1. Clean your bedroom. Cleaning out your closet is chaotic enough. The last thing you need is to try to do so in a cluttered space.
2. Enlist the help of a friend. Having the assistance of a friend will have three benefits: she’ll keep you company during what is sometimes a tedious process; she’ll (if she’s nice) help you carry, sort, fold, and repeat; and she’ll (if she’s honest) give you unbiased opinions about your clothing. So, to be more specific, enlist the help of a nice and honest friend. ;)
3. Take everything out of your dresser drawers and closet. Yes, everything. Your dresser and closet should be completely free of clothing before you move on to the next step.
4. Designate space in your bedroom for three piles: a Donate pile, a Keep pile and a Try On pile. The Donate pile will be for pieces that you know you want to get rid of, the Keep pile will be for pieces you know you want to keep, and the Try On pile is for all the pieces that you’re not sure about.
5. Sort every single piece of clothing that you own into one of the three piles.
6. Once you are finished sorting, breathe deeply and turn your attention to the Try On pile. One by one, try on each item of clothing. Then ask yourself these questions:
a) Is it flattering? If the answer is no, toss it into the Donate pile.
b) Do I feel comfortable wearing it? If the answer is no, into the Donate pile it goes.
c) Do I have somewhere to wear it to? Unless you have a very good reason for keeping it around (say, it’s some amazing vintage dress that used to be your Grandmother’s), Donate!
d) Do I have something to wear it with? (Each item in your closet should have enough complimentary pieces to create a complete outfit.) If the answer is no, think about whether you have the time, money, energy and desire to find something to pair it with (and soon!). If the answer is no, that’s right, send it directly to the Donate pile.
7. Immediately pack up and move clothes you are getting rid of into your garage (or car). If you don’t remove them from your home there’s a good chance they will eventually migrate back into your closet.
8. Now tackle all of the items that you tossed into the To Keep pile. Think about how you’d like to organize your clothes. I recommend sorting them by type but I’ve know gals who prefer to sort by color. Fold them and put them in your dresser or hang them up nicely and return them to your closet.
9. Gaze upon your beautiful, decluttered closet and be happy!
10. Last but not least, take your friend out to eat! You both deserve it. :)
Take care, ladies, and happy decluttering!
I have the biggest problem with d! I have a few skirts that I'm thinking of specifically that don't have any matching blouses (they did at one time, but no longer).
Great advice! I recently went through my clothes when I moved, and I definitely think still kept too much! Once the baby is here, I'm going to have to go back through all my clothing using these suggestions!
Whenever I read posts about decluttering closets and simplifying wardrobes I think of all the favorite clothes I've dumped…only to need them a year or two later when my shape (pregnant or post partum or whatever it settles on after that) changes yet again. It makes it very hard to get rid of anything! What do you suggest for someone looking at many more years of fertility and figure changes, and not enough budget to get a new wardrobe for every pregnancy?
Kate,
I should have added this caveat: I do keep all of my maternity clothes packed away in a bin in storage.
I also try to minimize the number of sizes I need to have on hand by following these guidelines. Does that help at all?
Hope you're staying cool! I know how brutal summer can be when you're in your third trimester. :(
Can I add a suggestion for being inspired to keep your closet de-cluttered? When I did my big closet decluttering and organizing last year, I purchased some bins in bright pink, and hanging items (sweater organizer that I use for shirts and pants/shorts, and also a shoe organizer) in a coordinating black and white. Items I wanted to store long term went in decorative banker boxes in the same color scheme. Every time I walked into my closet I felt happy and frankly calm because it was one of the few de-cluttered and organized spaces in my house.
I love that, Kimberlie! Little touches of beauty are so inspiring, aren't they?
I am excited to go do this little project. I printed your outline, but will have to do it minus a friend as I have a sick one home. I know I will fall in love again with some of the items I haven't been wearing. That will be fun.
I have a darling shirt that is great, but it is too itchy for my skin, so… it will go.
I also asked one of my friends that is pregnant with #6 if she wanted some of my clothes. I am a bit more curvy than her, but she wants them to prevent buying clothes why she works back down to her prepregnant size. I love that part.
Thanks
I did this about a year ago, and it was amazing how much it felt like I had MORE clothes even though I had much LESS. I guess because everything actually fit and flattered.
I took a giant deep breath and read this post. Okay FINE, I'll clean my room. ;)
I will add that I have an eBay pile to go with the other categories. If I have an item of clothing that doesn't work for me anymore and I think I can get $10 or more for it online, I'll go ahead and list it.
Seems like this would be a good thing to do at the start of each season…
I organize the clothes that hang in my closet by color! It is so much fun. When I open my closet, there's a rainbow greeting me! It also makes it very easy for me to put outfits together.
I did it Ladies! I spent ALL day Friday redoing my closet. At first I was tempted to do it by sections, as my incredible cabinet maker husband has my closet built to suit my needs. Long hanging, short hanging, built in drawers and such. One of the perks of being married to such a generous and talented man.
I felt like I would be cheating if I didn't follow the rules. I even took pictures. All I can say is WOW! Love it. Loved the process of getting rid of items I adore but never wear. I did keep a couple of items I absolutely love because I read an article that said the waistline of pants are moving back up to a natural placement vs. the current undesirable placement.
The clothes I am gifting my pregnant friend I put into some white oversized gift bags, I will put some tissue paper on the top and a ribbon on the handles. I think she is pretty special and want her to know it.
Thanks so cool, Suzi! :)
I wish I could get rid of everything unflattering and that I don’t absolutely love, but I wouldn’t have much left! Maybe I should do it anyway, but my closet space is about 3 feet and my dresser is very small also. So I really don’t have much. I’m slowly trying to build, but I think it will take me awhile. This summer, I need some new heels that FIT! I’ve had the last pair five years. I would keep them, but they don’t fit. They flop! (wide feet- go longer- doesn’t always work. ;)