The Keepers, The Sleepers & The Weepers! compliments of ConsignmentShops.com

The most common grumbling among friends in your neighborhood consignment shop is the anticipation of cleaning a closet. No one looks forward to this job; therefore, it is forever looming over our heads. It is usually an enormous undertaking and can be a big waste of time if you’re not good at parting with your things. Well, this article is for Pack Rats everywhere, and, by the way, shop owners LOVE PACK RATS. But let’s not get off the track and let’s get to some real closet cleaning. To the sentimental, I apologize in advance for my ruthlessness in forcing you to throw away those spandex dresses you wore in the ‘80’s, but they just got to go!

There are a few steps in purging a closet and they don’t have to be done all in one day. Sometimes we don’t get to the closet because we convince ourselves that it is a huge job requiring a lot of time or we become bored even before we get started. Procrastinators are especially guilty of this, always waiting for the day a huge block of time will drop from the sky and coincidentally have absolutely nothing to do. To solve this problem and to keep this project from becoming a nightmare, try to weed through your things in phases. Our phases break down like this… Introducing,

“The Keepers, The Sleepers and The Weepers!”

The Keepers. These pieces are your favorites. They are classics, look great on you, worn frequently and are the ones your friends are always asking to borrow. These precious gems should not be removed from the closet. Matter of fact, they deserve some extra room so they can hang freely and breathe.

The Sleepers. These pieces you like, but in all honesty are really just dust collectors. You know the type: “I thought the aquamarine in that stripe would match the aquamarine in those pants.” Most likely, neither piece ever gets worn. How about those gorgeous pumps that were such a great price except that they were really a half size too small? Probably didn’t get much wear out of those either, if any at all.

The Weepers. No one should be seen in public with any of these pieces! Don’t pretend you can’t see them because we know they are there. There is no need to keep clothing that is tagged “For Yard Work.” You can still look nice while you weed. After all, dirt washes off in the laundry. As for those spandex 80’s dresses, this is their last stop!

Now that you know what to expect, let’s do it! The first step should be the “once-over.” Take a few minutes out of your busy life, face your wardrobe and zone in on the Weepers. . Toss out all those ripped, spotted, too tight and stained items. Get rid of anything that is out of date. Those shoes whose toes are bending upwards, bye-bye. You don’t need that handbag with the peeling leather either. And that “I’m with stupid”
t-shirt, will you really ever wear it? I guarantee once those items are gone, you won’t even remember you ever had them. These items should be cut up into rags or simply tossed in the trash.

The second attempt is a little tougher. You will need to be more objective and you must be merciless. Do it another day if you are not up to the challenge. Remove any and all items you haven’t worn in a year. Any piece that you love because at one time you looked great in it must go. If you hear yourself saying, “I will lose a couple pounds and get back into it.”-- Celebrate your weight loss by buying something new and get rid of that old thing before it is out of style too. If you never had anything to match that piece, you never will, and if you still haven’t worn it, chances are you won’t. Those pieces are The Sleepers. Most are in good shape, stylish, and can bring you a couple of bucks... bucks you can use in filling up the new-found space in your closet. That’s right! This is your consignment pile. Bring The Sleepers to your nearest Consignment or Resale Shop and reap the benefits of your closet cleaning accomplishment.

Handbags, shoes and jewelry can also be done another time. You eliminate best with a clear head so do those on another day. One of the most important rules is “Never do a second sort!” Once removed from the closet, don’t look back. You will forget about all the items you have removed from your closet and will appreciate all the added space. Not to mention, you will be surprised at how stylish you really are when you are left with only The Keepers. Keeping up with an organized closet is the best way to go. Every day we look over our stuff while getting dressed. Look at each item you choose and ask yourself, “a Keeper, a Sleeper, or a Weeper?” You will love your new organized closet and you will feel less stress every time you mix and match. You might even be better dressed!