Monday, September 27, 2010

the closet-clothes-swap

My sister is brilliant. She really is. A closet-clothes-swap... I mean, how genius, right?

So, this is how it works. Said sister goes through her closet in Birmingham, AL for any clothes that she still likes (doesn't want to give away), but doesn't necessarily wear that often. Then I do the same... scouring my own closet in Louisville, KY, following the same guidelines. Every 2-3 months, when one of us visits the other, we will exchange our piles of clothing.

The swap works beautifully for us. Our tastes are so similar, but what we purchase is usually so different. Jenna is the queen of basics... her closet overflows with whites, blacks, and greys... with the occasional navy blue if she's feeling adventurous. My closet, on the other hand is a collection of greens, yellows, pinks, and purples. But see, we both wish for the other when we are dressing. A bright pink shirt usually looks best with black pants... and a plain white tank is adorable with a cute floral skirt. My colors need basics... and Jenna's basics need color. Hence, the closet-clothes-swap.

Jenna's swap pile...


Julia's swap pile...

I am pleased to say that the first-ever closet-clothes-swap was a huge success.


Top 5 :: Tips to Successful Closet-Clothes-Swapping...

1) Swap items you would actually still wear. This is not for your donations.

2) Include at least one fun belt, purse or scarf in your swap pile.

3) Don't swap clothes that you know might be too small for the other sister (ie, Julia) to ensure that you don't send them into a deep depression where they go out and buy a gallon of ice cream.

4) Be sure to agree before-hand on the number of items that will be swapped.

5) If you don't miss it when it's gone, donate it when it comes back.

6 comments:

Courtney said...

Fun! I might have to arrange a little Closet-Clothes-Swap with my sis...except she is a skinny, so she will have to swap her fat clothes. Dang you, Skinny Sister.

molly b. said...

That's amazing. I would need to add another step, however... Adopt a sister. Love Courtney's comment!

Garretts said...

wonderful idea. here's to your new wardrobe! what a fun weekend!

Lindsey Brackett said...

Maybe I should do this with a friend who's my size since all my sisters or smaller, or like Calley who only dresses in clothes that came from the Salvation Army (not that that's bad, but she manages to pick the most...unusual things)

mleslie43 said...

Love this but even more so because it has my two favorite sweet girls in it! I will be sharing this with all my friends!

Jamesgirl said...

great idea. thinking purse,shoes swap..