Upsides to the Down Economy/ June Cleaver Must Die

Spring has sprung and that means it's time for Spring Cleaning! First things first. What about your clothes closet? They say (whoever "they" is) if you haven't worn an item in a year, you should get rid of it. There are different ways of getting rid of it. You could #1 pass it along to someone who can use it.#2 Sell it at a garage sale or, for designer-type, list it on e-bay.

#3 Consignment shops, where you get half of what it sells for, is another option. My last resort is

#4 Goodwill, where I take items I can't give away or sell. Goodwill has even gotten picky these days, only accepting items that are not stained or torn. While you are going through your closet, getting rid of that pink chiffon ballerina dress you bought for your sister's anniversary party but never wore (me), think about the three R's. Repair, Recycle and Renew. Access your wardrobe and find items (like shoes and belts) that need to be repaired. Drag them out and take them to the repair shop. Sweaters for winter can even be re weaved, but if they are in good condition, it may be time to wash them in Woolite and store them away until next winter. As far as recycling items, look through older items and see if any of them are back in fashion. ( I knew I shouldn't have gotten rid of my shoulder padded jackets!) Studs are in (aren't they always?)

so if you have a bedazzler, you can bedazzle your belts or jeans. The boho look is also in, which I think means you can throw a bunch of mis-matched stuff together and say you're boho chic. The third R is for renew, which means buying a few, cute trendy items to make your old stuff look new again. H & M or Forever 21 are inexpensive stores to get "in" items, like a chunky necklace, wide belt or printed skirt or top. You can use the money you made from E-bay or the consignment shop to buy these items. So put on some tunes to cheer you up (Beach Boys)

and tackle those closets today! By the way, the photo is of a dress I knicknamed my June Cleaver Dress. Finally had to get rid of it. There was no bedazzling that baby!