This is a collaborative post: Let’s be honest: most of us have way too much stuff. So much, in fact, we can’t even keep track of it all. It doesn’t matter what the calendar says, any day is a good day to clean up, clear out, and organise your stuff. By purging the contents of your closet, you will save time, money, and your sanity, all while helping Mother Earth. Read on to learn how to do it.
Sort
Your first step in clearing out is to sort through your belongings. Make three piles: stay, go, and undecided. Don’t let pile #3 get too big! If you really struggle with letting go, have a trusted but impartial friend help out. Start with the easy decisions. Anything that no longer fits, is torn, stained, or otherwise disreputable must go. Keep the classics like wool trousers, silk blazers, and cashmere sweaters. Don’t forget to go through your accessory box. Timeless items like pearl jewelry are keepers while those cheap plastic beads can go straight into the ‘out’ box. Once you’ve done your first pass, do a second one through the ‘undecided’ stack and see if you can’t whittle it down. Sometimes, taking a day or two off can help clear your vision as to what you will use and what you won’t. If all else fails, seal up the items in a box and write the date on top. Anything you haven’t come back to retrieve out of it needs to go.
Sell
Next, sort your ‘go’ pile into three groups: sell, donate, and trash. This part can sometimes be tough but look at the bright side: your trash may be another person’s treasure. If you’re not sure whether your items have value, you can check out sites like Vinted, Depop, EditSecondHand and Collector Square to see what they have on offer. This isn’t limited to clothes either. Sites like Hardly Ever Worn It also resells luxury skincare products.
Donate
It’s a sad fact that some 350,000 tonnes of textiles wind up in landfills every year just in the UK. For all the items you no longer use but cannot sell, look into donation before tossing them. You can google local charity shops or consider some of the following organisations: the British Red Cross has shops throughout the kingdom where you can drop off. The Salvation Army has more than 8,000 donation centres and charity shops in the UK. iCollectClothes takes donations for Heart UK. Gift Your Gear is geared toward youth groups while Age UK specialises in helping older adults. The British Heart Foundation and Sense (benefitting those with disabilities) are just two charities that accept donations via the many Collect+ drop off points which are located around the country.
Repurpose
Not everything can be saved, but with a little creativity, many items can be repurposed. With a few stitches, or even just a bottle of glue, old jeans can be turned into a pair of shorts, an apron or a handbag. Old t-shirts can be turned into bright braided rugs, wreaths, baby or doll clothes, doggie bandanas, or handy carrier bags. Even the saddest torn or worn clothes can be reused as rags.
Enjoy
There’s nothing quite like the feeling of clear, organised space where you know the location of everything. You have the satisfaction of a job well done, know that you have done your part for the planet, and perhaps even made a few quid into the bargain.