It's time!!! Spring cleaning is here! Get ready for some amazing tips on the best way to clean out / organize your closet - now is the time to refine your style and practice sustainable clothing habits!

To get started, here are THE BEST tips (that should be done in order) to start purging your closet:

1. CLEAN OUT BY CATEGORY

Take every single item out of your closet (this can get messy, but we promise it's helpful) To stay organized, make separate piles around your room of: shirts, jeans, pants, dresses, shoes, skirts, etc. We find this super helpful! Start off with everything that you own right in one place - that way it is easier to decide what you really like in comparison to items in the same category.

2. DEEP CLEAN

We know that closets are super hard to clean, this is the perfect excuse to vacuum and wipe down your shelves!

3. KEEP, DONATE, STORE?

Designate either a box or bag for donations and storage.

Start working your way through each category pile. Take one item at a time and compare to the others in the same group. Try your best to remember the last time you wore each item - if the last time was more than a year ago (and the item doesn't have sentimental value), that's your clue to DONATE!

Place all donate/storage items in respective bin.

4. WHAT IS THE BEST PLACE FOR EACH ITEM?

Take a minute to analyze your closet space and decide if you want to change the placement of each category. Begin to store the clothes you are keeping by each category. Start to move your heavier, winter clothing to the back (or put into storage).

We recommend:

Hanging: tops, jackets, dresses, delicate items, fancier attire, skirts 

Folding: pants, sweaters, shorts

Rolling (in dresser): workout clothing, pajamas, t-shirts

NYC closets can be super small! If you want to hang your denim or pants, we recommend this kind of hanger to save room.

Store shoes on the ground! We recommend placing a shoe rack in the bottom of your closet (made in many different sizes) to optimize space!

5. PREPARE FOR THE NEXT CLEANOUT

To make things easier for the next time around, mark each item that you wear after you put it back into your closet. There are many ways this can be done - either turning the hanger the opposite way when putting the item back, or marking the hanger with a sticker. That way you will know the items that you hardly, if ever, reach for :)

NYC CLOTHING DONATION CENTERS:

Here is a list of amazing clothing donation centers based in the NYC area! 

1. ALL OF US CLOTHING offers free donation pickups within the entire NYC area, that focuses on helping families in need.

2. Goodwill Centers!

3. Salvation Army - find a drop off location here!

4. ClothingDonations.org is a nationwide service that directly helps Vietnam War Veterans - pickups are done at your convenience. 

5. DonateNYC is a government website that can help locate donation centers in all of NYC depending on the item!

"By donating and reusing goods instead of discarding them, New Yorkers can greatly reduce waste, conserve energy and resources, save money, and help provide jobs and human services for New Yorkers in need. donateNYC is an essential part of NYC’s zero waste initiative, helping New Yorkers reach the goal of sending zero waste to landfills"

Donating clothing is a huge part of helping the environment! Giving a second life to one of your old items ensures that 0 energy is created in the production of new garments. Plus it encourages sustainable shopping within your community, while also giving back to those in need.

XO, 

Cloak & Dagger