It's that time of year again... Spring cleaning!
Let's start with the fun part of the house: The Wardrobe
Time to go through that wardrobe of yours and take inventory!
Most of us are guilty of having way too much clothing, a lot more than we actually wear. I'm sure we all know what it's like to have multiple items of clothing that look incredibly similar, mainly because we have forgotten we actually bought almost the same thing a couple of months before. There is also those items of clothing you say you'll wear when "I've lost weight" or only "in Spring" or "Autumn" or whatever one month you have chosen.The idea is, to only have and to only buy what you NEED, and not have an overloading wardrobe of things you hardly wear.
Plus, this is a great way to try out those eco-friendly ways to get rid of old clothing without simply throwing them away.
So, here's how to do it:
Step 1:
Take everything out of your closet.
Step 2:
Create your own fashion show! Ask a friend (choose one who's judgement you trust) to come help you pick what to keep. Try on everything you own and assess whether to keep it or not.
Step 3:
Create particular piles for the clothing items you no longer want.
I usually do a pile of clothes to go to Op Shops, a pile of clothes to go to friends who I know would like them and a pile of clothes that need to be fixed or altered.
The piles:
Op Shops:
Here's a great blog with information on donating clothes to charity
Giving away:
Host a clothing swap amongst friends! This is the best way to get rid of clothing that you may not wear, but you know your friends will. Read here to find out how to host a clothing swap.
Check out great online sharing site's such as TuShare , where you can share your clothes and other items with an online community of people.
Clothes to be fixed:
This is for the clothing that is either too ruined to give to charity or away, or clothing you want to keep but need to fix first. There are endless DIY fashion hacks that can help you do this yourself!
Check out these awesome fashion hacks!
Get the most out of your clothes with these fashion hacks
Get the most out of your clothes with these fashion hacks 2
But, the next step is possibly the most important!
Step 4:
Reduce what you buy and always ask: Do I really need this?
Estimated CO2 Saving: 17kg per month (200kg per year)
Our lives are full of stuff we don’t need, and each thing has an environmental cost. Be thoughtful when buying – quality over quantity, slow over fast, always asking ‘Do I really need it?’. Just deciding not to spend $100 on stuff can save 100kg of greenhouse gas pollution. You can reduce your overall consumption by questioning all significant purchases and resisting impulse buying. Before purchasing, give yourself at least a day or two to cool off.