In our last two challenges we began conquering wardrobe clutter by creating three piles and working through the first. Now it is time to finish up what is left!

Now we have to look at these other piles that you have made. If you find that you easily have enough comfortable outfits to last several launderings, then it is time to think about seriously trimming your wardrobe. Why keep anything in pile 2 or 3? If you have plenty of matching combos in pile 1, why settle for something that makes you feel less than wonderful?

If you find you are lacking in pile 1 combos, grab the yellow pages and look up a consignment shop. Take items from piles 2 and 3 and place them on consignment or hold a garage sale. Use that money to finance more 1-combos. (Make sure to try everything on before purchasing!!!!)

After you have put your combos back into your closet, check to see what you have in the odds-and-ends favorite grouping. Make a list and tuck it in your wallet of items that need matches. Decide if is worth the time and money and the maximum you are willing to spend on the item. Keep this with you as you go about your errands and consult it before adding new clothes to your wardrobe. Then you are buying-on-purpose, instead of on impulse. People have asked me what I think a good number of ‘combos’ is to have at-the-ready. I personally think 10 is perfect for each life area… 10 home combos, 10 work combos, and then 4 church combos. If you live in a seasonal area like I do, then you would have 10 for summer work, summer home, etc. and 10 for winter.

Return any of the higher-maintenance combos to your closet as well. Store these items in a different area of the closet and remember when you pull from this section, the time investment is greater. Make sure you have a plan for getting the item to the dry cleaner or ironed, so it doesn’t pile up and become clothing clutter.

There are many great options for purchasing wonderful clothing without breaking the bank. However when clothes shopping, it is very important to be in the right mindset. You want to go on a day where you are not pressed for time and plan on trying everything on (even t-shirts)! Everything fits everyone differently. If you prefer to catalog shop, that is fine, just make sure the stores makes returns easy. I like Newport News as they have good clothes in all sizes and the return process is very easy and the last time I ordered, there was not a time limit on the return.

What about piles 2 and 3? Good question! After you have completed the above assignments, I want you to stand and look at the nice combos you put together and how think about how they make you feel. Then look at your other two piles. Do you really want or need to keep them? Do you want the clutter? Personally, when I did this, I took it all to a women’s shelter. It was 18 bags of clothes, shoes and miscellaneous. Honest. (I told you I wasn’t born simple!) I was a little paranoid and nervous as I did it and thought my husband would have a fit but I did it anyway. When I walked into my closet that next morning it felt great. No crammed stuff everywhere. No searching. No debating. No trying something on and then throwing it into a pile. I loved everything there.

If you aren’t ready to stomach the big give-away, then please do this. Package it all up in bags and boxes and either store it out of the way or stack it in the closet. Live with your simple wardrobe for the next 30 days. Then come back and see if you are ready for the big giveaway.

Once you have completed this process with your day-to-day wardrobe, consider applying the principles to your special-occasion clothing as well. Since special occasion clothing is worn infrequently keep only your ‘pile 1 combos.’

Then consider applying these principles to simplify young children’s wardrobes as well.

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In our last challenge we began conquering wardrobe clutter by creating three piles. Now it is time to begin revisiting these piles!

Now let’s revisit pile 1, the most important pile.

The first step is to match everything up. What bottoms go with what tops? Lay out these lovable outfits in sets, making sure everything has a match (and yes, one pair of jeans can have multiple matching tops). The goal here is to make sure that no-faves-are left behind.

If you find you have bottoms or tops you love, but don’t have a matching lovable counterpart, see if you can find anything in pile 3 that works. Make sure to try it on and ensure you are satisfied with the combo. If not, put this ‘stray lovable item’ in its own area of the closet.

Once you have completed this step ask yourself the following question of the combos you have made.

Are these combos easy for me to maintain? Move any that require special care into their own grouping.

Now count up the combos you have left. How many are there? Next, think about how often you will do laundry. If you do laundry weekly, do you have 7 outfits? If you do laundry twice a week, do you have 3 or 4? If you find that you have enough outfits to get through between laundering then you have discovered your core wardrobe. Carefully put these items back in your closet, keeping them grouped together for easy ‘grabbing.’

Next week we will conquer the remaining clothes clutter!

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Okay – show of hands, even though I can’t see them…. How many of you have done any of the following in the past 90 days:

• Put on an outfit only to realize you liked the top or bottom but did not have a matching top or bottom that you liked to wear with it, and thus changed out of it?

• Tried on more than 2 outfits for a single event?

• Tried on something in your closet only to discover you no longer like the way it looks, but left it in your closet anyway?

• Argued with a child (or had a long conversation) about what they were going to wear?

• Scrambled to find a matching outfit for your child?

• Wanted to wear something only to discover it needed to be mended, ironed or dry-cleaned so chosen to wear something else?

