?? Spring Cleaning: Closet Edition | How To Sustainably Clean Your Closet Out This Spring

While you might think that bagging up all your unwanted or damaged clothes and dropping them off at a local thrift store is the way to go, it’s time to think again.

Only about 1/3 of donated clothes are actually resold, while the majority of textiles make their way to different countries — and our trash shouldn’t become someone else’s problem.

Here's your guide to sustainable spring cleaning this season!

#1: Closet Inventory: What Do You Already Have? ??

Whether you pull all of your clothes out and pile them on your floor Marie Kondo-style, or go through each drawer or shelf individually, a sustainable spring clean includes an inventory of what you already own.

After all, there’s nothing more sustainable than using what you already have instead of purchasing something new.

#2: Repair: Getting Around To Some Mending ??

As you go through your clothes, you may find a few items that have gone unworn for months because they need to be mended.?You know you can mend them, or have the ability to find out how to mend them, but you just haven’t gotten around to it.

Now’s your chance!

A sustainable spring-clean includes repairing items that you still love, but that needs a new button, a seam sewn, or a patch affixed.

A little mending goes a long way for the environment, and your closet!

#3: Technical Repair: What To Do If You Can't Fix It ??

• Check out local forums (Buy Nothing, neighborhood Facebook groups) to see if any kind-hearted neighbor has the skills and resources to mend or alter your item. You might be surprised at the generosity of your local community!
• Do an Internet search for local alterationists. Find an alterationist nearby that matches your budget, and then let the expert do the work. It may seem expensive, but if you calculate what a brand new item would cost you, it will likely be worth the investment.
• Before taking it to an alterationist, check to see if the brand offers a repair program for their products.

#4: Unwearable Clothes: Are They Really Garbage? ??

As you come to the end of your spring clean, you face a small pile of clothes, shoes, and accessories that cannot and should not be worn again. Unrepairable holes, permanent stains, worn-through soles, etc.

If you can’t repurpose them at home or the brand doesn’t have a recycling/repair program, there is still hope that the materials can be used instead of going straight into the landfill.

Check out local textile recycling options in your community or try a For Days Take Back Bag. Let’s keep textiles out of the landfill by exploring all possible ways to reuse and recycle.

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