What Should You Do With Your Old Clothes?

Are you running out of hangers in your closet?  Is your dresser overflowing with clothes to the point you can no longer close the drawers?  

If you said yes to either of these questions, then it is probably time to do something with all your old clothes.  

There are several things you can do to clear up closet space and get rid of clothes that you no longer wear.  Whether they are out of style, no longer fit, are stained or are worn to the point that they have holes or missing buttons, getting rid of your old clothes can be a great opportunity to give to others or do some fun, creative things with them.  

The ones that are no longer in style or don’t fit, but still in good condition, can be donated to charities such as Goodwill or the Salvation Army.  These clothes could also be given to close friends or handed down to siblings.  Just like the old saying goes, “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”

The clothes that are stained or worn out can make great rags for cleaning, especially old tee-shirts.  You can cut them into large sections and use them to wash your car, dust your shelves, and wipe down patio furniture.  Daycares also love old oversized shirts, especially button-downs, which make great art smocks for kids.  

Jeans with holes in them can be patched up with other fabric and those worn at the knees can be repurposed into shorts.  You can sew on patches from material such as pieces from another pair of jeans or old shirts.  If you’d prefer a no-sew option, you can purchase a kit of iron-on patches.  For jeans that are worn at the knees, but still fit around the waist, you can cut them or even rip them into shorts.  The wiki how website has a great guide for the different ways to create shorts from jeans, you can find it here https://www.wikihow.com/Turn-Jeans-into-Shorts.

Too attached to even think about ripping up your clothes or giving them away?  Some clothing articles can have sentimental meaning.  Perhaps you have tee-shirts from concerts you went to, places you visited, or ones you made with pictures of your friends on them.  Perhaps you have some from local events you participated in.  In this case, you might want to consider making a quilt or pillow out of them.  If you need help, you can find tutorials on the web, there is a step by step guide on the wiki how website you can check out here https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Quilt-from-Tee-Shirts for the quilt, and the DIY network here http://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/make-and-decorate/decorating/how-to-make-a-no-sew-pillow-from-an-upcycled-t-shirt for the pillow.   

There are several options for getting rid of old clothes.  Whether you decide to give them away or reuse them, you are doing something sustainable for the environment, providing for those in need, while cleaning up your closet at the same time.  

Now with all that extra closet space, you have room for this season’s newest fashion lines!  

About the author:

Rachel Savering is a marketing student at Strayer University and will be graduating this spring with her Bachelor’s Degree. In addition to being a student, she is also in sales as an assistant manager and enjoys helping others. Rachel is passionate about writing as well as an outdoor enthusiast who enjoys hiking and running.