• Have a pile of clothes that need repairing, ironing or dry cleaning that have not moved forward in any of the aforementioned processes in the last 3 weeks?

This week’s challenge is geared toward your personal wardrobe, but I strongly encourage you to do this with any children’s wardrobes if you are responsible for getting them dressed in the morning. It is simply amazing how much time we spend putting on and taking off, searching for a missing item of clothing or a ‘match,’ running errands to dry clean or mend, ironing, pre-soaking, taking something off in frustration and then adding it to a pile we will later have to fold so we can repeat the process later!

Since dressing is something we do daily, it is important to tackle on the simple path. When we don’t have good routines and practices in place, what should be a simple task becomes a source of stress and lost-time. Not to mention, it isn’t a great feeling to put something on and decide you don’t like how it looks first thing in the morning!

We will approach this in three phases–

Phase I: this week we will do the ‘prep’ work
Phase II: We will go through pile 1– the most important!
Phase III: We will sort through the remaining piles and create some
guidelines for your personal wardrobe management plan

Step One:
First, wash and repair everything you own so everything is clean
and ready for a clear decision. Remove all special occasion clothes
that you need to keep but don’t wear on a regular basis. Store them
at an end rod of your closet, or better yet in a different closet.

Step Two:
Begin with three piles …

1. Your favorite items: You wear them a lot, you feel good in them and they are comfortable.

2. Things you don’t wear for whatever reason.

3. Things that fall in between 1 and 2 – you don’t love them, but you wear them.

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Sell Them: Books are easy to sell online as you don’t have to take photographs, etc. www.amazon.com is my favorite source for selling. On Amazon, just look up the book you want to sell. IN the top right hand area you will see where it says, “Have one to sell? Click here.” Follow the instructions and you are up and running in no time. Another source is www.usedbookscentral.com

Swap Them: If you have a group of people in your community, consider forming a local book swap. Or you can try an online book swap such as www.bookins.com or www.americasbookshelf.com

Contribute Them: Most of the time, my books end up at the local library. I bring in several boxes and make the librarians day! This also ensures that many people have the opportunity to enjoy these books. Ask for a “receipt” from the library if you would like to use this as a charitable contribution on your taxes.

Let it Travel: www.bookcrossing.com has come up with a fun idea! When you sign on you get a ready-made label to place on your book and then leave it in a public place. The sticker contains instructions on how whomever picks it up can report it on their thoughts and where the book ended up. The goal is to follow your books as they travel around the world. It is a fun way to see how much impact one kind gesture can have.

Freecycle them: Freecycle allows you to post items you are ready to give away. This is a great way to find and give items. You can learn more and find a group at www.freecycle.org

Support Our Troops: Books for soldiers (www.booksforsoldiers.com) is all about sending care packages for the mind. Soldiers make request and you can send care packages directly to them. There are many areas to interact with our troops we well. The University at Albany keeps a directory of book donation programs worldwide, including tips on how to donate at http://www.albany.edu/~dlafonde/Global/bookdonation.htm

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Go vertical: Store papers using vertical-end tab files or better yet, nine-by-twelve envelopes stored upright in magazine holders. Vertical solutions do not lend to pile creation.

Three-Sided Storage: The standard file folder has always been a mystery to me. Why would someone opt to store important paper for “safekeeping” in something that is open on three sides? Convert to large envelopes, expandable files, or other storage solutions with three-sides sealed to avoid paper overflow.

That was then, this is now: Clearly separate your current paper from your archives. Keep archives in a dark area of your home that is inconvenient. Anything in your archives should be rarely needed and thus not receive prime real estate.

Index everything: On the front of every storage holder (envelope or file) make an index of all the contents for quick reference. This avoids the “big dig” which often leads to strewn papers we opt to put back “someday.”

The one with the most files—loses. Having more files and categories does not make you more organized or more efficient. Having more files and categories gives you a system that is harder to maintain. Create files only as you need them. My rule of thumb: Use one file until I have over a half-inch of paper and then give it its own category.

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You can display on the fridge or try my preferred system. I have a plastic presentation folder that I picked up at an office supply store. It can be folded for easy storage, or popped open so one can easily flip through the pages. I label each page with a small label in the corner, Monday through Sunday.

Here’s how it works:

Collect all of your child’s paper in one basket through the week. (Doing this while you work through your 7-Day Action envelope is a great way to keep each other on track!)  At the end of the week, let your child go through the basket and select 7 features for the week ahead.  (You can let your child do this on his or her own, or do it along side them and use this as an opportunity to share.) Have your child separate the leftovers into art, schoolwork, other and garbage.

Each day throughout the following week “unveil” a new piece of artwork or paper. If you have this on the fridge, you can rotate. I found it easier to maintain by using the presentation easel. We would leave this on a table next to where we ate. Each night we would flip to the next page and Sammy would give us an “overview” of the feature. This provided a great way for all of us to connect with what she was working on, praise her work, ask questions, etc.

