FashBlog.com

Let's face it. Tucked in the back of your closet or maybe deep in a dresser drawer are clothes that no longer fit, that you received as a gift but never wore, or that just aren't in style anymore. Isn't it time you took control of the clutter and found another use for those clothes?

The first thing you should do is prepare yourself for the job. You need to be in the right mindset for a closet cleaning. A good rule of thumb that I've heard many people use is that if you haven't worn it in a year, then you should get rid of it. You might have another standard, such as getting rid of everything that's a certain size. But decide on some guidelines, decide that you are committed to clearing out excess clothing and get to work.

So now you've got a pile of the clothes, shoes and accessories that you just don't want anymore. What should you do from here? You have several options, depending on the condition and age of your clothes and how much effort you're willing to expend.

Before trying to find a new home for your clothes, weed out clothes with holes, tears, stains, or that are just plain worn out. If you don't want these clothes because they're in that condition, no one else will either. Use what you can as rags or as scraps for sewing projects and trash the rest. Occasionally local recycling centers will even recycle cloth or tennis shoes.

First, you can always donate unused clothing to a local charity. Goodwill and Salvation Army are two national charities that have retail stores in many locations. Check with the individual stores about their drop-off times and locations. Many local charities and churches also run similar stores or clothes closets. While donating will make you feel good for supporting those less fortunate, you should also ask for a receipt for your donation so that you will be eligible for a tax deduction. But be honest. Don't ask for a receipt for hundreds of dollars if you're donating a pile of ratty t-shirts.

If you have children's clothing that someone else could use, you can also donate within your family or community. Or set up an exchange where several people bring their clothing and trade unused items.

Now if you feel like putting a little extra effort into your pile of clothes, you can most likely make some money from your cast-offs. For a catchall solution, consider holding a yard sale. You can also get rid of other household clutter at the same time. If you have like-new and/or designer items, you can sell them through a few different venues. Local consignment shops will display your clothing with the stipulation that they receive a percentage of the selling price. Online auctions are another potential place to sell your cast-off clothing. Sometimes selling in lots, selling a collection of several similar items, is a good way to entice people to buy your clothing. You will need to put time into photographing and describing your clothing to draw in the most potential bidders.