Have you considered your local women's shelter? Ours is always looking for items that will help these ladies transition into the next stage of their lives and a decent handbag is a real treat. I have done this a few times over the years and feel good because I know someone else will enjoy them and I won't have them just collecting dust in my closet. Granted, they aren't high-end designer bags but they are nice styles with a lot of life left that I just don't carry anymore. Win win!
What do you do with your old bags?
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I offer them to family and friends. If they don't want them and the bag is higher-end I usually just store it, and if it is a less expensive bag then I donate it. I just don't want to worry about all of the horror stories I've read from ebay sellers. I know bad things don't happen to everyone, but I'm just not willing to take the chance. Besides, I feel like giving them away is good-bag karma or something 
If they´re destroyed, I give them to a shoemaker pal of mine, he can always recycle buckles & parts of it.
If they´re mid-level brand (GG&L, Liebeskind, Furla) and still OK, I offer them to my cleaning lady first, as she has two brilliant teen daughters who get them as rewards for good grades.
If they´re top-brand (LV, Gucci), they go to a charity who auctions such pieces and then gives the proceeds to a homeless society.
If it´s a Chloè then it goes to my dearest friend, for I couldn´t let it go and never see it again
I am curious about the charity auction thing. I have never heard of that. Are you able to offer a few names of places that do this?
Is Chloe one of your fav?
. Like the way you think!
I know this is an old thread, but I seem to specialize in those.
I have been looking for information about this topic lately because I ran across an article (can't remember where) that declared handbags to be one of the more difficult things to be recycled. Thrift stores and charity shops are overrun with bags, so after distributing as many of my former favorites as I could among friends and family, I looked for ways to repurpose.
I have a no-name bucket bag in my car acting as a trash bin. The strap keeps it secured, so there are no spills. A larger Coach flight bag keeps it company as an emergency kit. That frees up the glove compartment for actual gloves - or car manuals that I'll never consult.
An enormous and very plain Coach tote (I don't even know where this thing came from) is now a portable filing cabinet for all of Preteen's extracurricular paperwork.
A MbMJ tote that I once used as a diaper bag is now a sewing kit/first aid kit receptacle that I bring to Preteen's sporting events. Luckily, Preteen doesn't seem to remember the bag from those baby days.
A well-worn large Longchamp Planetes has become a suitcase for my aging dachshund, who can't go anywhere without a variety of medicines, prescription treats, sweaters, travel blanket, and special diet. A medium-sized Le Pliage in similar condition holds pet chew toys for home.
A nearly unsalvageable small Céline shoulder bag now stores all my technology accessories. With the strap gone and the seams restitched, it's gone from waste to wanted very nicely. Another Céline keeps old, loose photographs and letters found in drawers and such at my grandparents' house as we prepared it for the market.
I have a couple of bags left that still need new purpose: a tiny Bottega Veneta shoulder bag and a Fendi compilation baguette. Neither gets any use, but I'd like to find a job for each.
I have been looking for information about this topic lately because I ran across an article (can't remember where) that declared handbags to be one of the more difficult things to be recycled. Thrift stores and charity shops are overrun with bags, so after distributing as many of my former favorites as I could among friends and family, I looked for ways to repurpose.
I have a no-name bucket bag in my car acting as a trash bin. The strap keeps it secured, so there are no spills. A larger Coach flight bag keeps it company as an emergency kit. That frees up the glove compartment for actual gloves - or car manuals that I'll never consult.
An enormous and very plain Coach tote (I don't even know where this thing came from) is now a portable filing cabinet for all of Preteen's extracurricular paperwork.
A MbMJ tote that I once used as a diaper bag is now a sewing kit/first aid kit receptacle that I bring to Preteen's sporting events. Luckily, Preteen doesn't seem to remember the bag from those baby days.
A well-worn large Longchamp Planetes has become a suitcase for my aging dachshund, who can't go anywhere without a variety of medicines, prescription treats, sweaters, travel blanket, and special diet. A medium-sized Le Pliage in similar condition holds pet chew toys for home.
A nearly unsalvageable small Céline shoulder bag now stores all my technology accessories. With the strap gone and the seams restitched, it's gone from waste to wanted very nicely. Another Céline keeps old, loose photographs and letters found in drawers and such at my grandparents' house as we prepared it for the market.
I have a couple of bags left that still need new purpose: a tiny Bottega Veneta shoulder bag and a Fendi compilation baguette. Neither gets any use, but I'd like to find a job for each.
eBay is hard work. Taking photos, trying to figure out the accurate shipping costs, and the ongoing back/forth with potential bidders. But if you have the time, patience and don't mind the risk of attracting potentially dishonest buyers, then maybe it's worth cutting out the middle man / third party reseller.
Personally, I consign any luxury brands. Some may sell. But if it's not Hermes, Chanel, Dior or LV, most won't generate any interest at all (or it may take months or a year to sell). If I make anything on a consignment sale, I consider it a win. Whatever doesn't sell at consignment (or if I know it's not worth consigning) I give to a charity shop or friends or family. At the risk of sounding rude, I would caution anyone to keep expectations very low (like at $0.00) on what they may make back from the sale of used handbags.
Edited to add: I just realized this thread was mostly from 2014. Sorry about that.
Personally, I consign any luxury brands. Some may sell. But if it's not Hermes, Chanel, Dior or LV, most won't generate any interest at all (or it may take months or a year to sell). If I make anything on a consignment sale, I consider it a win. Whatever doesn't sell at consignment (or if I know it's not worth consigning) I give to a charity shop or friends or family. At the risk of sounding rude, I would caution anyone to keep expectations very low (like at $0.00) on what they may make back from the sale of used handbags.
Edited to add: I just realized this thread was mostly from 2014. Sorry about that.