Cleaning Out Your Closet: No More Excuses

Every time I read a blog post about cleaning out your closet, many organizational experts will tell you to turn your hangers around, and if you haven’t worn it in the last year, throw it or donate. I’ve followed numerous closet organization tips: turning your hangers around, remove one item every week, color code, etc.

Even with all of that advice, I seem to look at an overflowing closet every week and saying the same statement: “I have nothing to wear.”

Last week, I was snowed in for 3 days and decided to tackle my closet and evaluate my wardrobe as a whole.  If you read my post about my morning routine, you know that I don’t like to waste anytime in the morning. I usually lay out my clothes a week at a time, but I like that process to be simple as well. So, here are my tips to help you have a more organized closet!

Cleaning Out Your Closet

Empty Your Closet

Of everything.

Every pair of shoes, pants, tops, purses, etc. Lay out everything on your bed.

Clean your closet.

When I removed everything from my closet, I could see that I actually had a decent size closet space, and all the dust and dirt that was underneath my shoes. Take this moment to thoroughly vacuum and dust your closet floor and shelves. You will also probably find clothes that have fallen off hangers that you thought were lost forever.

Try Everything On.

This is the time-consuming part of this exercise, but it must be done. After you try an item on, put it in one of five stacks:

1. Keep- only items that you absolutely love.
2. Maybe-It fits, but you don’t think it looks the greatest on you.
3. Doesn’t fit (right now)- This should be outfits that are just one or two sizes smaller than your current size.
4. Donate- clothes that you no longer need or want but are still in good condition.
5. Toss- Some items we hold onto for too long, and they are too worn out to even donate.

After you have separated everything, you need to take a hard look at your first three stacks- keep, maybe, and doesn’t fit. My goal was to have a wardrobe that gives me a variety of choices, but not a whole lot of excess. Some people do the 333 method. This was too limited for me, so I made my own criteria and would encourage you to do the same.

My wardrobe goals were:

• 10 pairs of slacks
• 20 tops
• 10 dresses
• 4 pairs of winter shoes
• 5 pairs of summer shoes
• 2 pairs of athletics

When I evaluated my three stacks, I had 3 pairs of slacks, 7 tops, and 8 dresses that were in my must-keep stack. They all stayed.

In my maybe stack, I tried all of those pieces again, and really evaluated the piece…especially the pants. Many pants have a similar style, and I did not need 6 pairs of black slacks. I ended up with 3 pairs, and the other 3 I donated or tossed because they were faded, missing buttons, too big, etc. They just didn’t look as good as the other 3 pairs that I had decided to save.

The maybe stack is the hardest stack to go through because they aren’t the best pieces in your wardrobe, but you see no reason to toss them out either. This is where it is really important to set your own wardrobe goals for cleaning out your closet and stick to them.

The doesn’t fit stack is also another hard stack to go through. For the last couple of years, my weight had gone up and down several times. Because I’m currently dieting and trying to make healthier habits, I hate to throw out clothes that I hope to be wearing in two months.

These clothes I separated by size and boxed for the time being. This way, they aren’t in my closet taking up space, and when I meet my fitness goals, I’ll know where to find them.

With this stack, it is important to really evaluate if you will actually wear that piece of clothing again if you do lose weight. I had a pair of slightly tight hot pink jeans that I bought 3 years ago. Since then, my fashion sense has slightly changed, so I donated those jeans.

If needed, enlist help.

With the maybe and doesn’t fit stack, you may need to enlist outside help to give their opinion on your choices. I have found that siblings, mothers, and children can be brutally honest.

Quick Summary for Cleaning out your Closet

• Take Everything Out
• Clean Closet
• Divide into 5 stacks-keep, maybe, doesn’t fit, donate, toss
• Make Wardrobe Goals and Stick to them
• Reevaluate keep, maybe, and doesn’t fit stacks
• Enlist outside influence
• Put everything back

Even though this is a lot to undertake, this whole project took me two hours.

Do you have any other tips for cleaning out your closet? Share them in the comments!