We can’t believe that 2020 is just around the corner! If you want to kick off the new year (and decade!) in the right way, we recommend sorting through your old clothes. There’s nothing better than a decluttering detox!
As well benefitting your own wellbeing, clearing out your wardrobe can help others too. Check out our easy step-by-step guide…
1) Try and recall the last time you wore an item of clothing
According to the Love Your Clothes campaign, nearly one third of clothes in UK households have not been worn in the last 12 months. With that in mind, we recommend that you implement a ‘One Year Rule’ when deciding what to keep and what to ditch.
If you can’t remember the last time you wore an item of clothing – or are pretty sure it was over a year ago – then that item should definitely go in the ‘ditch’ pile!
2) Decide what you’re going to do with your unwanted clothing
Once you’ve determined which clothes you’re going to get rid of, now’s the time to decide how you’re going to do it.
We suggest laying out 3 boxes – ‘Donate’, ‘Recycle’ & ‘Throw Away’.
If your clothes are in a re-wearable condition, we suggest donating them. If they’re old and worn, you can recycle them in your local tip or recycling centre. As most clothing can either be donated or recycled, your ‘Throw Away’ box should only be small! It might consist of dirty clothes that can’t be cleaned, or things like broken belts and shoes.
3) Donate or recycle your clothing
Throwing clothes away is pretty self-explanatory, but we’re going to talk you through the different ways of donating and recycling your unwanted clothes.
Here’s what you can do with each box:
DONATE: Collect My Clothes Wales can help with your ‘Donate’ box! We provide a service which involves sending your old clothes to places such as Eastern Europe and Africa. Once they’ve arrived, they’re bought and sold on by local people, offering those in need a chance to buy affordable clothing. What’s also great is that for every tonne of clothing collected, we donate £250 to one of our partner charities (which you get to choose!).
Find out more about our easy collection-based service by checking out our Frequently Asked Questions.
RECYCLE: At Collect My Clothes, there are certain items we can’t accept, e.g. ripped items, uniforms, pyjamas or socks. For items that can’t be donated and worn again, the next best thing is to recycle them! There are a surprising amount of recycling centres that accept textiles – find the nearest one in your area here.
Collect My Clothes Wales is here to help
We hope we’ve inspired you to dive into your wardrobe and start sorting through your clothes! If you’d like to arrange a clothes collection, fill in our online form and we’ll get in touch as soon as possible. It really is that easy!
