Clothes-cycle!

Here are some great ideas from declutterers Mess Goddess on how to make your old clothes gain a new life…

“I don’t have anything to wear!”

We all have that feeling of despair when frantically trawling through the wardrobe trying to find the perfect outfit for a special night out. However, the reality is that we’re all guilty of having far too many clothes and this is part of the reason why we can never find the right thing to wear.

Help the environment and take any item you have not worn for over a year to one of the textile banks provided by some charities and supermarkets. Log on to www.recyclenow.com to find your nearest textile bank.

Hang on a moment….

1. Make the most of all those wire hangers accumulating in your house or workplace by bringing them to life and improving their functionality. Wrap strips of cotton from old clothing around the hangers so they are bound with the material. Your clothes will never again fall off the hanger and you can make your wardrobe look much more appealing!

2. Can’t decide which clothes to keep? Turn all the hangers around so they are all facing the same way. Each time you use a piece of clothing, place the item on the hanger and put it back in the closet facing the other direction. Then in a year's time it will be very obvious which clothes you have not wanted to wear: pop them in a bag to deliver to a charity shop tomorrow morning, on the way to work or when dropping the children to school etc.

Cash For Clothing

A great way to make a few pounds at the same time as helping the environment is to use Cash For Clothing. By giving your old clothing to the organisation you can earn up to fifty pence per kilogram, and they will collect the clothes from your house. They will also accept old curtains, mats and carpets. To arrange a collection go to www.cashforclothing.co.uk.

Quality over quantity

If you are buying a multitude of cheap clothes, then someone elsewhere is probably paying for it. Be aware of the ethical issues around the manufacture of clothing and limit yourself to buying fewer clothes of higher quality to lengthen their life, rather than buying those three-for-£10 shirts that will disintegrate in the wash.

Shoe solutions

Children require new shoes every few months. Rather than throwing them out, frame their first shoes and keep the memories on your wall for all to see! Another great way of reusing shoes is to get your children to paint them, turning their sweet, little shoes in to quirky ornaments.

Fabric over books

Find an old book cover, glue some fabric from disused clothing over it, stick a notepad inside and hey presto, you have a fabulous new notebook!

Project patch

Gather all your old clothes, fabrics and curtains together and set yourself a project of making a patchwork quilt. You will find an excellent guide on how to do this at www.cherrymenlove.com/crafts-how-tos.

Rent a bag

Can’t afford the latest Fendi bag? Have a cupboard full of bags that you are bored with but can’t let go? Here is the answer: become a member of Fashion Hire. This is one of many websites that both hire and sell unwanted fashion items. www.fashionhire.co.uk/how_it_works.asp

Rent storage

If you really have culled, swapped and given away, and find you still have too many clothes, then storage is an obvious option. Make sure to store your clothes in the appropriate way. Delicate or very heavy items should be laid flat in boxes, ideally protected by sheets of acid-free paper. If using clothes racks, note that there are different hangers for different types of clothing, and use a dust sheet to cover the whole rack before you close the storage unit door. And, finally, write an inventory, so you know what’s where.