How To Declutter Clothes And Downsize Your Closet
Tips to declutter your clothes closet and decide what clothes to keep
What is the best way to declutter clothes?
If you are struggling to get rid of clothes or lack motivation, I have compiled a few tips that will help you clear out your clothes and downsize your wardrobe in no time.
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It is very easy to accumulate clothes.
In my case, I started keeping clothes that I wanted to alter, sell, or wear when I lost weight.
And the reality is that I never altered the clothes, sold them, or lost the weight I wanted, although I keep trying ???
When you can’t decide what clothes to throw away or keep, a good idea is to call a friend for help.
Not only will she be sympathetic, but she will also be objective.
Who better to tell you that it is time to break up with those pants that went out of fashion a decade ago?
Motivation to Declutter Clothes
This section is for those who require motivation to declutter clothes.
If you are already motivated and eager to start, skip this section.
Getting rid of old or superfluous clothing will take a huge burden off your back.
Why don’t we go over some of the benefits of tossing your unnecessary clothes?
1. It’s incredibly refreshing!
Getting rid of old, dusty clothes gives you room to try out a new wardrobe and get a fresh start with your fashion.
2. It will make your home look ten times neater
Keeping only what you need gives you the room to tidy up your home and save a heap of space.
3. It’s a great way to remove stress from your home
Coming home to a cluttered house can spike your anxiety and turn a safe haven into a chaotic chore.
4. You could be supporting a charity!
Donating your old clothes can help families in need get what they need when they can’t afford retail-priced clothing.
5. You will save money
Believe it or not, getting rid of excess clothing can save you money in the long run.
When you don’t have to scramble and buy extra hangers, storage bins, and closet organizers, you will save a sizeable amount of money you probably weren’t even thinking about.
Instead of buying a pack of hangers after a shopping trip, take that opportunity and get rid of the clothes you are replacing!
6. You won’t be annoyed when things don’t fit
When you get rid of old shirts or pants that don’t fit anymore, you won’t have to be frustrated about trying to lose weight in order to squeeze into them.
As you get older, you grow and change. Let your wardrobe change with you and let go of the pieces that don’t fit you anymore.
7. It will be a lot easier to choose what to wear
If you have fewer clothes to choose from, you won’t spend hours every morning picking out what to wear.
8. You will feel better
Clothes can collect dust and attract mold and mildew.
If you have too many clothes stuffed in all the nooks and crannies of your room, you could be introducing allergens into your environment.
This can cause negative health issues like asthma.
Clean out your clutter to breathe easier and feel better!
RELATED ARTICLE: How to declutter your home room by room
How to Be Ruthless When Decluttering Clothes
What would you say if I told you that in order to declutter your life, you first need to declutter your closet?
Jane Stoller
Try to follow the one-year rule.
If you haven’t worn that piece of clothing in over a year, it’s probably a good idea to get rid of it.
Do it without second-guessing your decisions.
If you do, you may get reattached and fall back into the same clothes-hoarding pattern that got you here in the first place.
Try not to be too sentimental with clothes.
For instance, a wedding dress could be a good thing to keep, but a t-shirt you wore ten years ago when you kissed your first boyfriend is probably not that important.
Let’s break it down a bit:
- Follow the one-year rule.
- Do not second-guess yourself. Once it’s tossed, you’ve made your decision!
- Be strong!
- Don’t let yourself falter. Picture the end goal!
- Let someone help you! If you have a second pair of eyes, you won’t be as likely to keep what you don’t need.
- Let go of sentimentality unless it’s something big like a wedding dress.
- If you see yourself faltering, take a break and come back to it with fresh eyes.
- Give yourself fewer options for error. Don’t buy storage bins and extra hangers. Put everything you don’t want into a black trash bag so you can’t see the tossed clothes and spiral.
- Take everything out at once so you can see the full picture of your cluttered mess.
- Make snap decisions and go with your gut before you can think yourself out of it. Your instincts are right the majority of the time.
- Think of how free you will feel when it’s all over!
How to Decide What Clothes to Keep: 7 Steps
- If it doesn’t fit, don’t keep it.
- If you haven’t worn it in a year or more, toss it.
- Does it hold sentimental value? Try to find a creative way to preserve it.
- If it has rips or tears in it, throw it away.
- If you have two similar items, pick your favorite and let the other one go.
