July Focus Space: Wardrobes
Australia is the second highest consumer of textiles, after the USA. On average, each Australian will obtain approximately 27 kilograms of new clothing each year, and will dispose of 23 kilograms of clothing textiles to landfill. This equates to 93 per cent of the textiles we generate, going to landfill. Every. Single. Year.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reports that Leather and Textiles make up large portions of materials that are not commonly exported to other nations for recycling, meaning that they remain in Australian landfill despite being able to add value to our economy.
So what does this mean for us at Made Home, and how can we contribute positively towards change? With textile waste and consumption an ongoing concern for our economy and environment, there are a number of things that we can do to keep our items out of landfill, when it comes time to sort through and clear unworn pieces from our wardrobe.
If you’ve been eyeing off your wardrobe for some time thinking that it’s due for a cull and declutter, we’re here to tell you (happily) that this process is not only easy, but can also be fun. We will even share some tips on what to do with your pieces once you’ve reached the other side of your sorting process.
First things first, if you’re tackling this job on your own, you’re best to weigh up the size of the job and decide whether this is something you’d like to do all in one big session with us, or whether this is something you’d like to chip away at slowly. Perhaps you’re a busy mum and you’d prefer to do this slowly, drawer by drawer while bub is napping (most of us at Made Home are also mums, so we absolutely understand this approach!). Or maybe you’ve got an entire afternoon to yourself while your housemates are out, with nothing else on the agenda other than some self care and a bit of life admin.
Once you’ve decided which space to tackle, go and pour yourself a drink and put on some tunes. Tea, Fresh Juice, Wine, whatever mood you’re in, let’s get off to a nice start.
The next thing to do, is to pull out EVERYTHING from that space. Empty that drawer, or take out all those hanging pieces and lay them in a neat pile for sorting. You want that ‘home’ space to be completely clear. If this means that it also needs a wipe down and a vacuum, now is the perfect opportunity.
Then, you will work through a process of sorting through this pile of clothing to decide to Keep, Donate or Recycle.
Ask yourself these types of questions; Have I worn this in the last 2 years? Am I holding on to this with the hopes of fitting back into it (and how possible do I think this is)? Does this piece of clothing bring me joy? Do I feel great when I wear this, or has that moment passed?
If the answer is a resounding NO to these questions, then you need to think about the next part: does this piece still have life left in it, or does it need to go to textile recycling?
If the piece is still in good condition, without rips, stains, pulls or pilling, then put it into a Donate pile. The items that land in this pile will find a new home and live a new life with another proud owner, curtesy of your local charity store or refuge centre.
In the instance that your garments are threadbare and have already given up the ghost, there are options to recycle your textiles. While still in its infancy in Australia, there are many entities that are offering new ways to keep your clothing, textiles and shoes from landfill. If you’d like to know more about these programs, we will be discussing this in a future post.
Once you’ve worked your way through your space you should have three (or maybe four, if there are items that you’d like to Sell) clearly identified piles.
Rehang, refold, rehome all the items that you’ve decided to keep and arrange them in a way that speaks simply to you (Summer/Winter garments grouped, socks bundled, colour block your hanging pieces).
Ensure all your recycle pieces are bagged or boxed up and clearly identified, and put all your donate pieces into a soft bag for dropping off at your local charity store. Just don’t forget to drop the bag off next time you head out, so that you’re not being stared at for any longer than necessary by those Skinny Jeans that you haven’t worn since you were 18.
And at the end of it all, you can rest easy knowing that your pieces will live on in someone else’s wardrobe as a fresh new piece, or will be recycled into something completely new - while you enjoy a beautifully sorted wardrobe with items that make you feel beautiful.
If you’d like to know more about how we can help you with this process (and how you can sit back enjoying a hot cuppa while we do the sorting and ask the tricky questions), please reach out to have a chat.
We would love to see your space Made Home.
