Full of good intentions, you are about to pare down your clothes drawers and closets! However, when you open them up, discouragement sets in and you don’t know where to start. To help guide you, Entraide diabetique du Québec offers you 5 simple tips that will enable you to sort out your clothes efficiently and effectively.

Make a list of what you really need

Before you start, make a list of your actual needs:
– Everyday clothing: for work and daily activities
– Evening wear or outings: happy hours, outings to restaurants, museums, etc.
– Sports clothes: depending on the sports you practise
– Shoes and accessories: adapted to your everyday life and needs

Be realistic when preparing your list, as this will make sorting easier for you and you will know what you really need to keep.

Take out all your clothes, for a better look at what you have
To get an overview of the contents of your wardrobe, spread out all your clothes on your bed to evaluate the extent of your possessions. Then group your clothes by category: skirts, dresses, long-sleeved tops, short-sleeved tops, pants, coats, accessories, shoes, etc. Once this classification is completed, you will be able to compare apples with apples, to keep only what suits you best.

Try on your clothes to check their comfort and size
Now move on to the try-on stage. Although this step may seem long and tedious to you, bear in mind that it is a must for sorting out clothes well. For example, those pants you bought a few years ago may seem very comfortable to you, but once you put them on, you can hardly breathe and can no longer sit down! That’s a sign that they are too small. In this way, eliminate anything that is too tight, too big or no longer comfortable. Forget the price you paid for that silk blouse if you can’t button it up anymore. It will surely make someone else very happy!

Try on your shoes and walk around the room a little. This will give you a chance to check whether they still fit you and whether they still meet your needs. You don’t need to keep several pairs of high heels if you can’t walk more than 5 minutes in them and your job requires a lot of walking in long corridors! Keep only those clothes that are flattering to your curves and don’t consider current trends. The idea is to create a wardrobe for yourself that reflects your image, with each piece providing you with well-being and comfort.

Weed out clothes in poor condition or out of style.
You’ve torn your jeans and it’s impossible to mend them properly? Get rid of them, because they will only collect dust! Inspect each garment and analyse whether any damage can be mended. Sometimes, a visit to the seamstress may save you from having to dispose of clothes you really love. Otherwise, some clothes can make very good cloths for dusting or cleaning your home! Also put aside any clothes that are out of style, or those you haven’t worn for the past 2 years. For example, if that little snug-fitting dress has been at the back of your clothes closet for so long, there must be a reason!

Then separate your clothes into three piles: clothes that are in good condition, to be given away; clothes to be brought to the seamstress, for mending or adjustments, and clothes that are no longer good and could be cut up into cloths for cleaning. When in doubt about certain clothes, keep them for the time being. First place them apart from the others and then over time, see if you want to keep them or not. As time goes by, if you find that patterned sweater or pair of high boots is still in your undecided pile, it may be a sign that it doesn’t belong in your wardrobe anymore!

Choose an efficient storage method
Once you have completed the sorting stage, arrange your clothes in your closets and drawers in an efficient way, by categories, to make it easy for you to choose your clothes in the morning. If you need more space, store your out-of-season clothes in a separate box, so you can rotate and then rediscover some clothes when that season returns! Tie the laces of your shoes together, so you can easily find them. Arrange a practical storage set-up for your space where you can see all your clothes, and make sure you have optimal lighting to show them to advantage.

Ready to give away? Think of Entraide diabétique du Québec!
When your excess clothing, shoes and accessories in good condition are piled up and ready to be given away, put them in a bag and drop them off in the donation box nearest you by locating it on Entraide diabétique du Québec’s website or place them in a plastic bag marked “D” (for Diabetes) and contact us to schedule a pick-up. One of our employees will come and get it, and you will quickly forget those excess, unused clothes of yours, as your life will be simplified and less cluttered!