How to organize your closet for a swap party!

How excited was I to discover this week's Juice topic is all about having a clothes swapping party!  A clothes swapping party is basically a party specifically for the purpose of exchanging clothes you no longer wear or want with your friends.  Out with the old and in with the "new", the inexpensive way. 

I get excited about this idea not only because it's a great excuse for a party but because in order for it to happen in the first place you need to organize your closet!  Now doesn't that sound like fun?  No? 

The idea of it can be overwhelming for sure but once you get going and get into the decision making groove, it goes pretty quickly.  The first thing I always recommend before starting to organize any space is to remove everything. In this case it's the closet.  Yes, take everything out and dump it on the bed or floor.  Everyone thinks I’m crazy with this step but I can assure that the sorting process goes much more smoothly this way.  Once everything is out it's time to sort.  Sort into piles....keep, toss, SWAP!  Ideally you only want to keep the clothes you wear and love!

Some helpful guidelines to remember:

1. If you haven’t worn it in a year, it goes.
2. If you don’t like it, it goes.
3. If it doesn’t fit properly, it goes.
4. If it needs ironing and you never wear it because you hate to iron, it goes.
5. If you don’t wear it because it’s stained or ripped, it goes (if
   you haven’t done anything about it by now chances are pretty good you
   never will).
6. If you hate the color on you, it goes.
7. Hang out of season clothes together on one side of your closet or
   keep them in totes on the shelf of your closet or under your bed.
8. Face all your hangers the same direction.
9. Throw out those awful wire hangers.
10. Weed out any one item you have way too many of.

What you want to do is free up your closet space for the clothes that you wear regularly.  If you have clothes that are too small in your closet that you hope to fit into again soon, yet don't have the heart to part with, may I suggest boxing them up and storing them separately so they aren't taking up valuable closet space in the meantime.

Those fortunate people with bigger closets don’t have to be as ruthless but if you only have a small closet you are going to have to be tough with yourself. I’ve noticed that many people keep clothes because of an emotional attachment they may have to them, which is fine if you have the space, however if you don't then you really need to think about the space you are sacrificing to keep that particular item and whether or not it's worth it. Taking a picture of the outfit is a great way to keep those memories alive without giving up space to do it. I’ve also found it’s
especially helpful to have a friend work alongside you to offer their opinion, where appropriate, to keep things moving along.

What you'll be left with when you completed your closet organization is a nice bunch of clothes that you can donate to your local thrift store, consign at your local consignment shop or swap with your friends!

Another idea that I just love is something I read about on the The Heavenly Homemaker's blog and that is to host a clothing exchange as part of a ministry to help those in need.

Susan of Friday Playdate gives us great information on how to shop your closet. 

And finally let me direct you to OnSimplicity.net where she helps you with Four Ways to Purge Your Closet and the Quick & Dirty Closet Raid.

Have you organized your clothes closet lately?  Is it time?