- Try it on. If you don’t like how it looks, you don’t need to keep it. Just because it fits doesn’t mean you need to keep it.
- Lastly, if you have outfits that you truly enjoy wearing often, keep them.
5 Questions to Ask When Getting Rid Of Clothes
- When did I last wear this?
- Does it fit your lifestyle?
- Did this piece make you feel good the last time you wore it?
- Can the item be paired with other items or a newer item to make an outfit?
- Do you love it?
You need to decide how you want to tackle the job.
Some experts suggest you empty the closet first, and others tell you to group the clothing while it is still on the hanger.
Personally, I like to put all my clothes on the bed and go through them one by one.
Tips For Sorting Your Clothes
Find a few boxes or bags to help with this next part.
You are going to sort everything into piles.
Sorted Piles
- throw (It is too worn out to wear or pass on)
- donate
- sell
- to be used
Use these pile labels for the closet and dresser.
Group the Items
Now, it is time to group the items.
Before you put anything back wipe out the drawers.
Who wants to start a new season with last season’s dust?
The more frequently used items go in the front, and the bulky less used items in the back.
The groups may look like this:
- trousers
- blouses
- jeans
- t-shirts/tanks
- sweaters
- jackets
In the closet, you can hang up the clothes by way of use, function, or by color.
RELATED READING: 10 Hacks and tips to keep your closet organized
You can use the same method for the drawers:
- shirts
- short sleeve/gym shirts
- undergarments
- pajamas
- shorts
If your dresser is small and you normally lump socks and underwear together, using dividers will solve the problem.
The clothes you wear most should be at the top of the drawer.
The less-used items are stored under the frequently used pieces.
No room in the dresser for these things?
1- Small boxes
Consider small boxes or small clear containers that can be labeled and put on the shelf of your closet.
Closet Storage Cube with Clear Window
If you are tired of trying to remember what drawer houses which clothing, add a label to the drawers. A few label ideas: undergarments, gym clothes, t-shirts.
2. Rolled Clothes
Clothes like t-shirts, pants, pajamas, etc that are in a stack can be a hassle when you are in a hurry.
One military-style solution you may try for that easy grab-and-go is rolling the clothes and lining the drawer with the colorful new rolls.
Shallow bins or dividers, like these ones, are a great way to separate short-sleeve and long-sleeve shirts in the same drawer.
3. Top of the dresser
You are not alone if the top of your dresser is a collect-all spot for nail polish bottles, jewelry, and other little things that end up in the top drawer with your socks.
Add a decorative basket or organizer on the dresser to place these little pieces in at the end of the day.
Not only are they within reach; but now they are not cluttering up useful space.
Organizing and decluttering the top of the dresser is just as important as the drawers.
Somehow the stuff we toss on the top of the dresser winds up lost in the top drawers.
4. Jewelry box
Consider a small jewelry box next to the basket on the dresser. You don’t want to lose your favorite earrings in the sock drawer or at the bottom of the new basket.
5. Shoes
There are a few options on how to store and organize your shoes.
You can use a shoe rack that sits on the floor or hangs on the closet door.
For those expensive heels, you can get shoebox-size clear totes to put them in.
Now you can see what is in the box and feel good that they are not being smashed or dusty.
The containers can be stored on the top shelf of the closet out of harm’s way.
Stackable Clear Plastic Shoe Boxes
Your everyday shoes are put in the rack for quick and easy retrieval.
Remember, function and frequent use goes first.
Whether you are decluttering your closet or your dresser, here is something to remember: get rid of one item for every new item you buy.
This will help keep things organized and from getting overcrowded.
When you finish with the closet and dresser, load up those boxes you filled with donations and take them out to the car.
The sooner you get them in the vehicle, the sooner you will be ready to donate them and be done.
Cleaning and decluttering articles you might like:
- tips and storage solutions for an organized pantry
- how to declutter and organize piles of paper
- easy ways to declutter and organize toys
- how to organize your home keys
- 30 things you can quickly disinfect at home
Declutter Your Clothes Conclusion
Take your closet purge day by day and breathe.
It may be daunting to suddenly have a clean house, but it’s good for you!
All you need is some willpower, dedication, and advice found here.
Your cluttered home will be a sanctuary of clutter-free bliss in no time!
Just remember to declutter your clothes before you go on your next big shopping spree so you don’t spiral back into the same mess you started with.
Good luck with your de-cluttering endeavor!
