Seven Tips for Cleaning Out Your Closet

As you know, I have a pretty full closet. I write about fashion and love discovering new trends. I also step into a lot of closets of men and women for personal styling and closet organization appointments. Clothes can be really stressful–body issues, career choices, relationship memories. Often, many people keep their negative emotions and old baggage in their closets more than any room in the house. It can be a positive and fulfilling place. It just needs a little pruning from time to time. I recommend taking time for claning out your closet quarterly every year. When you set aside the time, here are some times to make it successful:

Set an intention.

What do you want to accomplish by paring down your wardrobe? Get dressed more quickly in the morning? Free up space in your room or closet? Do you need to upgrade your clothes because you have a new job? Do you want a whole new look, that’s more you? Do you want to be more sustainable?

Make a decision. Repeat your intention as you clean. Repeat it to yourself as you get dressed during the mornings after you purge.

Today, I will look more professional.

Today, I will only wear one accessory.

Today, I will embrace who I really am.

Break it down.

Look at your clothes by section: Pants, dress shirts, casual dresses, formal dresses, t-shirts, sweaters. This will help the task seem more manageable. By doing this, you’ll also avoid getting rid of essentials you might need! In addition, you can assess the areas you need to focus on when you go shopping next.

Commit to getting rid of things.

If you haven’t worn it in six months, you won’t wear it again. If you do think you’ll wear it again, how often will you wear it? Enough to keep it in your closet? If you do love it, why don’t you wear it? Be honest.

It doesn’t fit right.

You don’t/won’t have an occasion for it.

That color does nothing for you.

It was a fad–one that’s totally over.

You forgot you even had that thing.

That scarf has glitter in it. Glitter.

Still feeling bad about putting it in the give away/sell/trade pile? There are malls, online stores, consignment shops, and your cousin’s closets all over the country! They are waiting for you to find something better than that blouse you’re holding. One shopping bag closes, another opens.

Fall in love with your favorite pieces again.

When you start putting stuff aside, you’ll start to see your all-stars shine. Why do you like them?

That shirt makes my waist look tiny, am I right?

That dress color really makes my eyes shine brightly.

I can make that blazer match with anything.

My. Butt. In. Those. Jeans.

You’ll find when you start admiring your favorite items, you admire a lot more about yourself than you thought. Embrace it.

Get creative with your organization.

When you clean out your closet, you can keep it clean. Find a new system that will highlight your favorite items and make your daily routine easier. Here’s a bit of inspiration in this blog post.

What works for your apartment or house? What’s your budget? Think! Get on Pinterest. Go to Marshall’s or Ross. Go to a thrift store. My favorite jewelry tray is actually a cupcake tin! There are so many options out there. Go the DIY route or pay the big bucks. Do you.

Develop an evacuation plan.

Split the clothes you’ve tossed into three categories:

Trash. Be honest here. Those shoes are busted. That’s why you’re getting rid of them. Goodwill doesn’t want them either.

Donate. There are so many places to donate. A favorite local option for women’s clothing for me is Dress for Success. and other deserving organizations who can get clothes into the hands of people who need them. Services like ReRunner also can pick up your donations for you.

Sell. Um, yes! Money! For more things! Not just clothes, but those stale holiday credit card bills you need to pay off, that really nice concealer you’ve been meaning to buy, or a nice dinner with your boo. There are many effective and user-friendly online marketing sites that you can use to sell clothes yourself or have someone else sell them for you. ThredUp is my favorite because of simplicity. Local contingent shops are another favorite of mine. Some require you to wait until your pieces are sold to get your money like Clementine and Indigo Avenue and others give you cash on the spot like Rumors and Ashby.

Trade. Host a closet swap with your friends. I’ve hosted one of my own. Check it out from the archives. share tips about this on Sweet Sauce. Tip for closet swaps: just because it’s free, doesn’t mean you should take it! Remind yourself of your intention in Step 1.

Repeat.

Seriously! This is not a once a year thing. You should always be grooming your wardrobe. I toss out things every three months believe it or not. A pair of worn out flats here, a sentimental, but out-of-date coat there. If I wasn’t brave enough three months ago, now I am and I’m probably fed up with the space they’re taking up in my squished apartment.

These clothes are the things you paint your canvas with every day. Don’t make them half-assed. Don’t wear the jeans that you constantly have to pull up throughout the day. Don’t fill your closet up with things you kind of like. It’s a waste of space. It takes too long to get dressed before you do the things you’re supposed to do wearing that outfit.

Remember what you set aside and why. Take that knowledge with you when you go shopping again!

You owe it to yourself. Start this year right. Stick to your resolutions. Live more purposefully. Buy more consciously. Wear the shit out of that bitchin’ jacket over and over again.