The next week either you or your child can remove the papers and put in fresh papers. Ask your child to make sure they have dated each page on the back (in pen). If you have multiple children, make sure they write their name too!

Each year I make a new 3-ring binder and fill it with blank, plastic page protectors. All of the paper in the featured exhibit is transferred to this binder. These are just as fun as photo albums to look back on!

What about the other items: Have your child sort the paperwork into four piles—artwork, tests/quizzes/homework, other and trash. Do a quick scan of the piles after they have selected the features for the week. Schoolwork is usually the easiest. True false and multiple quiz choices don’t share much about a child’s personality other than they answered the question wrong or right. I typically toss these—maybe keeping one or two to show what she was learning that year. Report cards and certificates work well and are much smaller than all the tests if you choose to archive those.

For artwork, I make sure there aren’t any “Greatest Hits” I want to add to the binder! Then I use some of the creative ideas below….

More Ideas for Storage, Sorting and Recycling of Kids Art

Send to appreciative family friends and relatives: Let your child write a note about the school year on the back (if blank) and date and send.

Create an annual letter: Similar to what many people do around New Years, but do this at the end of the school year when papers come home galore!

Wrap it up: Staple multiple pages together (or tape) and use it to wrap presents.

Make gift and greeting cards: Cut larger pieces into smaller ones and hole punch in the corner to make gift tags. Fold larger pieces in half and use as greeting cards.

Make a slide-show: Take digital pictures (or scan) and then create a slide show you can share on CD or upload online for sharing. This saves the best memories without having to save all the paper.

Oversize work: Check the portfolio offerings at your office supply store. Use this to store the best larger pieces. Available either in paper or in a zippered version.

Frame it up: I frame a lot of my daughter’s artwork. I have paintings from when she was 18 months old that look incredible in a frame! People think they are abstracts by the pros! When you find a cool empty frame, hold it over a painting and move it around looking for a “good fit.” Don’t be afraid to crop a piece to maximize its display appeal (artists frequently do this)! I have these hung throughout the house.

Laminate it: You can laminate artwork to be used as bookmarks, placemats or coasters. Laminate at your local copy store or purchase individual laminating sheets at your local office store.

Little frames: Keep an eye out for other gift ideas that feature photos but could be used for papers. Plastic coffee mugs are available where you can place a picture or collage inside. Why not use a child’s art? You’ll find similar products in memo cubes, ornaments, bracelets (small squares).

Quote books: Cut selections into smaller papers that fit into a brag book. Add memories from the child’s year, funny quotes, etc. to make this an enjoyable quote book for reflection.

Pizza Box Storage: Pizza boxes make a great archive solution. Most pizza parlors will sell you “fresh” boxes. Let kids decorate them as they like and include the year on the front. They hold more paper than you might guess!

Challenge: What kid-friendly ideas within could be implemented in your household for smoother organization? How can you get the kids involved to help? Create an action plan and share it with your family.

HTML clipboardCracks and Crevices: Use paintbrushes and Q-tips for hard to reach cracks and crevices.

Make Cleaning Fun: Transform cleaning from chore to fun with an incentive!  Find a few books on audio that you would like to listen to–reserve listening to them for cleaning time.

Sticky Situations: To remove gum from a surface, press ice against it to harden and then use a buttered knife to loosen.

Invisible Ink: Kids get a bit wild on the last craft project?  Use hairspray to remove magic marker ink from surfaces.

Murphy’s Law:  It isn’t Murphy’s Law you are thinking of!  I’m  talking Murphy’s Oil Soap!  Used most often on wood floors and furniture, this is a great choice for all around cleaning.  It is a natural cleaner that really goes into the crevices and removes direct versus laying a filmy shine on top of a surface as many other cleaners do.  This cleaner has been on the market for 90+ years and I often use it to clean counters, walls, etc

Shine and Sparkle: An old toothbrush and toothpaste work wonders for cleaning jewelry.

Not only for the dishwasher: Dissolve 1/4 cup of dishwasher detergent in a gallon of very hot water.  Let cool a bit so you can handle.  Use on refrigerators, stoves, walls, floors, glass-you can use this solution on just about anything!  Test a small area first if in doubt.  Wipe   with a dry cloth after cleaning.

Leave film in your camera, not on your dishes: Run a cup of white vinegar through a full cycle in an empty dishwasher to remove excess film.

Spotted sinks: To clean light stains from a sink, rub with a fresh cut lemon; for rust stains and darker stains create a paste from borax and lemon juice and scrub stain.

Sponge Sterilization: To sterilize your kitchen sponge heat it in the microwave for 30-60 seconds. (Make sure to keep an eye on it!)

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