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We’re aiming for a little closet clarity with our Spring Clearing Week theme for 2020 in support of sustainable fashion and the efforts we can each adopt to:
Whether or not you find yourself quarantined at home in the next few weeks, springtime is the perfect opportunity to maximise the lengthening days and embark on a wardrobe detox.
Take inspiration from two Professional Organisers and APDO members, Mel Carruthers (More Organised) and Rosie Barron (The Tidy Coo), who share their experience of Labour Behind the Label’s Six Items Challenge on the APDO blog.
If that feels a little daunting, you might like Courtney Carver’s guided approach to wearing 33 items each season in Project 3:33. She attributes her improved health, in part, to a smaller capsule wardrobe, contributing to reduced decision fatigue, promoting a less stressful and calmer daily routine – what’s not to like?!
If you’re struggling to think about why having fewer items in your wardrobe might be a good thing, check out these shocking stats collated by the Word Economic Forum to help you break your fast fashion habit.
You’ll also find some inspirational advice in this blog post from minimalist Krista Thompson on how to move towards curating a smaller wardrobe.
Whilst a closet clear-out may seem a relatively straightforward task, there are often surprising challenges hidden in the depths of polka-dots, paisley and pewter boots. We often (unknowingly) use clothes to signal our identity to the outside world: business-person, athlete, student, artist etc. But our roles in life are not fixed and when faced with clothing from ‘a previous life’ it can be difficult to think about letting go and moving on. As a result, decision-freeze sets in and you might find that an impartial, compassionate, helping hand is needed. APDO has nearly 400 members across the UK and beyond who can provide exactly this support, use our Find an Organiser search for an organiser near you.
Once you’ve accumulated a small (or large!) pile of clothing to part with, consider how you can responsibly pass this on to avoid your clothing becoming part of these statistics.
Your options will include:
Search online to see if an APDO member is holding a swish near you this week. Or take inspiration and organise your own! Following these handy tips to help you get swishing. and swap your pre-loved clothes with other attendees and enjoy wearing a new and beautiful item that would have ended up as just another waste statistic.
Get involved in the conversation with your questions and tips:
#MyClosetClearingChallenge #SpringClearingWeek #SpringClearingSwish