Throw it Away for Green's Sake

This week my husband, children and I have all decided to clean out our closets. Now, for a fashionista, what to throw out and what not, is a tough question? My quandary – I am whole heartedly a supporter of the “green” initiative and minimalism seems to be of the moment. However, since my first love is fashion and to me, every piece of clothing should be kept for it's “just in case” factor or at the very least, it's style reference. Therefore, I am having a tough time deciding what stays, what gets tossed and what to donate. Well, here are a few tips, for those that may be going through the same dilemma. First, make a few piles. 1. The broken, torn or will never get repaired pile 2. The “I will never be caught dead in that again” pile 3. The “I wear this at least once every two weeks” pile 4. The keepsake or “I haven't worn this in six months” pile.Well, let's start with pile #1, in the effort of clearing clutter and going green, everything in this pile should get tossed. Let's now move on to pile #2. If it's in good condition, then consider donating. Someone else might love that orange off-the-shoulder sweater you still have from...”well, you pick the decade”.   Now, we come to pile #3. This is an easy one. If you are wearing these items frequently, then chances are you should keep them.Moving on to pile #4, our last pile and possibly one of the most challenging. In terms of keep sakes or older clothes, these are probably items that you wore on your first date or was given to you by mom or was hand sewn by your children. Decide if these are things you will pass on to your children or if they are going to just sit in a box in the garage collecting dust. If the latter, then consider donating. Worse case scenario, you can always take a photo of everything for memories sake. If you are like my mom, who buys unique and timeless pieces in which she plans on keeping forever, you would not think twice about what to do with this pile. However, if you are of the disposal age, in which you replace your wardrobe every 2 – 3 months, chances are, this pile will probably not see the time of day again. With the exception of seasonal items such as outerwear, swim and shoes, many of these items should be considered for donation. Well, how did our family make out? Stay tuned...