Aligned Closet: A Roadmap
So you’re ready to get your Aligned Closet going! Congrats!!
Shifting your shopping perspective—
Keep this excitement high as long as you can because on this ride, we’re going to need to learn how to surf or we’ll get caught up in the waves.
The great thing is, with a quick google you’ll find lists of brands that produce clothing sustainably and you’ll find a whole plethora of options.
Once you start digging, you’ll also notice these prices are way higher than anything you’re used to paying and you may think dang the only way I could buy these is to be rich and I’m not made of money so what am I supposed to do?
Now for that, I have a few tricks-of-the-trade to help you navigate these new waters! I’ll be here to guide you along the way— cuz I’ve been there! And wow do I wish I had a hand to hold, so here I am to hold yours!
Here we go!
Here’s where sustainability gets fun and becomes a
choose-your-own-adventure.
—
Adventure #1 - Reframing value
Go into your closet.
How much are you used to spending on an article of clothing? $10? Okay now pick out 10 shirts that you haven’t worn in the past 3-months. That is $100 right there. And instead of having 10 items that you never wear, you invest that same amount of money into an article of clothing of higher quality that you actually enjoy and will wear over and over.
Adventure #2 - Change where you buy
Shop Local
Keeping money in local circulation is the best thing we can do to make our communities stronger. It helps people who are pursing their passions in business, you know where it comes from and who it’s supporting and typically also have a direct connection to the sourcing so you know exactly what you’re getting and from where. I’ve found I can make great friends with the business owners as well and often get an inside scoop at the process and appreciate the goods I purchase even more!
Shop Sustainable Fashion
Find brands that produce with sustainability at their core. You can do this by googling and you’ll find a list of brands. Start checking the about pages to find brands that resonate with you and uphold the values that align with yours.
Shop Thrift & Vintage
Secondhand shopping is the one place I found that I can still get bargain prices without costing the planet. And truly it’s the most sustainable option even over buying new goods that were produced sustainably from the start. By purchasing goods that have already been created, we are becoming part of the solution rather than contributing to the problem.
I personally implement a combo of the two. I try to buy secondhand where I can, and fill in the blanks with sustainable clothing.
Adventure #3 - Extend the life
Some other things to consider—
Do I actually need to buy anything new at all?
Maybe it’s a matter of reorganizing or clearing things out so I can actually see what I do have that I enjoy.
Or maybe it’s reworking clothing that I do have to actually fit me better— take it to a tailor, repair, etc.
Or maybe it’s hosting a closet swap with friends.
— A look ahead —
After you start doing this for a while you’ll find your go-to brands and practices. But that can definitely be one of the main challenges when starting out.
Once you have these basics down, you may be wondering well how do I even know what is sustainable when I start looking for alternatives?
Which brings us to the actual key to sustainability— allowing only items into your life that actually serve you, your lifestyle and your goals and that could be different for everyone.
The more I learn about sustainability, I realize these principles can really be applied to every aspect of my life. And from here I started to look at my entire home & lifestyle from the lens of sustainability. It’s best to take things step by step, because an overhaul of an entire lifetime of habits can take some time!
If you’d like some guided challenges to walk you through with ease & get you started taking one step at a time, let me know in the comments.