How to Tackle Your Semi-Annual Clothes Swap

I know it is spring because I have been helping a number of my clients organize their bedroom closet. We have been doing the semi-annual seasonal clothes swap.  Once it is done, everyone breathes a sigh of relief, but getting started can be stressful. Here are some questions to ask yourself before you just pack everything away for the summer.

• Did I wear it? If you never wore it this past winter, it is a great candidate for the donation pile. A great trick I like using is to hang my items with the hanger backwards so that it is very easy to spot the items that never left their hanger. When I wear an item and put it back clean, the hanger is placed in the normal position. When it is time to pack it away, you can’t help but see that you never wore it. Our memory may fade, but that would serve as 100% proof that a garment wasn’t worn.
• Is it clean? Make sure all your items are clean before packing them away. Bugs love to chomp on left over food crumbs or dead skin, so make sure you have washed or dry-cleaned your items first.
• Does it need to be repaired? Now is the time to sew on the button or go to the tailor before you put away your winter clothes. By so doing, in 6 months when you want to wear that item, it is ready to wear.  If the item is beyond repair or not worth being repaired, let it go.
• Will it be in style next season? If you care about trends and know that its time has come and gone, don’t pack the item away. Donate it, and perhaps treat yourself to a new trend for this season.