closet organization

Dear DiaryDress Up

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Happy Earth Day! A new season is here, and you know what that means? Shopping! All new everything! The more the merrier! Goodbye frumpy old sweaters, hello Spring shopping spree!

But wait- there’s something wrong here.

I’m ashamed to say that over the past year or so my consumerism has gone from average to out of control. Keeping up in this industry can be really tough at times, especially with all the pressure to always look clean and new and perfectly groomed. I’m not by nature a dainty take-a-taxi-in-the-rain-type of person… I jump in puddles, I spill every beverage I sip all over myself, and I’m always wrinkled or stained in one way or another.

I used to be pretty blissfully unaware of my scrambled messiness, until I became a blogger.

These days I find myself more self conscious about my clothing than I care to admit, and as a result I have accumulated a ton of new items in a very short time. I have two massive closets that are always way too full, and yet I keep adding faster than ever before. I hold on to stained, damaged, and worn out items forever even though I have no intention to wear them in public again, which means everywhere I turn things are constantly piling up.

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So what’s a girl to do? Live under mountains of unwearable clothes while more and more join the party every day? This past weekend I took a look in my closet(s) and decided no more: I packed as many bags as I could full with clothing that I never touch, and started an hour long trek through the city to my local Value Village. To be clear, I easily could’ve taken public transit or a taxi, but I really wanted to feel the weight of all the clothing I’d acquired- plus, it was a good excuse to explore the city in the sunshine!

The amount of clothing consumption in North America spreads far beyond my pastel closet. Every year we send 10.5 million tons of clothing to landfills, ninety-five percent of which can be reused or recycled. This year as part of my big #RAOPspringclean I’m trying my best to cut down waste by sharing clothing with my friends, taking unused makeup to women’s shelters, and donating everything else at Value Village every few weeks. Best of all- I almost always find a second hand treasure or two on my way out, which this year, is my kind of Spring shopping!

How will you Spring clean for Earth Day?

To learn more about Value Village’s #RethinkReuse campaign and to find your nearest location to donate today, click here!

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This post was sponsored, but all opinions are my own. To inquire about sponsored posts, please email jess@shineinfluencers.com

Dear DiaryDress Up

by

Paige and I have been totally obsessing over the weekend to-do’s in the new Ban.do planners, and we’re doing our best to stay on top of the directions every week. When we read “Clean your house in roller skates” a few Saturdays back, we got a little bit too excited. We’d been on the lookout for a reason to borrow some of Char Ziie’s incredible painted roller skates, and Ban.do had just handed us the perfect excuse.

Paige and I love cleaning of all sorts (personally I’m a big fan of dishes), but our favourite department to keep clean and tidy is most definitely our wardrobes. There’s something so satisfying about a perfectly organized closet where clothing is kept protected, clean, and ideally nicely scented. For us, there’s nothing more fun than sifting through clothing to reorganize, re-merchandise, and reinvent, and since we truly love it that much, we wanted to share some of our favourite tips with you!

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1 // Colour code! There’s nothing more fun than a perfectly colour coded wardrobe, especially when you own a ton of different colours!

2 // Showcase your favourite seasonal pieces in creative ways around your apartment, like on a special rolling rack, on sequin hangers on a curtain rod, or even just hanging on a wall hook like art!

3 // Do a monthly closet clean out, and if you haven’t worn something in the last month, put it in a special section. If another month goes by and you still haven’t worn it, take it down to your local thrift shop and say goodbye. Clutter is the enemy of clean closets.

4 // If you buy something and don’t wear it within the week, exchange it. New clothing is like a new relationship: if you aren’t excited about it in the beginning, you won’t be excited about it later.

5 // Scent your clothing with your favourite signature perfume to keep everything fresh and ready to grab on the go. Plus, every time you look for something to wear you’ll be overwhelmed with a burst of fragrance!

*Bonus points if you’re able to wear rollerskates!

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