Clothes- You can’t live without them- but sometimes you can’t live with them!

We love our clothes. But so many clients that I visit describe how they struggle to find anything to wear each day – yet their wardrobe is full to bursting. So much so that their clothes spill out over the floor, chairs, and anywhere else they can pile it up!

So, what’s going on? We are strapped for cash and space and yet apparently British women still spend an average of £74 per month on clothes, and British men an average of £100.  With an average household owning approximately £4,000 worth of clothing, a staggering 30% of which hasn’t even been worn in the past year, that’s about £30 billion in unused clothing.

I find that people fall into several categories when it comes to clothes…

• Maybe you are an over-buyer or an unrealistic buyer of clothes
• Perhaps you keep clothes thinking that you will be able to fit into them again
• People buy you clothes that they think would suit you?
• You can’t resist a bargain in a sale or a charity shop
• They don’t know what clothes they already have

Enough of why we have too many clothes – how can you clear some space and enjoy the clothes that you do have?

My number one tip for getting over the difficulty of managing and organising your clothes is to banish the idea that you have to keep them because you have spent so much on them.  The money has been spent months or years ago.  It has gone.  You had your pleasure when you shopped for the clothes, got excited, bought them, wore them once or twice (or not) and then left them to languish in the cupboard.  Don’t let the idea that you have to keep these clothes make you keep them.  You don’t wear them for whatever reason – so let them go.

Eight great ways to declutter your clothes with a guilt free conscience…

Charity – it’s so easy – clean good condition clothes are always welcome.

Swish or Swap –collect unwanted clothes and swap them. At the end of the event – it all gets bagged up and taken to charity.  Win Win Win!

Recycle – clothes banks or a good old fashioned Jumble Sale.

Give to friends – if you think a friend would like a certain piece from your wardrobe – then let them know.

Find local groups – homeless, hostels and shelters etc.

Repurpose– get nifty with the sewing machine – chop and change.

Car boot – pack up the car, find a rail or a table, a box of change and off you go.

Sell – you can make one ‘Ad’ – including photos, measurements and as much detail as possible about the item and then you can share across multiple platforms.

Try these for starters: Ebay , Freecycle, Gumtree, Freegle, Local Boards, Facebook, Preloved, Specialist selling /vintage stalls.

This all sounds great, but often when you are totally overwhelmed by your clothes, a Professional Declutterer and Organiser can help. It’s so much easier with experienced support to help you and I look forward to hearing from you. Jules

jules@happydecluttering.co.uk or call 075 3195 1108

www.happydecluttering.co.uk   Thank You Jules a new Connection advertiser