Today is Day 1 of our 7 Day Closet Cleanout Challenge! Who's ready?!
If you missed the post that explains what the challenge is and how to
get entered into the giveaway that's taking place at the end of the
week, go back and read it HERE. The first section of our closet that
we're tackling are our shoes. Don't forget to show us your progress on Instagram and Facebook using the hashtag #7DayClosetCleanoutChallenge!
WHAT TO KEEP VS. WHAT GET RID OF
The whole point of this challenge is to declutter our closets (and thus, our lives) so that we can spend less time digging for items, as well as have a beautiful space filled with items we truly love. The first step is to take ALL of your shoes out of your closet. Don't forget any stragglers that might be sitting in the garage or hall closet. We're going to categorize all of our shoes (and by the end of the week, all of our clothing) into three categories: KEEP, SELL, OR DONATE. Take a hard look at each pair of shoes and ask yourself these questions:
- Would I buy these if I saw them in the store today?
- Have I worn them in the past year?
- Are they still in good shape?
If you answered "yes" to all three questions, put them in the KEEP pile. If not, get rid of them. For the ones you're getting rid of, if they're in good shape, put them in the SELL pile. If not, they go in the DONATE pile. The only exception is for sentimental pieces (think wedding shoes) or formal shoes that you haven't worn in the past year but you'd still like to keep for special occasions.
For the SELL pile, you can either sell these in a garage sale, on Craigslist, to a local consignment store, or to my personal favorite, ThredUp. You just request a free clean out bag from their website, fill it with your name brand clothing that's in good condition, and mail it back (free of charge)! They will pay you for the clothes they keep and decide to resell. I find this to be the easiest method since I don't have to actually do anything other than throw it in a bag and drop it in the mail. For your DONATE pile, bag it up and take it to the charity or shelter of your choice. If donating to a charity, make sure to ask for a receipt so you can deduct it on your taxes. You can find some guidelines for how to value your used clothing here.
HOW TO STORE SHOES
For the shoes you're keeping, you'll want to put them back in your closet in an organized fashion. Much of this depends on personal preference. If you have a small closet, you may choose to only put out shoes for the current season and put the rest in temporary storage. I personally like to keep all of my shoes in clear stackable storage boxes like these to keep the dust off of them. Here are some great options if you're in need of a shoe organizer! And once you get those shoes back in the closet, don't forget to snap a picture and post to FB or Instagram with the hashtag #7DayClosetCleanoutChallenge! Using the hashtag gets you entered into a drawing to win a Target gift card!
For the SELL pile, you can either sell these in a garage sale, on Craigslist, to a local consignment store, or to my personal favorite, ThredUp. You just request a free clean out bag from their website, fill it with your name brand clothing that's in good condition, and mail it back (free of charge)! They will pay you for the clothes they keep and decide to resell. I find this to be the easiest method since I don't have to actually do anything other than throw it in a bag and drop it in the mail. For your DONATE pile, bag it up and take it to the charity or shelter of your choice. If donating to a charity, make sure to ask for a receipt so you can deduct it on your taxes. You can find some guidelines for how to value your used clothing here.
HOW TO STORE SHOES
For the shoes you're keeping, you'll want to put them back in your closet in an organized fashion. Much of this depends on personal preference. If you have a small closet, you may choose to only put out shoes for the current season and put the rest in temporary storage. I personally like to keep all of my shoes in clear stackable storage boxes like these to keep the dust off of them. Here are some great options if you're in need of a shoe organizer! And once you get those shoes back in the closet, don't forget to snap a picture and post to FB or Instagram with the hashtag #7DayClosetCleanoutChallenge! Using the hashtag gets you entered into a drawing to win a Target gift card!
