http://unclutterer.com/discuss/forum/clothing-closets The community for people interested in home and office organizing. en-US Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:34:38 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q http://unclutterer.com/discuss/search.php http://unclutterer.com/discuss/topic/cheap-lightweight-closet-drawer-solution#post-46622 Sat, 04 Feb 2012 20:18:31 +0000 ekrubnivek 46622@http://unclutterer.com/discuss/ <p>Hi,<br /> I just moved into my first apartment and I'm looking for a clothes solution besides laundry baskets. </p> <p>I just want a set of three containers that will fit in my closet and slide in and out. I don't really mind what material they're made of, or if I have to put pieces together. They can go about up to my waist (3ft) - above that are hanging dress shirts and suits and things. My closet is 2 feet 3 inches deep and has a sliding mirror door that's about 3ft wide (so closet is 6ft wide in total), so drawers should be no wider than 3 feet. </p> <p>I went to the Container Store and got totally overwhelmed; there are too many options and they all look pricey for a set of simple drawers. </p> <p>Can you make a recommendation about what I should look for? Help!</p> <p>Thanks,<br /> Kevin </p> http://unclutterer.com/discuss/topic/missing-socks#post-4359 Sat, 10 Apr 2010 16:49:29 +0000 Sophie 4359@http://unclutterer.com/discuss/ <p>Ever wonder where all the missing socks go?. I do. I'm sure they end up in the washing machine or somewhere but who knows. </p> <p>Anyway last year our socks were disappearing at an unbelievably fast rate, so we I just knew something was up. It got to a point we were losing so many socks that I bought some new ones. Well first day I got home with my new socks, one "disappeared". Now there were only two of us living in the house, and I knew I'd left them on the floor of our bedroom, bad, but still there was no logical explanation of where they could be. So I said to my partner "I think the cat is stealing our socks". He didn't really believe me, but then a couple of days later I came home to find my tracksuit pants half hanging out the cat door!!! Well for me that proved it, but we didn't know if it was our cat (unlikely) or a neighbours cat. Well, we decided to set up a video camera while at work one day. This was so funny because within one hour of leaving the house we captured the nieghbour's cat entering the house, going into our bedroom, picking up the sock we'd left out, and carrying it straight back out. This cat and another were also coming into the house and eating our cat's food, which explained the missing socks but also our nervous cat!:(</p> <p>We now have an electronic cat door, so neighbour's cats can't come inside, the cat is happier, but still socks continue to disappear. Where do they go? </p> http://unclutterer.com/discuss/topic/thanks-for-da-for-suggesting-this-site#post-45913 Mon, 30 Jan 2012 02:04:06 +0000 BALANCEandORDER4Life 45913@http://unclutterer.com/discuss/ <p>I'm looking forward to reading ideas on how to get rid of my stuff! I realize I like shopping and buying gifts to give at the holidays, birthdays, etc. but, I do not have a gift closet or a place to keep this stuff. And, i have too many clothes. i am not wearing some of them, so they are going to goodwill. i've made a promise to take at least one bag to goodwill every saturday until i can put ALL of my clothes either in a closet or a drawer.</p> <p>Please support me in my quest. thank you in advance for your comments (and good thoughts and/or prayers) </p> http://unclutterer.com/discuss/topic/laundry-baskets-helpful-tool-or-hindrance#post-42328 Tue, 03 Jan 2012 06:31:33 +0000 momwalker1966 42328@http://unclutterer.com/discuss/ <p>I love reading/getting tips on how to get me and my spaces better organized. So far I am also finding that the tips or advise that make me uncomfortable or have my mind go into a WHAT????mental blank feeling are usually the ones I need to really take note of(even small ones). My laundry has always been an issue, I have no trouble keeping it clean, but it never or rarely gets put away. This morning it was suggested to get rid of/or at least temporarily put away ALL of my laundry baskets. (GASP) Is it possible that what I have considered as helpful tools have actually hindered me into mentally using them as the "home" for my laundry and that is why that is as far as they get? Do you find laundry baskets helpful tools? Have any of you been able or needed to get past the "they are clean but just need to be put away" step?