Published: October 12, 2021 I ORGANIZING
Before reading through this article, let me warn you that decluttering may be a bit painful. Why? It’s because our clothes have stories to tell and memories associated with them. Special dinner dates, graduations, first day of work, travels, first major baby shopping, a major splurge after a hard day—they’re all connected with our clothes. However, there will come a point that your closet won’t be able to hold all these clothes and the clutter will be bringing more anxiety than happiness to your life. That’s why we want to make decluttering easier for you 🙂
As you go through different seasons in your life, your personality and priorities change, as well as your lifestyle, or you may suddenly need to work from home instead of in the office, so having all those clothes doesn’t seem to be that important anymore. Or maybe you’re now pregnant, so all those high-heeled shoes and crop tops may not be suitable for you. Instead, the most comfy shoes and maternity clothes become your go-to fashion statement at the moment.
What to keep, throw out, or give away depends on each person. So keep in mind that these suggestions are here as a guide and not a hardcore, by-the-book manual you need to follow.
You can schedule to declutter your closet every 3 or 6 months so you can also assess whether or not you need to buy new clothes. There’s always room for improvement when it comes to making your home clutter-free!
EASY DECLUTTERING STARTS NOW!
Before decluttering, take out all your clothes from the closet, and clean and disinfect them. Start categorizing your stuff—throw out, keep, or give away/ donate—by using the steps below. Don’t worry about this too much; it will become easier as you go along.
A. Toss out
Throw away items that are beyond repair or will cause injury when you wear them.
- Worn-out shoes: According to Kyle Stump, co-owner of Fleet Feet Delray Beach, you should start using your running shoes within 6-12 months after buying them. It will be best to stop using your running shoes after 200-300 miles as they will most likely cause injury after that. So keep these in mind 🙂
- Socks without partners
- Underwear that have holes, are too stretched out, or have loose garters
- Belts that are worn out or with faded leather parts
- Scarves that have holes or frayed seams
- Damaged or torn bags
- Stockings and pantyhose that have holes
- Swimwear that are worn out
- Watches that are broken and can no longer be fixed
- Tarnished or rusted jewelry
- Earrings without partners
B. Keep
- Clothes that you can wear everyday or most of the time
- Seasonal clothes that you can still use
- Classic pieces that never go out of style
- Socks that fit your feet and you can still wear
- Clothes that make you feel confident and great when you wear them
Before continuing, get your free closet decluttering printable checklist here.
C. Give away or donate
- Clothes that don’t fit or don’t give you confidence
- Clothes that you just keep because you feel that someday you’ll be X sizes smaller or thinner
- Boots or shoes that you can’t walk in for 2 blocks! (uncomfortable to use)
- Office clothes you don’t regularly wear because you now work from home
- Clothes from your younger days (for example, high school clothes, jerseys, basketball shirts, etc.)
- Clothes that are so out of style that you wouldn’t be caught wearing them anymore! Some people may still want to wear these clothes, so it’s better to give them away instead.
- Swimwear that don’t flatter your figure or are uncomfortable to wear
- Hairclips, headbands, scrunchies, etc. that you don’t like to wear anymore
- Wigs and hair extensions that you feel don’t suit your current style
- Children’s clothes that you aren’t emotionally attached to anymore. It’s okay to keep your children’s first clothes, first hair clip, etc., but there will come a time when they’ll occupy most of your children’s closets or your children will have outgrown them already.
Check the clothes remaining and try them on! Make sure you do a final check on which ones stay or not! Even if an item looks good on the hanger, if it doesn’t make you look great or you don’t feel comfortable wearing it, it has to go!
For clothes that you’ll donate, contact your local charitable organizations, and for clothes that you’ll throw out, put them all in a trash bag and dispose.
WHAT’S NEXT AFTER DECLUTTERING?
You’ve finished decluttering! Good job! The last step is to start organizing the clothes you’ll keep.
- Wash and dry (and press clothes if needed). If you haven’t cleaned your closet for a long time, there might be dust and mold in your clothes already! Pressing clothes will make it easier for you to fold and pile them up, which will free space in your closet as well.
- Assess if you need to buy storage items/organizers below to help you arrange your clothes. Some items need to be separate, so you also need items like drawer dividers.
- Extra closet or drawers
- Hanging shelves
- Clear boxes
- Baskets (plastic, wooden, or wicker baskets)
- Drawer dividers
- Shoe rack or shoe organizer
- Shoe boxes
- Jewelry/watch organizer
- Jewelry boxes
- Hangers
- Hooks
- Labels
- Plastic bags/ vacuum-sealed bags
- Plan how to organize your closet efficiently. If you have a small house and have limited space, you need some closet-organizing inspiration.
- Remember to fold, hang, and categorize the items. For example, jeans should be separate from other trousers, long-sleeve shirts from short-sleeve, shirts from blouses, and so on. You can even categorize by color. It will all depend on what system works for you. Keep in mind that clothes that you won’t be wearing soon will need to be placed at the far end of your closet. Everyday wear should be more accessible to you. Underwear should be kept in a clean and sealed container or drawer.
- Use clear plastic boxes and dividers and label them so that you can easily find the items you need even in a hurry.
So, all the best in decluttering, and remember to take a break after decluttering; you deserve it!
Your free printable closet decluttering checklist here.
Other decluttering tips for you:
- 19 Fast and Easy Ways to Declutter Your Home That You Can Do Now
- Decluttering Made Easy: How to Get Rid of the Mess in Your Kitchen
- Your Ultimate Guide to Uncomplicated Decluttering and Cleaning the Bathroom
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