A new year can open the door to a new you. Part of that new you often involves a fresh, new wardrobe. But what can you do with the clothes you never wear? The ones taking up space. Glad you asked.

PURGE

Decluttering goes a long way in the effort to be a better version of ourselves. To that end, have each member of the family go through his or her closet, cubbies, or dresser to sort out the clothes that are no longer worn – the sweaters you never liked, the blouses that got stained, the pants that must have shrunk in the wash. You can scale the purge to your own personal preference: if you haven’t worn the clothes in a year; if you haven’t worn the clothes in six months; if you haven’t worn the clothes in six weeks. Gather all the clothes together and pile them in trash bags or fold them in an old laundry basket.

Note: Keep anything sentimental.

DONATE

All of our local communities sponsor clothing drives from time to time. The key is to find one that accepts the kind of clothes you have to give: kids clothes, old clothes, sports gear, etc. If you don’t find a local clothing drive, give to your local homeless or veterans shelters. Call beforehand to make sure they accept donations, but definitely give it a chance. It always a touching experience to help people back on their feet. However, if neither of those options pan out, you can always donate to your local thrift stores – your Salvation Army, your Goodwill, your Big Brother, Big Sister. They’ll even give you a receipt that you can claim on your taxes.

Note: Most places won’t take used underwear. Those are better kept as rags, pet toys, or compost.

The clothes don’t make the person; the person makes the clothes. And donating your old clothes is always in style.

Costumes

It’s fun to buy costumes. The technicolor wigs, the super hero capes, the vampire teeth – it’s a blast! Yet so often costumes are a one-and-done affair. Instead, why not buy costumes you love and save them for the future? As a kid, I lived in my Superman and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle costumes year round – separately, together, didn’t matter. As an adult, there’s always a themed costume party around the corner. Why not mix and match your costumes to make your own DIY costume creation?

If you’re not into the whole Halloween costume-buying scene, there are still plenty of pieces from your current wardrobe that you can pull together to create a killer costume. DIYers will agree that the ingenuity involved with DIY costumes is half the fun! And you might just win the contest for “Most Creative” at your next Halloween party.

Trick-or-Treat Bags

Old pillowcases are one thing. Redecorated bags are another. If you’ve kept any old purses, backpacks, or totes, why not (let your kids) repurpose them for the night? A little puffy paint and glitter go a long way. Even a pack of color markers are a delight. Not only is this a fun activity leading up to Halloween, but most bags hold a lot less candy than a pillowcase.

Pumpkins and Jack-O-Lanterns

From the pumpkin patch to the carving table, jack-o-lanterns are a classic part of the Halloween tradition. Buy local if you can. Grow them yourselves if you have a garden. Salt the seeds and bake them for a healthy autumn snack. Keep the discarded pumpkin pieces to bake bread or make ice cream. With a little bit of thought and planning, you can get a lot of mileage out of your pumpkins. Jack-o-lanterns make great compost. Uncarved pumpkins can be painted or glittered to make pretty decorations throughout the winter.

Have a happy and a safe Halloween!