<br /> Chele </p> http://unclutterer.com/discuss/topic/american-clothing#post-23688 Fri, 01 Apr 2011 08:08:54 +0000 ninakk 23688@http://unclutterer.com/discuss/ <p>DH and I are most likely flying to the States in July/August as his family invited us there. Meanwhile, I'm trying to get my wardrobe sorted out as I'm at some kind of turning point, where "nothing" fits with anything else. I will donate some, use other pieces at home and the few remaining ones I'll turn into dishcloths by cutting and knitting. I guess I'm going for a more "grown-up", "classic" look now (think Audrey, Grace and company in their leisure-wear) even though the odd cool t-shirt and crazy brooch or scarf will have to blend well with those.</p> <p>Since it's truly difficult to find a whole wardrobe of organic fabrics in Europe (or it is too expensive for me), I thought the U.S. might become my Eldorado. Do you have any tips on local labels that would be suitable (ecological, maybe no sweat shop stuff going on either)? If not, then I'd at least appreciate some tips on labels that manufacture high-quality clothing that don't wear down immediately. Right now we don't have a dryer, just a washing machine, so that's no problem either.</p> <p>What I want is to have a wardrobe that doesn't scream "contemporary" but will be nice over a few decades. The odd modern addition will happen now and then, but the backbone should be timeless. </p> http://unclutterer.com/discuss/topic/turning-beloved-t-shirts-intowhat#post-38228 Thu, 10 Nov 2011 23:56:29 +0000 Robin 38228@http://unclutterer.com/discuss/ <p>I've got t-shirts that are beloved and belong to a certain time in my life. I can't wear them anymore simply because they're a bit small but I still love the graphics. I have carted them everywhere all this time and now I've decided to turn them into something that will beautify my life and serve as a reminder of a time in my life. A non-wearable tattoo. :)</p> <p>I have 4 t-shirts by x-girl. It's a label by Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth and graphics by Mike Mills who is now a director. I have uncluttered my own mind to admit that I WILL NOT PART WITH THEM. So....what could i do with them to turn them into a keepsake? </p> <p>- framed prints?<br /> - sofa cushions?<br /> - stuffed animals???</p> <p>Any and all input is appreciated. Thanks! </p> http://unclutterer.com/discuss/topic/any-suggestions-for-decluttering-shirts-and-ties#post-25185 Mon, 02 May 2011 06:37:40 +0000 PaulT00 25185@http://unclutterer.com/discuss/ <p>My partner and I both used to work in jobs where it was normal to wear a suit and tie every day, and we accumulated a large collection of good quality 'work' shirts and silk ties. That was quite a long time ago...</p> <p>We now both work from home and the last time either of us wore a formal shirt, let alone a tie, was last year when we went to a funeral. Which means we have a large wardrobe full, plus hanging rails in another room, of used high quality work (i.e. formal) shirts which essentially never get worn but are in too good a condition to just throw out - but if we donate them to a charity shop they will probably just get turned into rags in a lot of cases as they're not 'perfect' enough to resell. They probably cost in excess of £1000 to buy...</p> <p>That's not to mention the 3x20-tie tie hangers full to bursting with multicoloured silk ties!</p> <p>Any helpful suggestions gratefully received, even if they're just 'permission to declutter'! I just have huge difficulty contemplating throwing away or destroying really good quality stuff with a lot of life in it... </p> http://unclutterer.com/discuss/topic/opinion-poll-clothing-to-get-rid-of#post-21136 Sun, 20 Feb 2011 23:37:02 +0000 Arisena 21136@http://unclutterer.com/discuss/ <p>Hello everyone, I feel really stuck on this, and need some advice.<br /> Basic situation:<br /> I am a chronic mover, due to school, jobs, family. I used to travel between SF and Washington state every 6 months or so. I started a habit of just getting rid of obvious items and packing everything else up to sort "some other day". That day has finally arrived and now I have a pile of clothing I've been going through.<br /> I have a lot of sweaters and work clothes that my mom-in-law gave me, that I just never sorted through. These are kind of 80s/early 90s short. Like almost belly button short, and don't fit my style. Some are in really good shape, others a little less so (small unobtrusive stains, slight wear). I'm just not sure what to do with them. Right now my options are:</p> <p>1. cut up for rags<br /> 2. sew into soft balls and teddy bears (something I have done before for three nieces and nephew, however, they are now on Guam, so I have no idea who I would give them to)<br /> 3. Goodwill/freecycle/craigslist</p> <p>I'm just torn, I could use them at home, but I know other people would still wear them! Help! </p> http://unclutterer.com/discuss/topic/paying-the-kids-for-old-clothes#post-40662 Mon, 12 Dec 2011 19:31:58 +0000 Karen 40662@http://unclutterer.com/discuss/ <p>I've tried and tried to get my teenage sons to clean out their closets. They don't seem to notice all the old clothes taking up room in the closet. They don't seem to mind that there is no room in the closet for the clothes they actually wear. The floor is good enough.