Closet Organizing Round Up
There are many ways to tidy a home, and the KonMari Method® is what worked for me. One of the things I like best about it is the emphasis on using and appreciating what I already have. I derive more pleasure from my possessions now than I ever did before tidying.
1- Ah, the dream closet! Organizer life has taught me that the dream closet really is different for everyone. For some people it's 75 pairs of shoes on display, and for others it's airspace between every hanger (my dream!). Maybe it's a rainbow of coats... perhaps just knowing that everything inside the closet fits?
2- Sorting before storing makes storing so much easier!
If you've ever been frustrated while trying to organize your closet, this is your top tip for how to make the process more efficient and the end result infinitely more satisfying.
When you sort first, you save time because you only put away clothes you are keeping. What's more, putting away clothing you have decided to keep tends to be easier then putting away clothing you don't want.
3- Where do discarded garments go? That depends. If you've got the bandwidth to put a little extra care into how you discard used clothing, you can increase the chance of it being used again.
Let's start at the top! The very best of the best of discards are garments in excellent condition that could make someone else's wardrobe better -they just don't happen to suit you. These pieces can be sold.
Almost always, your best bet is to sell them as a batch. The easiest option for batch selling is Thred Up. Print your label, pop everything in a box, and Thred Up will manage all the rest for you. For a quicker turnaround, take an afternoon to sell directly with local thrift or consignment shops instead.
4- Call ahead before selling/ donating clothes.
Many of the companies that help us to pass on our clothes are coping with less staff than they need and more donations than they can handle. Save yourself the trip (and the gas!) and spread a little kindness by calling ahead to see if they can handle your donation.
5- Mike: I don't know what those rags came from, but they feel really nice.
Leigh Ann: *Hysterical laughter* That would be because they are designer -from Theory."
Our most beloved clothing items eventually wear out. It can be a sad moment when the long life of a favorite garment comes to an end. Regardless of its original price or sentimental value, once it is used up, it's no longer eligible to donate, as it won't make someone else's life better to wear it. These items are best suited to fiber recycling or cleaning rags.
Synthetic fabric garments are best suited to fiber recycling. Think polyester, acetate, and nylon.
Natural fiber garments make lovely cleaning rags. Think cotton, wool, linen, and silk.
Luxurious garments make for truly luxurious cleaning rags. The fabric pictured here is completely worn out, but it's still magically soft, since it's an imported Japanese cotton triple gauze. So snuggly!
6- Fiber recycling! It's a great option for clothes that are worn out.
Proactively keeping these items out of donation piles can help to ease the burden on overwhelmed charities and thrift shops, since worn out items can't be re-sold.
This recycling point is at H&M. Whether or not you participate in fast fashion, you can take advantage of their recycling system.
7- Where do discarded garments go?
Another option for discarding garments of beautiful condition and quality is donation. Many local organizations maximize the impacts of their efforts by specializing. If you'd like to help them out, check out their guides for what they need, that way you can feel certain that your donation is a donation, not a dump. It can feel absolutely wonderful to let go of things you don't want and genuinely help others all in one go. Thriftique
8- Mending - one of the perks of in-person sessions with me is that I come armed with my sewing kit.
This is an intentionally visible mend, originally inspired by the Japanese practice of Kintsugi, or repairing with gold. That's why this particular thread is gold. As it turns out, visible mending is having a moment. Awesome news, since it's way easier than invisible mending.