Question:
What is your rule of thumb for deciding what clothes to keep and what clothes to donate to charity? I tend to keep everything!
It cost a fortune.” “It’s still perfectly good.” “I’ve hardly worn it.” “When I lose the weight I’ll wear it.” “But what if Mary has a 50’s party?” Do these words sound a little too familiar? If so, then you’re suffering from an overweight closet. It’s time to shed those extra pounds!
When going through your closet, you should ask yourself these questions:
1. Does it fit?
If not, take it out of your closet. If it can be altered and it’s worth the cost, then put it in a pile to take to the tailor—this week! Otherwise, slate it for the consignment shop, give away or charity.
2. When is the last time I wore it?
If you haven’t worn something in a year then you probably won’t (unless it’s seasonal.) Pull those items from your closet and get rid of them, even if they are “perfectly good!” Your options? You guessed it – give away, consignment or charity.
Or are you one of the ones waiting for them to come back into style? Then box them up, store them and wait—but get that extra fat out of your closet.
3. Is it stained or does it have an unrepairable tear?
You don’t want to wear stained or damaged clothing unless you’re trying to put forth a sloppy and unkempt image, plus it’s tacky. Throw them away or donate them to a women’s shelter where they can use them.
4. Is it still in style?
Most of us want to look current and in style even if we don’t dress trendy. If you don’t know what’s currently in style, then check out the fashion magazines or go shopping to see what’s out there—but don’t buy, this is just research! Look but don’t consume, your closet is on a diet.
5. Have I changed my look because of my job or lifestyle?
Do you have a new job that requires an entirely new set of clothes? Or have you decided you want to do away with the black and silver stud look and dress more classically? It’s time for a change, so cart those items off to the consignment store where someone else will love them and pay you for them. In your closet they’re just empty calories!
6. Do I even like it, or have I worn it so much I’m sick of it?
An item might be perfectly good, which is why you don’t feel you can get rid of it. But look at it this way: if you’re sick of it then maybe we are too!
This is step one. Get rid of the excess. The goal is a lean closet, muscled only with clothes in good shape that you like to wear. Don’t put anything back in it that needs buttons, repairs or ironing. Be relentless, and trim, trim, trim. See how good you feel!
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