Winter weather has finally settled in, so many of us are reaching for a coat. When you reach for yours, do you find it squished in an over-packed closet? If so, today’s challenge is for you! Everybody needs coats, and if you live in a climate where the temperature changes, you may need more than one. Still, odds are that you have a couple of pieces that you really don’t wear.
Today’s challenge is to select five garments from this category to give away. Five may seem like a lot – and it is – but if you have more than one person living in your house, you have a good chance of finding them.
As you search today, keep in mind that a variety of items will “fit” in this group:
- Blazers
- Sports coats
- Raincoats and rain jackets
- Hoodies
- Ski jackets
- Winter coats
- Dress coats
- Wind breakers
- Vests
- Fleeces
- Barn jackets
- Denim jackets
- Corduroy Jackets
While you are sorting through this area of your home, feel free to toss in any hats, gloves, mittens, or scarves that your family no longer needs.
Some of you may be thinking, “Even though I don’t wear this, I shouldn’t get rid of this coat because I might need it someday.” This is a common concern, but remember that you will be happiest when you live within your space. Holding onto more items than comfortably fit in your closet interferes with your quality of life. Think of it this way:
If you keep a coat you wear only once a year,
you will be happy one day…
but miserable the other 364 days when your closet is over-stuffed.
You want to organize in a way that maximizes the number of days you can enjoy your home.
Coats make a wonderful donation, and almost any charity is happy to have them. A coat drive is also a terrific charitable project for a Girl/Boy Scout troop, church, or school group.
Are you ready to try? Do you think you can find five?
They most certainly make a wonderful donation and we just did this here last month with the Girl Scouts during the holiday time. So couldn’t agree more.
Janine Huldie recently posted…Murphy’s Law to End 2015 But Joy for 2016
I love hearing that the Girl Scouts did this around the holidays. With cold mornings upon us, so many people need a good coat. We’ve done coat drives with many groups, and I am always humbled to realize I can usually come up with a coat or two to donate.
This is my favorite! I love getting rid of jackets and coats. So much! Although with me, I do hold onto my peacoats. No one touches my peacoats!
Although I love the one coat (per season) rule for my family!
Tamara recently posted…Cheesy Bacon Hot Dipping Sauce For The Big Game.
Yes, a beloved peacoat is hard to part with. I have a red one that I love. But since coats are such a wonderful donation item, and because shedding them frees so much space, it is one most people enjoy!
Love the GO Challenge you’re doing this month, Seana! Crammed coat closets are something I often encounter at my clients’ homes. It’s never fun to fight with a coat closet, or be “miserable” as you put it. Deciding how many are really needed and worn, then release the rest is a great strategy. Your closets will be able to breathe better and grabbing a coat will become a pleasure and not a fight.
One more thing to help coat closets are adding matching hangers…and ones that are strong enough to support the coats. This can also make a closet more useable and also great looking.
Linda Samuels recently posted…How to Get a Fresh Start After Embarrassing Yourself
Love that point about matching, sturdy hangers. How many of us have dry cleaner hangers bent out of shape and collapsing under the weight of a winter coat? Thanks for your affirmation of the challenge, friend. I’m having a lot of fun:)
Ah the “I many use it some day” comment. I know it well. I have said it, my kids have said id, my husband has said it. But, really have we? No we have not. Over the years, I would go through the winter stuff in the summer. I am not sure why I did that, maybe because the kids grow out of their coats by then. But, it seemed to work for me. I would even add gloves and hats to this challenge. Thanks for sharing, Seana.
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Yes, definitely add gloves, hats, carves… all that! It is easier to get rid of something when you’ve clearly grown out of it, so I can see that logic. But this way you get the space now, right?
Woohooo! This one is easy for me.. I am losing weight, so NONE of my clothes fit! I am giving LOTS away.. easy challenges like this make me feel like Ive accomplished something, haha! <3 – http://www.domesticgeekgirl.com
Gingi recently posted…Winter Plans for Summer Garlic
Actually, you are accomplishing TWO somethings — shedding clutter AND losing weight. That is terrific – you go, Gingi!
Seana,
Thank you so much for sharing your challenge with us at Brag About It! Happy New Year to you!
~Laurie
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Thanks for inviting me, Laurie! We are having fun clearing out and getting organized. Happy New Year!
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