What can I do to lessen the amount of clothes all over my house?
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Hang your clothes on hangers and put in the closet with the hangers backwards. When you wear something, turn the hanger around the correct way. At the end of the year, whatever is still backwards you get rid of.
Sort the clothes into piles,pack away clothing not needed to wear now in totes,utilize closet organizers,shoe racks etc.Donate what you will no longer wear.
Organization is the key! If you are not organized no system will work. It also requires a fair amount of discipline to stick to a routine. First you need to make a mess, a big mess. Take everything out of your closets and dressers. Go through and have a keep, donate and trash piles. Once you have dumped the trash items, boxed up the donated items you can now put everything back neatly and logically. Everything in sections, dresses, slacks, jeans, skirts, short sleeved tops, long sleeve, coats, etc. Then address purses, hats, scarves, shoes - either on the floor of your closets or on shelves. Repurpose boxes or buy bins to keep things neat,organized and tidy. I switched out (over time), all my hangers to Joy Mangano huggable hangers - love them! Also, think about storing out of season items in plastic under bed bins too.
Its not that daunting.... make a couple boxes... donate & gift, then just start at one end of the closet..... ask yourself have you worn it within the last year, is it too big too small- if so donate it or give to a friend if you think she would like, need or use it. As I am losing weight, I take my too big clothes to my TOPs meetings, some usually take it, and whats left, I drive by Goodwill and drop it off. Keep making trips to the drivethru thrift store every couple days, just throw it in the back of the car each day.
As I go down the rod, I sort clothes into winter/summer closets, and I sort each rod by color..... I put an extra rod in the closet, so I put the tops on top, and bottoms on bottom.
If its an out-of-season keep, I put it in either a plastic crate that goes on the top shelf of the closet. Out of season shoes go on the bottom in plastic shoe boxes. Shoes being worn daily into a cloth shelf that hangs on the rod, others worn less are on the top shelf in plastic shoe boxes with a photo on the end.
I do use 2 large clear plastic boxes for heavy items, 1 for jackets, 1 for jeans.
I also have one hanging shelf organizer that goes on the pole for sweaters, and handbags.
First, is the problem great enough that you are REALLY committed to doing what it takes to solve it? Only you can answer this! Secondly, break the job into smaller segments so it isn't so overwhelming. Perhaps, beginning this week, you will review & deal with clothes for each season over the next year. In August, it will be fall clothes & accessories, in November it will be Winter stuff, etc. Mark a weekend on calendear you WILL do it! Have nothing else on your schedule, and have easy to fix food on hand for meals so you aren't distracted. Stage 1 is pull out to your bed EVERYTHING you have for the season! As you are pulling, set aside anything 1) stained, ripped or to be mended, or to big/small for your present figure. Depending on condition, these go to trash, donations or a seamstress pile. If something has needed care since last season, but didn't get it, it goes to trash or donations because it wasn't important enough to you to get care for a year already & likely won't this year either! Stage 2 is to consider how many outfits do you NEED for different aspects of your life & what those categories are. I'd choose for me not more than 10 work outfits, 4 sleepware, 4 for garden work and 3 for church or dressy occasions, as a basis for 2 wks wardrobe, which is the limit! In those work clothes, I'd select several blazers, sweaters, slacks and skirts that can be worn in multiple ways, so my 10 outfits could actually make 20 or more outfits by changing up the components and accessories. Stage 3: from items on your bed, pull out your favorite skirts, pants, dresses for work attire, limiting to 10 pieces! Next, choose 10 tops/blouses, one for each skirt or pants, Then, choose not more than 10 sweaters or blazers/jackets to complete each pants/skirt outfit, making sure 1 or 2 can also be used with your church/dressy outfits. (Better to select 5-8 if you can than 10). Stage 4: CAREFULLY review your choices for fit, comfort, versatility for more occasions than work, absence of any spots or flaws, stylishness ON YOU, and how you feel wearing those pieces. If you like a piece, but