Thursday - Back in the Closet....

Alright, I probably should have posted this tip last week, but my tip for this week is ORGANIZE your closet - Store off-season clothes at one end or even somewhere else (we purchased those big rubbermade storage bins and each family member has one marked with their name). Then go through and pull out what you aren't wearing anymore because it's too small, a button is missing, it has a hole, it has a stain, it's too big, it's not the right color, it has nothing to go with it, etc. Make piles - anything missing a button that you plan to ACTUALLY sew the buttons onto - GET SEWING! I was horrible about this, and one day just decided to sit down and sew. I sewed all the buttons on all the pieces I had missing buttons (including my childrens) and guess what? I found out that I had a lot more items to wear after that! It was nice! Another pile can be stuff that is to small/big - these items can get donated, along with any that have small stains that aren't too noticeable. Anything beyond wearing again, with a rip, hole or tear needs to get tossed into the trash. I mean, come on! Why are you keeping that? And anything that is the "wrong color" again should go with the donated items, and anything you have nothing to wear WITH, either donate it or figure out what it would look nice with, make a list and pop it in your purse. Next time you're out somewhere, keep your eyes open for anything that might look good with it (remember off-season shopping!) After your closet is ORGANIZED and clean, you should have a basic wardrobe and know what you are missing and what you need. This helps save money by not purchasing items you already have. I organized my closet by season. As I mentioned - off season clothes go elsewhere. Then I hang tank tops at one end, (yes I wear them even in the winter underneath clothes), then shirts & blouses, then jackets (& coats depending on season), then pants (& in the summer I wear a lot of capri's and ankle length so those have their own section), then skirts, then dresses, then belts and I even have a couple of hangers to hang purses, scarves and other items on. One tip I got a long time ago, was - use all the same color/type - hanger. Either color coordinate by "category" or just purchase all the same color for your closet. This really does make it look more organized and easier to find things. So that's my frugal (and apparently organizing) tip for Thursday!