Debriefing: Wardrobe
Before throwing things out of the closet shouting “To a new life with a new wardrobe!”, It is important to understand how to competently approach the analysis of the wardrobe. How to reconsider things and understand what has really served its purpose, and what else will be useful in the “new life”.
One method of sorting clothes is to make a balance wheel. After drawing a pie chart, divide it into areas that are present in your life. For example, if a mother on maternity leave has a wardrobe full of office suits, then the balance is clearly upset. In such clothes you will not go out to the park and to the playground. But there are just not enough warm options for long walks with children. Or vice versa, most of the time you spend in the office, and the outfits for the red carpet are sad in the wardrobe. If the situation is familiar to you, then this algorithm will help identify gaps that need to be filled.
See for which areas there is not enough clothing, select two or three main areas. The Pinterest website offers a lot of images in different areas, for example, a bow for the office, home, seaside holidays. Find what you like. In the future, you can create a basic wardrobe. This is when things fit together and apply to all areas of life. Or make capsules – a set of 7-10 things for a specific area of uXNUMXbuXNUMXblife.
Remember: the rule “better less, but more” does not lose its relevance and applies to the wardrobe too!
COLLECTION
Cleaning is a useful practice that helps to get rid of unnecessary things in things and in the head. This is a kind of cleansing from everything that has become alien, from imposed patterns, ideas that are no longer close to us. Such a ritual helps to put everything in its place – what is actually “ours”, and what is imposed from outside.
For many, the teacher in this area was Marie Kondo and her methods of storing things and cleaning. Life itself has become my teacher. After a long period of living abroad with a limited amount of things (one suitcase for four seasons), I returned home. Opening the closet, I was struck by the number of things that were waiting for me. Surprisingly, I didn’t even remember them. A year has passed since the departure, another stage of life has changed. Looking at these things, I saw that they were no longer mine and not about me. And about that girl from the past, albeit quite recent.
I also realized that I was fine without these things: in conditions of limited choice, there is always something to wear. I had a mini-capsule, which I adapted to different needs, whether it was going to an event, work or visiting. The paradox is that when there are a lot of things, then they are always in short supply and more is needed, and when 10 times less, then everything is enough.
WHAT’S IN PRACTICE?
So, you sorted things out and here it is – perfect cleanliness and emptiness in the closet, order in drawers and shelves. Horizontal surfaces are free from trifles, chairs and armchairs – from trousers and sweaters. Well, it’s just pleasing to the eye! But what to do with the things that you decide to say goodbye to? Divide the belongings left after cleaning into categories:
– in good condition, for sale;
– in good condition, exchange or donate;
– in poor condition, not for sale.
Sell what has not yet lost its appearance and is quite “wearable” at flea markets on social networks. We post a photo of the thing, write the size, price and wait for the message from buyers. Services for selling handmade items are also popular, although this will require registration on the site.
BARTER
Things can not be sold, but exchanged. When it is difficult to set a price for a product, but it is a pity to give it away for free, you can go for barter. There are groups for the exchange of things in social networks (usually they are called “Exchange of things – the name of the city”). In this case, they publish photos of things that they are ready to exchange and write what they would like to receive in return. Instead, they ask for hygiene products, a houseplant, a book, and more. It is pleasant to participate in such an exchange, because in addition to the pleasure of getting rid of the unnecessary, in return you get exactly what you were looking for. Thus, the time for searching and buying the desired thing is reduced.
FREE OF CHARGE, THAT IS FOR FREE
If you want to get rid of things as quickly as possible and do not want to wait until a buyer is found, then the option is just to give things away. You can distribute toys and clothes of grown children to friends, and there are bookcrossing cabinets for unnecessary books and magazines. As a rule, such cabinets or individual shelves are in city cafes, children’s parks, shopping malls and youth centers. You can again use the help of social networks and in groups (Give away for free – the name of the city) offer unnecessary clothes, appliances, furniture or cosmetics. This is a quick way to get rid of unnecessary things and at the same time your things will serve someone else. A similar initiative is the portal “, which offers to give services and things to each other for free.
Things that are in a completely unusable condition are often accepted in animal shelters. Especially in the province, where there is no proper support, shelters need rags for bedding and cleaning, as well as warm winter clothes for shelter volunteers.
FREEMARKET
Every year, free fairs – free market – with a free indirect exchange of resources are becoming more and more popular, which, of course, is very pleasing. After all, this means that there are also more people adhering to the concept of zerowaste. Most fairs work with tokens, on the principle of internal currency. Tokens are given to the market for pre-delivered items, the cost of which is determined by the organizers (for example, two handed books = 1 token). Giving things to the fair is more interesting than just selling in an online flea market. After all, the free market is an event that you can visit with children or with a friend. Lectures on environmental topics, master classes are held at free markets, photographers and cafes work. Free market is about “combining business with pleasure”: relax, meet friends and at the same time get rid of unnecessary things. If you don’t like anything at the fair, it’s a good idea to give your tokens to a friend. Why not?
STOP PARTY
You can easily organize such a party on your own with your friends. Prepare music, food and of course don’t forget the things you want to trade! It is somewhat reminiscent of a free market, with the difference that here “everyone is their own”. You can calmly discuss the latest news, fool around, dance and make a bunch of funny photos. Well, things will be a pleasant reminder of the meeting, be it a cool skirt brought by a friend from Europe, sunglasses or a vintage neckerchief.
DELEGATION. SVALKA, H&M
In Moscow, there is a service for ordering the removal of unnecessary things from svalka.me. Things will be taken away free of charge, but only those that can be used in the future will be taken, dirty and torn things will not be accepted.
The H&M store is running a promotion: for one package of items (regardless of the number of items in the package), a voucher is issued for a 15% discount on one item in the receipt of your choice.
REUSE – REUSE
From unsuitable clothes, trimmings of curtains and fabrics, you can sew eco-bags for fruits and nuts, as well as eco-bags, which are convenient to go to the grocery store. A description of how to sew such bags on your own can be found in a group or simply on the Internet. There are also tips on choosing fabric, and if there is no desire and time to sew, then you can give the rest of the fabric and clothes to the craftswomen. So your things, instead of gathering dust in the closet – in a recycled form will be useful for a long time.
We hope our tips will be useful to you when restoring order.