Avoiding Clutter

Hi Guys,

Now that fall is officially here, it is time to think about putting away your summer clothes and getting out your fall and winter wardrobe. My tip for you today is to take a little time to carefully sort through your summer clothes before storing them away. Make a pile of the clothes that you did not wear at all during the summer, clothes that no longer fit, and clothes that are worn out. Put the clothes that you did not wear and those that no longer fit in a plastic bag for donation to the Red Cross; United Way; Big Brother, Big Sister; or another charity of your choice. The clothes that are totally worn out and can no longer be worn, can be cut into rags for cleaning the car, polishing silver, etc. If you spend just 30 minutes doing this, you will find that you will have a lot more storage room and next summer you can look forward to adding new clothes to your wardrobe.

When it comes to your fall/winter wardrobe, instead of just hanging up everything not knowing what still fits or looks good, do the same thing as you did with your summer clothes. Try on your clothes to make sure they still fit and look good. There may be some sweaters that "grew" during the summer and need to be taken to the cleaners for cleaning and blocking. Donate the things that you know you are not going to wear this season, and make rags out of the things that are too worn to donate.

Do the same with your shoes. Donate any sandals, flip flops, or dress shoes that you did not wear this summer or that no longer fit. Throw out the ones that are too worn to donate. Try on your fall/winter shoes and boots to make sure they are still in good condition. Donate those that no longer fit or that you know you are not going to wear. Throw away any shoes that are torn or broken and can not be donated. This way you'll know exactly what you have and what you need to buy. It will also give you a good excuse to go shoe shopping--my favorite thing. If you want a great deal on shoes, go to Off Broadway Shoe Warehouse, Designer Shoe Warehouse, or Burlington Coat Factory. They have thousands of shoes at discount prices.

These are easy, common sense ideas to cut down on clutter in your closet and in your drawers. We have a rule in our house, which my husband doesn't always abide by, but, like everyone else, we have limited closet space, so when something new is purchased, something old has to be donated or turned into a rag. This has really helped us keep our closets and drawers organized.

That's my tip for today.

b