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How to Declutter Your Closet?
For some reason, saying goodbye to items hanging out in your closet, even if you haven’t worn them in a decade, is so tough. Cleaning out your closet can feel like breaking up with your boyfriend, your heart hurts to say goodbye to something you paid money to own, even if it is a pair of shape-up Sketchers that you only wore a couple times.
Sometimes it feels like things might come back in style, and sometimes you hold onto things because you might fit into them again someday. But be honest. Even if you can manage to get into your high school prom dress again sometime in the future, are you really going to wear it?
Having a great minimalist wardrobe with most important basic and fashionable clothing items is more than enough to look stylish.
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How to Declutter Your Closet - Closet Clean-Out
So, if you are ready to do it, and cut ties with all that old clutter, follow these tips on how to declutter your Closet and a proper closet clean-out.
Step 1: Hold on to the Staples and Basics
The first step to cleaning out the closet is gathering up all your basic items, the ones that can work year after year. Pull those items out and set them aside. Those are keepers.
What qualifies as a basic?
Well, a lot of things actually. Think about the items that are both seasonless and not trendy like: collared button up shirts, simple tank tops or camis, leggings. These items can be paired with whatever is in season or trendy.
Another thing to pull aside is a coat, maybe two if you live in a colder climate. If you have a classic leather jacket or pea coat, that should go with your basic items in the keeper stack.
Next, take a look at your shoe rack. You will want to keep your classics like those simple black pumps or your nude strappy sandals. Even a quality pair of chucks can be considered a basic item because they are so versatile.
Step 2: Toss Things That Have Seen Better Days
The next step to cleaning out the closet is to toss out the items that have seen better days and are just falling apart. Shoes that are scuffed beyond the scope of shoe polish, jeans that are so frayed they are barely keeping their shape, t-shirts that look like they have been attacked by moths, all need to go.
You may even have a stack of stuff that just needs a simple repair like a button sown on or a hem taken in, but if those items have been sitting in that stack for more than a month, you aren’t going to repair them. Once you admit that to yourself, you will feel better about going ahead and giving them the toss.
These items can be donated instead of put in the trash can, however, if the repair is minor. A lot of people that are handy with a thread and needle will purchase items at thrift stores that need a little TLC.
Step 3: Divide Items As Purge and Keep
Time to Get Down to Business: Alright, you’ve purged the stuff that is full of holes, and you’ve put the basics aside for safe-keeping, it is time to tackle the rest. You are basically going to put everything that is left inside the closet into two categories: purge and keep.
What are you going to purge? Easy, anything that hasn’t been worn in one year’s time is going in the donate pile. If you have gone a whole year without putting that item of clothing on your body, it gets the boot.
That will include the super trendy sweater you wore twice, that bridesmaid dress from your sister’s wedding, that pink velour sweat suit that says “hottie” on the butt. You get the idea.
Another thing to consider donating are your duplicates. If you own five pairs of dark blue skinny jeans that are all very similar in style and cut, you can probably narrow that down to two or three pairs. There is no need to have so many duplicate items in your closet, it just clogs up your space.
What are you going to keep? You are going to keep the items of clothing that you love to wear and that you feel great wearing. If you have a t-shirt from your favorite band, and it brings you joy to wear it, then by all means, keep it.
If you have a particular pair of yoga pants that make you feel super cozy every time you slip into them, keep them. There is no need to purge the items that you love. If it brings you joy, it’s a keeper!
What to Do with the Purged Items?
There are a few things you can do with all of the clothing items that just didn’t make the cut: sell them, donate them, or recycle them.
If you are interested in making a little cash on those unwanted items, check around your town for a consignment store or a resell shop. Places like Buffalo Exchange and Plato’s Closet buy gently used clothes to resell. You could also try your hand online with an app like Poshmark of Mecari.
Some people don’t have time to deal with trying to sell their unwanted clothes, and just want to be rid of them. Instead of throwing good quality clothes in the trash, try donating them to a local charity store like Goodwill. Your city or town may have other ways that the clothes can be given to people in need, and a quick Google search could probably lead you in the right direction.
Another way to rid yourself of the unwanted bundles is to give them to your friends! Have a clothing recycle party, where everyone brings their unwanted items and trades. It can be a fun little get together that also happens to lighten your closet’s load.
Cleaning out your closet can seem like a really big chore, and it definitely takes a bit of time and patience. However, when it is over and done with, you will have so much available room, you may just have to go on a shopping spree!
