Not everyone enjoys the luxury of walk in wardrobe with floor to ceiling mirrors, banks of drawers and lots of hanging space. Others have a “floorobe” clothes cover the floor, draped over doors and chairs, making it difficult to find what you want, costing time, money and impacting our planet.

Have you ever said “I forgot I had it, I just bought another”

With the value of unused clothing in wardrobes estimated at around £30 billion and clothes going to landfill to be estimated at £140 million each year. Source: WRAP it makes financial sense to ethically declutter and get sorted.

Did you know?

• Every second 1 garbage truck full of textiles is burned or sent to landfill

• The fashion industry causes 10% of all greenhouse gas emissions, producing more emissions than all international flights and shipping Source: World Economic Forum

Declutter and Find Love

Imagine this the man or women of your dreams knocks on your door and asks you out on a date.

Do you

1. Quickly slip into something stunning, brush your hair and teeth, and you are set ready to go?

2. Clear space on the sofa; ask them to sit down make themselves comfortable while you spend an hour searching the wardrobe for the perfect outfit?

3. Wake up it was only a dream; they would never find their way to your front door!!!

If you answer YES to 1, great, off go and have a fabulous time.

If you answer YES to 2 or 3, it’s time to lose the clutter and find love.

Seriously what’s worth more the clutter or the hot date and why hold onto clothes you would not be seen dead in or makes you feel second-rate, we are looking for a brighter future.

Responsible Disposal to set aside any confusion about what and can’t be donated we asked Wandsworth Oasis the best way to donate clothes.

How do I donate clothes?

Pack donations into manageable sized sturdy bags, no point filling the biggest bags only to find you cannot life them into the car or dragging them onto the bus. Nothing worse than leaving a trail of donations down the High Street.

Can I donate clothes in poor condition?

Wadsworth Oasis gratefully accept donations of all clothing, clothes not fit for purpose are recycled and repurposed into rags, raising well earn funds for the charity, either way nothing goes to waste.

When is a good time to donate clothes?

It’s always a good time to declutter and donate unwanted clothes and a good habit is asking your local charity what they need now, what’s selling, donating overcoats in summer is not a hot item, even though the weather may be, likewise the Hawaiian shirt or summer party dress may not be selling in winter.

How to reduce lothes carbon footprint

1. Invest in quality not quantity.

When 3 in 5 items bought are thrown away within a year, investing in quality clothes and styles that suit you make for a sustainable future.

2. Repair and Restyle

Extending the life of anything before landfill is good for the planet, considering it takes 2700 litres of water to make 1 cotton shirt, that’s what 1 person drinks in 2.5 years.

3. Seek Professional Advice

Time to fess up, have you ever stood in front of your wardrobe and said

“I have nothing to wear”

Hiring a personal fashion stylist is one way to stretch your wardrobe and do good for the planet. With the making and washing 1 pair of jeans emitting the same CO2 as driving 69 miles, it’s time to rethink that next offer of “buy one get one free”

4. Reduce and Reuse

Consider hiring clothing for special events rather than owing garments used once in a while.

5. Natural fibres

Choose natural fibres over made fibres is good for the planet

a. Organic cotton

b. Wool

c. Linen

d. Silk

e. Hemp

f. Cashmere

120 million trees are cut down every year to make clothes and 30% of the rayon and viscose used in fashion comes from endangered and ancient forests and up to 16% of the world’s pesticides are used in cotton farming every year, now is the time to rethink our next purchase. Source World Economic Forum

6. Care for clothes while caring for the planet

Storing clothes fresh, clean and ready to wear saves time and reduces stress, but how often do we need to wash our clothes? Washing one synthetic garment releases 2000 plastic microfibres which enter the ocean and the food chain.

Be warned, this next tip may shock you: It is ok to wear outer garments clothes 2 or 3 times before washing, not only saving you time, electricity, reduces detergents into our waters, it saves money and helps reduce our clothing carbon footprint.

Tanya Lewis aka The Eco Organiser®- Waste Coach- Author STUFF OFF! www.ecoorganiser.com.au