</p> <p>So, I told them I would pay cash for their old clothes. Cash had to be spent on new clothes of their choosing. Worked like a charm. Closets are clean. They have clothes they like. Everyone is happy.</p> <p>Of course, if your child is too young to pick out his/her own clothes, or his/her taste runs to things that aren't appropriate for school, this may not work for you. </p> http://unclutterer.com/discuss/topic/how-do-you-know-when-a-bra-needs-to-be-retired#post-38256 Fri, 11 Nov 2011 15:20:40 +0000 Robin 38256@http://unclutterer.com/discuss/ <p>I've never had children, have gone up about half a cup size in 20 years. I can literally wear bras from my teen years (this is NO BOAST btw). </p> <p>I know performance is lacking in a lot of my old bras. How do I know when to throw them out? I need a line in the sand to say "you fit but you're not doing your job anymore". </p> http://unclutterer.com/discuss/topic/ideas-for-uncluttered-sleepwear#post-39003 Wed, 23 Nov 2011 20:39:35 +0000 awurrlu 39003@http://unclutterer.com/discuss/ <p>Hello all - it's been some time since my last posts...</p> <p>Anyway, I was doing a purge of my dresser drawers, and came across a piece of inspiration I had stashed there: a little booklet by a woman who's written some books on minimalism in French named Dominique Loreau. This booklet came with a copy of the French version of the magazine Psychologies, and had a number of tips for uncluttering.</p> <p>One intriguing tip she had was - loosely translated - to skip the fancy nightgowns and pajamas, and use something you can wear as daywear.</p> <p>So, I'm curious: if you were going to have sleepwear you can wear as daywear, what would it be? What would you wear in the winter? What about the summer?</p> <p>My current cold-weather pajamas are a long-sleeved t-shirt and yoga pants. My warm weather pajamas are, well, pajamas.</p> <p>I'm looking forward to reading everyone's suggestions! </p> http://unclutterer.com/discuss/topic/efforts-at-decluttering-wardrobe-squashed-by-momzilla#post-13773 Wed, 27 Oct 2010 02:44:16 +0000 D 13773@http://unclutterer.com/discuss/ <p>(Please excuse the dramatic title. ;))</p> <p>I have a very small wardrobe compared to most young women. Despite the small number of clothes I own, I still have clothing I never wear or plan to. I'd like to get rid of them since that fits my criteria for clutter, but my mom wants me to keep them simply on the basis of my not having loads of clothes, despite the fact that I will literally never wear this stuff. Not all of the clutter-clothes are for special occasions either, which I can understand keeping on some level. I think we've actually had more than one argument over this stuff, so it's getting a bit ridiculous to say the least.</p> <p>Any advice for keeping the peace but ditching the clutter? :) </p> http://unclutterer.com/discuss/topic/wet-workout-clothes-ick#post-35237 Sun, 18 Sep 2011 12:01:36 +0000 Aim4WhirledPeas 35237@http://unclutterer.com/discuss/ <p>My partner is a triathlete, and works out (intensely) at least once a day, usually twice a day. Needless to say, she brings home lots of very sweaty workout clothes, and we're having trouble figuring out what to do with them. I also bring my own gross workout stuff home about 3x a week. We can't throw them right in the clothes hamper, because they make everything smell and they stay damp for days. </p> <p>We live in a 500 sq. ft. apartment, so there isn't really any space to hang things. We do have a big unfinished basement, but it's a little damp. </p> <p>Any advice for dealing with this? Recently, she's taken to laying the damp clothes out to dry on the floor, and it drives me nuts (it's a never-ending cycle because there are new clothes every day)!</p> <p>Is doing laundry EVERY day the only solution? I really don't want to spend all of my waking hours washing clothes! I worry that throwing them right in the washing machine to sit will lead to moldy clothes </p> http://unclutterer.com/discuss/topic/laundry-q-dark-stains-on-dark-t-shirts#post-35645 Sat, 24 Sep 2011 17:29:40 +0000 Scarlet 35645@http://unclutterer.com/discuss/ <p>I tend to wear black t-shirts, and I suffer from a constant problem: they frequently come out with dark stains when dry. I think the stains are there to begin with, i.e. it's not something the washer or dryer is creating. For one thing, they're always on the front where it makes sense I might have dripped some food or something. But the problem remains that I don't see them until the laundry is dry. The only real solution I have to it is to then pre-treat the stains and run them again. It seems ridiculous to wash things twice, but I also don't want to blindly pre-treat the front of every shirt before every wash (I've attempted this, and I think it helps but never well enough to not want to redo once I can see the stains). I already pre-treat any visible stains the first time around.