Cure That Chaotic Closet

by Molly Boren

Do you wear the same outfits time and again despite an overflowing closet? Do those jeans that haven't fit for years stare you in the face daily, judging you? If you were to wrestle a buried sweater out of the depths, would it be too wrinkled to wear?

I've been there, and believe it or not there's a fun way to ditch that closet clutter: throw a clothing swap. Gather your friends on a weekend afternoon to try on each other's loved-but-unworn garments and accessories. It's a great opportunity to catch up, find a gorgeous new piece or two, and benefit the local charity to which you'll donate items that don't find new homes.

Prep

The first step is the invitation. This is crucial, because once you hit that "send" button there's no turning back. Talk about motivation.

Don't worry if your friends come in varying sizes-a swap item is often one that's either too big or small for its owner, and accessories are one-size-fits-all.

Purge

The week before the swap, set aside a couple of hours to survey your own closet. To make the most of your private fashion show:

Do your hair and makeup: You'll give each item (and your self-esteem) a fighting chance in front of that mirror.

Get comfortable: Play some music and maybe even enjoy a glass of wine.

Label boxes or bags for clothes that you'll:

• Keep
• Swap
• Consign
• Donate
• Toss (if they have stains or tears)
• Alter/dry clean (including stray wire hangers, which you can return to your dry cleaner for reuse-they'll love you for it)
• Take elsewhere in the house

This is also a good time to create a permanent "Donate/Swap" bag for your closet. It will enable what I call stealth purging: taking advantage of those fleeting moments of strength when you're able to let go of clothes that make you feel bad, like those too-tight jeans. When these moments hit, you can toss the item straight into the bag. When the bag's full you can host another swap or head to the donation center.

Now you're ready to try everything on. Wear each top with an appropriate pair of pants or skirt and vice versa; this will give you an accurate idea of how you feel in the clothes in the real world. If you feel great, keep them. If not, let them go so they can make someone else feel great.

When you're done, set the "swap" and "donate" items aside for the big day, redistribute the "elsewhere" items, take the "consign" and "alter/dry clean" bags to your car, and toss the "toss" items. The idea is to avoid cancelling out your hard work by letting these categories sit around and become clutter again.

Finally, take some time to categorize the clothes you're keeping: long sleeves with long sleeves, etc. Your newly lean-and-mean wardrobe will be even easier to use.

Party

Now for the really fun part. Ban all those of the opposite sex from the house, drag a full-length mirror or two into the living room, set up a simple buffet (my favorite: bagels and mimosas), and await the swappers.

As they arrive, stash their swap items in a corner while everyone enjoys some chatting and snacking. When you're ready to get down to business, present each of your offerings quickly, just so they're all seen. If the item has a great story (bought it in Istanbul, wore it on that ridiculous date), share it. Toss it into the pot, that is, the middle of the room. Interested swappers can grab from the pot at any time. Soon you'll have plenty of fabulous items in the middle of the room, a good deal of jockeying for the mirror and lots of laughter.

One caveat: for the sake of your newly neat closet, take at most the number of items you contributed.

When the feeding frenzy winds down, you'll likely have several items remaining in the pot that can be donated to your favorite charity. They'll be thrilled with your tax-deductible gift, and you and your swappers will be thrilled with your new and improved wardrobes.

Where to Go

Some local charities accepting donations of clothing and accessories:

• Goodwill Industries in Naperville, 630.357.6258
• Peoples Resource Center in Wheaton, 630.682.5402
• Dress for Success in Joliet, 815.280.1323 (suits and business-appropriate attire)

Some local consignment shops:

• De Ja Vous in Naperville, 630.355.9349
• Worth Repeating in Naperville, 630.355.0444