Get Ready for Spring
Spring is here and there’s no better time to do a thorough evaluation of your closets. Determining what can stay and what can go is no easy task. It’s easy to get overwhelmed, so think about your cleaning as a collection of small tasks. Make a list of areas you’d like to cover and prioritize them. By focusing on one area of your home at a time with these tips, spring cleaning will be completed before April showers bring May flowers.
Rotate
Here on the Space Coast it’s likely your spring and summer wardrobe can be used throughout the winter, but by chance you rotated sweaters, boots and scarves in, sort those out and store them in airtight bags or containers. During this time, make note of what you didn’t wear this past season and leave those out for the sorting step. By keeping a seasonal rotation, this frees up more space.
Sort
Go through your clothes and decide what to keep and what can go. Make three piles and separate clothing into a keep, toss or donate pile. This is where it can start to get complicated if you’re indecisive. Only keep items you wear regularly and for the rest, ask yourself these questions before you decide:
- Have I worn this in the last 12 months?
- If an item is damaged in any way, will I make an effort to get it repaired?
- Do I feel confident when I wear it?
- Does it fit my current style?
If you answered “no” to any of those questions, determine if it should land in the toss or donate pile. If an item is no longer wearable due to a rip or stain, add it to the toss pile. It’s also easier to let go of clothing when you know that it’ll benefit someone or a cause in need. Consider donating to a local thrift store that can benefit from your donation. Here are a few local places accepting donations:
- SPCA of Brevard Two thrift stores located in Titusville and Merritt Island that benefit homeless animals in Brevard County. Items for sale include clothing, bedding, kitchen appliances, housewares, furniture and children’s clothing. Complimentary pick up service is available by appointment only. SPCANorthBrevard.com or (321) 267-2210, (321) 704-8480
- Promise Treasures Thrift Shop Located in West Melbourne, Promise Treasures benefits Promise In Brevard, a nonprofit dedicated to providing a much-needed housing choice for family members with special needs. They accept gently used items and offer free pick up for furniture. PromiseInBrevard.com or (321) 536-1666
- Pawsitive HOPE Benefits the animals of Brevard through Helping Overpopulation of Pets End (HOPE) and assist helping abandoned and homeless animals find forever homes. Store located in Melbourne. HopeForBrevard.org or (321) 271-7909
- The Lamb Shoppe Accepts gently used items including: children’s clothes, toys, women’s clothes, household items, and small appliances. Store benefits The Haven for Children and is located in Indian Harbour Beach. TheHavenForChildren.com or (321) 777-6606
- ReStore by Habitat for Humanity Accepts fully functioning appliances (except televisions), home décor, furniture free of stains and tears, hardware, plumbing supplies, and building materials. This Habitat for Humanity ReStore is operated by Habitat for Humanity of Brevard County and benefits their mission of building homes, communities and hope. Store located in Palm Bay. Brevard.HabitatStore.org or (321) 409-3060
Organize
Now that you’ve sorted through your clothes, it’s time to put them back in an organized manner. Take time to fold and hang up your clothes by type or color. Not only will this keep things orderly, but you’ll be able to tell if you have one too many of a certain type of clothing or color. For example, if you find you have five red T-shirts, ask yourself if you need all five and if you don’t, donate a few.
This article appears in the March 2015 issue of SpaceCoast Living.
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