You’re ready to hit the big summer sales, but the bedroom closet is already stuffed full of clothes.
Fortunately, you can easily make room in your closet by donating or tossing the items you no longer wear.
Clearing out old clothes not only creates more space for the latest trends, but it also helps you keep your closet organized and tidy.
Do a clothes audit
To start, go through your wardrobe and pull out any tops, dresses, jackets, slacks or skirts that you haven’t worn in the past six months.
Some apparel you might only wear for special occasions, like a fancy cocktail dress or a suit, and it’s okay to keep those items.
Clothes that are suitable for a variety of occasions but you never seem to wear, however, are the items you want to remove.
Once a pile is put together, sort through the clothes once more to decide which items should be tossed and which should be donated.
When to donate
You have a blouse that has gone out of style, a dress you feel doesn’t flatter you and a jacket that is no longer the right size.
These are the types of clothing you want to donate. You can also donate any clothes that you simply don’t like any more.
When to toss
If a shirt has a hole or a bad stain that won’t come out, toss it. Clothes that are dirty or badly worn out are not worth donating, and many stores will simply throw them out anyway.
Sorting through your closet and getting rid of articles of clothing you no longer wear is a good practice to follow every year.
No one likes a cluttered closet and going through your clothes may even help you discover pieces you thought were missing. Use these tips to guide you through the process.
Where to donate
Finally, where should you donate your clothes in the greater Toronto area? It depends if you want to donate your clothes to community groups, charities, thrift stores or resale shops.
Here are a few organizations that take clothing donations to help others in some way:
- Oasis Clothing Bank
- Canadian Diabetes Association
- Goodwill
- Salvation Army
- Value Village
- Ontario Federation for Cerebral Palsy (OFCP)
Some organizations like OFCP have a free home collection service to collect clothes, shoes, coats, bedding and linen.
If you think somebody can benefit from used clothing, donate it instead of throwing it out.