it gives you wedgies, swap it for something else!! KEEP ONLY WHAT YOU LOVE, FEELS GOOD AND LOOKS GOOD ON YOU, of those items you chose! Stage 5 is to repeat for the other aspects of your life, but probably not needing 2wks worth, and maybe work clothes can double for dressy outfits with different accessories, jacket, etc., to keep your closet leaner. When all the main pieces are chosen, take a look at your color pallet of chosen pieces. If most items are blues, teals, purples, but you have a couple odd browns, golds, or oranges, it may help your wardrobe to switch those earthtones for items in the green-blue or purple-rose color range, or navys, greys, black, to allow for more variety in what is clearly your preferred pallet, by switching parts of outfits on different occasions. Lastly, look at shoes, purses, scarves, jewelry, and any special undergarments needed for selected outfits. Switching accessories alone can change the look of an outfit, giving a whole different vibe! But, try to minimize accessories too! If shoes or purses are showing wear, shoes are not comfortable or go with only one outfit, get rid of them! I do suggest that a few pair of well made LEATHER shoes or boots, properly cared for, are worth the added expense as they can last YEARS, and are typically in timeless styles. To those, keep a couple pair of daily wear shoes, & maybe also keep one pair of flashy, trendy heels or flats per season for fun! Choose ONE basic handbag for daily use, that goes with most of your outfits, and maybe just 2-3 special bags that really make certain outfits POP. Scarves and jewelry take less space and can enhance and change an outfit dramatically.
Do this each season on year 1, and in year 2 try to pair down how many pieces you keep further yet, to say 7-8 full outfits for work, maybe fewer, as you learn to mix & match components over time. Commit to no new purchases without sending an existing item to donation! (It's in good condition or wouldn't still be in your closet!). Keep current items cared for with spot treating and mending or replace if can't be fixed. Allow for a few new items each season, to keep styles updated, IF you replace & not add to the wardrobe.
Once wardrobe is pared down, it will be easier to keep things in closets and drawers, with like together with like. I keep knit tops folded in drawers, also sweaters & fleece pullovers. All else but undies & nightwear are hung up, visable. Winter & Summer clothes get put away in tubs seasonally, but Spring/Fall mostly stay out year round. I don't go in for holiday themed t-shirts etc, choosing instead to wear something more solid colored relating to the holiday, then adding a scarf or something. I have a couple snowflake/snowmen items that carry thru winter including Christmas, for instance, since I tend toward blues in my wardrobe pallet. Hope that helps you!
Hello Alyshia; It can be very daunting to let go of things.....especially clothing!!!
I have a fairly simple solution, that I personally use.
If you have not worn something in two-three years, chances are that you can safely let the item go!!!
I have my closets divided into sections. One area is for out of season coats, scarves, Etc. I keep boots, winter shoes in clear shoe boxes which are labeled.
Fancy clothing, I keep in a special section. I tend to spend $$$$ on fancy pieces, and they are timeless, so I do not let them go, unless they do not fit, or I do not like them, Etc.
If you do not like an item, place it into a bag or box labeled donate.
If something is stained, missing buttons, Etc. Either fix, or donate.
Try and go through your closets the way a professional would. De-clutter.
If you think that you need to keep several things. Place them into separate bags. If you have not looked for the item in three to six months, donate them!!!
I keep a plastic clothing hamper in a corner of my closet. When I come across something, I toss it into the hamper. I then donate, every couple of months.
I have made some expensive mistakes, when purchasing clothing. Everyone does.
Let the item go, so that someone else can enjoy them!!!
On a Personal side note, A close friend of mine recently lost his Mom. I helped him go through her things, as it was hurtful for him to do such.
We donated new, expensive clothing with the tags to a Thrift store.
This store was able to use the money to build onto the store, due to what was made from this clothing!!!
I hope that this helps you!!! Take Care!
oh man!! Thank you so much! That definitely helps and gives me a very very good starting point!!! Ahhh ivxa wait to tackle this task now! Haha