The Wardrobe Challenge

February 10, 2010 · Filed under Healthy Lifestyle, Money Savers, Social Justice · Tagged Bridge Cafe, Clothing Swap, Simplifying, Social Justice

So the plain fact of the matter is, most college students have WAY too many clothes.  I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty sure I could go for about a month (maybe longer!) before I had to do laundry, easy. 

In fact, if you’re anything like me, there’s stuff in your closet you forgot even existed.  Bottom line? 

Most of us have more clothes than we know what to do with.

That’s not necessarily a bad thing, per say, but all those clothes you rarely (if ever) wear can be doing a lot more good if they’re not sitting in your closet.  How?

So glad you asked!

Seriously, why do you even have this shirt?!

We dare you… nay, double dog dare you to take the Wardrobe Challenge.  Here it is: get a large black plastic trash bag (or maybe three, depending on how big your wardrobe is) and select out about 1/4 of all the clothes you own, fold them neatly and put them all in the bag(s).  Then, put those bags away in a safe place for 1 month (oh, and if you buy more clothes in that month, put something else in the bag for every new thing you buy).

If, at the end of the month, you can remember everything you put in the bag, then put them back in your wardrobe.

But if you can’t remember what’s in there, consider a couple of options:

1. Host a clothing swap with some of your friends – have everyone bring their clothes together, lay them all out and open it up to your whole floor (heck, you could even schedule it at the Cafe!).

Lay out all of your clothes, sort ‘em and let everyone go through them.

You get new clothes, your friends get new clothes, and everyone goes home happy!

2. Donate what’s left over to Goodwill or Salvation Army so someone who really needs some sweet new duds can get them at an affordable price!

Of course, if you don’t want to go to the trouble of putting on a Swap, just donate your clothes.  You’ll free up some much needed closet space and help out other people who really need it.

It’s win, win!