I believe that we live in a time when part of being frugal is learning to live within a community and help each other out without relying on government agencies as much. We need to pull our neighbors and ourselves together and look beyond our small differences to a bigger sameness that we all share. I remember living in a neighborhood, while growing up, when we would hand down clothes to families with younger children, give casseroles to the neighbor that just got out of the hospital, and watch each others children when there wasn't time to find, or money to pay for, a babysitter. We seem to have lost a lot of that social ability to live with one another lately.
In that vain, I have started a community clothing closet. I live in a large apartment complex that caters to low income families and they are families that are strapped for money for buying clothing for their children and themselves. My clothing closet has clothes in it for men, women, and children, as well as warm hats and scarves, socks, etc.
So I started by cleaning out the garage and throwing sheets over the items that are stored there and are pushed to the side and back of the garage. I put out some tables and racks that clothes can be stacked on and then raided my closet for what I could give away. I had a bag of clothes that were donated and, even though there wasn't much, it was enough to get it opened. I asked my friend, Steven, to help print me some flyers, set the times I would be open, and then sat and knitted between handing out flyers to people walking by..
At first I was greeted with suspicious glances and people attempting to scuttle past without my noticing. Then people started to stop and chat about what I was doing there. Most were a little confused that I wasn't selling something.
My plan is to be as self sustaining as possible to keep clothing out of our local landfill. I made sure to let people know that I would take clothing that was damaged as well as things that are in good condition, but I made sure that they were aware that the things that I deemed as non-wearable would be reused as crocheted rugs and soft sculptured baskets and that those would also be available for free for people to use in their homes. I also plan to cut down adult sized clothing that is stained or torn and use the good parts to make children's cloths that can be given away. What clothing does not get selected by people will be donated to our local drop off box for clothes instead of thrown out. Only severely soiled clothing that is unsanitary for me to handle will be thrown out.
I started the clothing closet yesterday and handed out flyers, but no one came in for clothes. Today I had a couple people actually look and select things for family members and I got a donation of clothes from a lady. I'm excited that people are taking to my idea!
I also got most of a sock done. I plan to donate them to the cause when they are finished.
In that vain, I have started a community clothing closet. I live in a large apartment complex that caters to low income families and they are families that are strapped for money for buying clothing for their children and themselves. My clothing closet has clothes in it for men, women, and children, as well as warm hats and scarves, socks, etc.
So I started by cleaning out the garage and throwing sheets over the items that are stored there and are pushed to the side and back of the garage. I put out some tables and racks that clothes can be stacked on and then raided my closet for what I could give away. I had a bag of clothes that were donated and, even though there wasn't much, it was enough to get it opened. I asked my friend, Steven, to help print me some flyers, set the times I would be open, and then sat and knitted between handing out flyers to people walking by..
At first I was greeted with suspicious glances and people attempting to scuttle past without my noticing. Then people started to stop and chat about what I was doing there. Most were a little confused that I wasn't selling something.
My plan is to be as self sustaining as possible to keep clothing out of our local landfill. I made sure to let people know that I would take clothing that was damaged as well as things that are in good condition, but I made sure that they were aware that the things that I deemed as non-wearable would be reused as crocheted rugs and soft sculptured baskets and that those would also be available for free for people to use in their homes. I also plan to cut down adult sized clothing that is stained or torn and use the good parts to make children's cloths that can be given away. What clothing does not get selected by people will be donated to our local drop off box for clothes instead of thrown out. Only severely soiled clothing that is unsanitary for me to handle will be thrown out.
I started the clothing closet yesterday and handed out flyers, but no one came in for clothes. Today I had a couple people actually look and select things for family members and I got a donation of clothes from a lady. I'm excited that people are taking to my idea!
I also got most of a sock done. I plan to donate them to the cause when they are finished.
