Fall is quickly approaching and while there are still many hot days left ahead, it’s never too soon to start planning! Take this weekend to go through your closets and take note on what’s good, what you never wear, what you NEED and what you really don’t totally LOVE.
Some of us fill our closets to the max and then hardly ever wear what’s inside. Try (I know this might be tough for some) going through clothes, shoes and handbags before Fall with the goal of simplifying. Down sizing your wardrobe can help you with organizing, as well as really maximizing what you do own. Keep only what you LOVE, not the fillers that collect dust.
-Make a pile to donate (Goodwill, Salvation Army, homeless or women’s shelters) or trade in on consignment. Many consignment stores will give you a store credit and you can turn right around and get what you really NEED. There are other avenues to recycle clothes you no longer love, such as Craigslist and Ebay that you can utilize in not only downsizing, but earning some cash in the process. We have listed some of our stuff on Ebay and used that money to take our kids school shopping. Win-Win!
-Make a pile of those things you sometimes wear and another pile of what you “cannot live without” – then keep only the LOVE pile and revisit the “maybe” pile when you are done. Sometimes, if you just put the maybes into a bag and come back to them a week or two later, you will have a different perspective of how you feel about those particular items. Remember, it’s about maximizing what you have and getting rid of excess clutter.
-Keep a pen and paper handy and write down those items that you are in need of. Then, when you go shopping (preferably at a consignment shop or thrift store) you know exactly what you NEED! By sticking to only what is on that list can save you BIG in the long run. You won’t be tempted to make any spontaneous purchases just because “it was on clearance.” (I have so never done that before- psh).
-Enlist the help of your green kids! Children can help with this and oftentimes really enjoy it too. This is a great activity in teaching a life-long skill to your kids by inspiring them to maintain order and how to live a simple life!
You can really achieve more balance in your life by simplifying! Our lives today our filled with the overwhelming feeling of do more, be more, have more….which has a huge impact on our environment. By consuming less (not depriving ourselves – but sticking with the basics) we get rid of less and our environmental footprint will be lighter in the process. Choosing a life more simple can have health benefits such as lowering our stress levels, creating inner peace and relaxation, giving us better mental clarity and focus and gets us back to our roots by helping us to slow down and enjoy the things we love without “abundance clutter” in our path!
I hope these tips will help you find that awesome feeling of peace and simplicity! Do you have any tips that help you when you go through closets? What do you do with your maybe pile? Do you have a favorite organization that you like to donate to? Let us know!
So here’s to Greening-it-up!!! Happy Weekend!!!!
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This is such a great idea, especially when needing a little extra cash before all that school shopping. My kids are both older and the brands get so much more expensive!
Oh I bet! That’s when appearance really takes on a whole new level. I hated that myself since I never cared about style much. I think my wardrobe was pretty much all flip-flops and a wet pony tail in my swim warmups. I may have even worn that to PROM – kidding of course