so you never run out. For Poshmark, you can use any Priority shipping supplies including flat rate envelopes and boxes.

8. Double bag items when you ship. I use these clear polybags for each item with a “thank you” sticker and then inside the priority shipping envelope or box. Putting your items in a clear polybag first will keep them clean and dry if there are any mishaps during shipping.

9. Track all of your expenses, and keep your receipts organized. I keep a current supply spreadsheet with the date, description and amount I paid for each business supply I bought. Things in this category generally include: shipping tape, polybags, “thank you” stickers, pens, printer, laptop, printer ink, etc.

10. For the love of God, make your items look presentable. My items are always clean and de-wrinkled before I start taking pictures. This clothing steamer is much easier to use than an iron. Nothing makes your closet look worse than your items just thrown on a bed or floor haphazardly. Make sure you always disclose any flaws in your items as well, including but not limited to stains, rips, tears, pulled threads, missing buttons, etc.

Selling on Poshmark is not for the faint of heart, but it’s a lot of fun. You can definitely make some good money if you are consistent and follow these steps.

This list is specific to selling on Poshmark, but we also crosspost some items. We’ve had excellent luck selling kids’ clothing on Kidizen.