Clothing Swaps- a Great Way to Declutter your Closet!
Fall officially arrived yesterday and, as if on cue, the Montreal weather has turned cooler. I happily traded shorts and a sleeveless top for jeans and a long-sleeved blouse. Autumn is my favorite season, characterized by the vibrancy of mustard, ketchup, and relish coloured leaves, fluttering in the breeze and carpeting the ground.
It’s time to switch to your fall wardrobe. As you do so, take a moment to examine your summer garments. This past spring and summer, did you wear all your shorts, sleeveless tops, tee-shirts, bathing suits, summer dresses and skirts? I somehow doubt it as most of us tend to choose a few favorite items which we wear repeatedly.
If you haven’t worn something from May until now and if you don’t think you’ll wear it next summer either, consider preparing a bag of giveaways.
Another option is to offer these items to a friend who is your size and who likes your taste in clothes- and who would appreciate receiving these items.
Some of my friends and I get together twice a year - spring and fall - for a Clothing Exchange. We bring our castoffs from the previous season or the current one: clothes which have gotten too big or too small, a sweater which we have worn so many times that we are ready to pass on, shoes bought on sale which we never wore, a dress purchased for an event, that we’re not going to wear again - you get the picture.
We try on, we say, “That looks fantastic!” or “No, that doesn’t work,” we swap, we chat, we have a bite to eat after the exchanging is done. Everybody brings some food and we share lunch or supper, sometimes a tea party, or just a shared snack, depending on what time the event is called for. We have a core group, usually with a few different people each time.
This is a fun, ecological and economical way to declutter your closet and return home with a few new pieces (sometimes wonderful finds!).
If you would like some help thinning the contents of your closet or closets (clothing, shoes, scarves, purses, coats, socks, hats, jewelry)- declutter, downsize, and organize- I would be delighted to be of assistance. Contact me for your free consultation!