</p> <p>Anyone have any suggestions? It's already hard to keep black clothes from fading, and extra detergent/wash cycles are just killing them.</p> <p>I've already gone through the "how to clean your washing machine" instructions I found online just in case, even though I don't think it's at fault here. </p> http://unclutterer.com/discuss/topic/anyone-use-a-clothes-folder-board#post-6936 Thu, 24 Jun 2010 20:27:12 +0000 rachel_413 6936@http://unclutterer.com/discuss/ <p>Does anyone use one of those clothes folder board things similar to what stores use to fold clothes? I like the idea of having neatly folded clothes, but I wonder if the board would end up being clutter in my house. </p> http://unclutterer.com/discuss/topic/high-heels-and-ideals#post-33885 Fri, 02 Sep 2011 20:18:51 +0000 meghank 33885@http://unclutterer.com/discuss/ <p>So I own two pairs of high heels. I have worn each of these pairs of shoes exactly twice in my life. I'm not a heels person and never have been. Yet, as a lady, I worry that if I get rid of them, I will sorely regret it one day. </p> <p>A normal person would get rid of them and if some drastic life change came on that inspired that person to wear heels, they would get some. My problem is, I'm a vegetarian and have very small feet. I only by secondhand leather and none of the vegetarian shoe stores seem to have heels small enough to fit my feet. My fear is that if I get rid of these shoes, I'll never find any again that fit my specifications of being nonleather or used.</p> <p>I guess I'm looking for advice or a pep talk. Both pairs of heels are black. Pair A are character shoes for dancing or theatre. Pair B are just regular pumps. Pair A is slightly more comfortable, but Pair B is much more stylish. </p> http://unclutterer.com/discuss/topic/hangers#post-3478 Tue, 02 Mar 2010 15:56:59 +0000 jo 3478@http://unclutterer.com/discuss/ <p>My husband needs hangers for his slacks. He likes the old-fashioned wood hangers with felt (or something like that!) that holds the slacks in place. The slacks hang upside-down from the cuffs (or that area of the slacks). I've noticed that some wood slacks hangers don't hold on tight enough and the slacks slip out. If I buy these hangers online, how can I tell if the hangers will hold the slacks tightly enough? Or are there better hangers that we should consider? Thanks for your help! </p> http://unclutterer.com/discuss/topic/storing-pashminas-and-scarves#post-25512 Mon, 09 May 2011 11:50:32 +0000 Hollyuk 25512@http://unclutterer.com/discuss/ <p>Hi everyone - I have a number of pashmina and scarves and am struggling to find a neat way to store them. Can anyone share a good idea? I've tried to hang them, but they took up too much space in my wardrobe. I've got them folded in a draw right now, but I forget about them, and when I do remember them it gets very untidy rummaging around trying to find the colour I want! There may be no perfect answer, but I thought someone may have an idea I haven't thought of! </p> http://unclutterer.com/discuss/topic/clothing-rack-dividers#post-32481 Fri, 19 Aug 2011 10:18:59 +0000 EraserGirl 32481@http://unclutterer.com/discuss/ <p>I bought some blank Size Dividers for Retail Clothing Racks<br /> from ebay - 10 for about $7 and I am wondering why i never did it before!</p> <p>It's awesome, i put a divider between types of clothing..<br /> so that when the seasons change, I can just swap out the summer shirts for the winter ones. </p> <p>It also makes it ridiculously easy to find stuff as long as i put things away with like items. I have a tiny DARK closet and while i was installing the little round widgets i found my dark polo shirts mixed in with dark jackets....i think i need a tap light in there too.. </p> http://unclutterer.com/discuss/topic/what-to-do-with-barely-used-bras#post-12895 Fri, 08 Oct 2010 19:47:33 +0000 Ethiope 12895@http://unclutterer.com/discuss/ <p>I bought some nice bras about a year ago, wore them a few times and then started a program to lose weight. I've lost 40 pounds and counting (yeaaa!) and these barely used bras no longer fit. I HATE just throwing something away, but I'm thinking no one would want to buy someone's used bras from a thrift shop, Goodwill, etc. Anybody have any suggestions for what to do with them, or will I just have to bite the bullet and throw them in the trash. </p>