Decluttering Clothing?

15 Simple Steps To Declutter Your Closet

Decluttering clothing can feel like a very tall mountain to climb. According to Organized Interiors, “44% of women say they’re unable to find an item in their closet at least once a month”. Especially if we struggle with letting items go, decluttering is something that can leave us feeling overwhelmed.

The 15 easy steps I’m sharing today will help you declutter your closet, declutter your mind, and move your life forward in the direction you want it to go. These tips are easy and actionable, and you’re not alone.

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Think about why you want to declutter your wardrobe. Write down the reason(s). Is it to make your life feel lighter or to let go of things to get dressed easier? As you go through this process, if you start to struggle or feel overwhelmed, take a deep breath and go back to what you’ve written down. Remind yourself why you are decluttering your closet.

2. Schedule A Block Of Time To Declutter.

Schedule a time to devote to decluttering your closet. If this feels overwhelming, start with just 30 minutes. If it feels like you want to do this all in one shot, give yourself two hours. Commit to this the same way you schedule your appointments, your meetings, and your time to pick up the kids. Make this your time and make sure to show up.

3. Be Honest With Yourself.

Decluttering clothing can make us take a really honest look at not only our wardrobe but also ourselves. There’s no more hiding. This is the time to take a good look at the clothes in your wardrobe and see what’s there. See what’s working and what’s not. Again if for any reason you get stuck go back to the original reason you wrote down for why you want to declutter your closet.

4. Make It Fun.

Find a way to make this fun for you. This is your self-care time. Your time to really assess what’s working for you in your life and what isn’t. Pour yourself a glass of wine or a cup of coffee. Light a candle and put on your favorite music. Throw on your coziest loungewear and dive in.

5. What Items Do You Love Wearing?

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Pick out the items that you love wearing. The pieces where there’s no question that you want to hold on to them. You feel great and confident in these. They are your go-to pieces.

Pull those items out and put them on a standing rack or make space in one section of your closet to start to put the “keep” items. We’re starting easy. These are your no-brainer clothing items. You have an immediate yes.

6. What Items Do You Absolutely Want To Toss?

Find the items in your closet that you absolutely don’t love. The ones that are a hundred percent “no’s”. Clothing items you’ve been meaning to get rid of but just haven’t found the time or the energy to. Go through and find those items that every time you put them on, you take them off because you don’t feel great wearing them.

Pull out any clothing that has holes or stains that you can’t fix. Items that have been sitting there maybe even with the price tags still attached. You may feel guilty about getting rid of these pieces, but if don’t wear them and they’re not something you’re going to reach for, these are definite “no’s”. Make a pile of those pieces- these are your “no way” pile.

7. Every Item Has Its Own Hanger.

Make sure everything left in your closet is hanging on its own hangers so you can easily see what you have. Don’t have anything stuffed in hidden corners.

8. What Needs To Be Altered?

Go through the remaining items and ask yourself if any of these items need alterations. Are there jeans that are too long or blouses that need to be taken in? If there are alterations that need to get done but you haven’t got around to it, pull those pieces out and put them in a different section of your closet or on your standing rack. Keep those clothing items separate.

Commit to bringing them to a tailor. Give yourself up to 2 weeks. Put a date in your planner saying by this day these items will get to the tailor. If at the end of those 2 weeks, you haven’t gone to the tailor there’s something else going on. There’s some resistance to having those pieces tailored. There’s a good chance that you don’t want to spend money on them because you don’t love them. Put them in the Donate pile

9. Schedule A Time For Style Inspiration.

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From the pieces that are still hanging, which ones do you like but don’t know how to style? Place those items in a separate section as well. Again schedule a time, 30 minutes or an hour, that you’re going to spend on Pinterest or another place where you look for style inspiration.

For example, say you need help styling a black blazer look up “black blazer outfit ideas”. Get inspiration for ways to style your black blazer. Whatever that item is that you love or you love the idea of but you don’t know how to style, make time to find ways to style it.

10. Loungewear, Workout Clothes, And Bathrobes Shouldn’t Be In Your Closet.

If you have any loungewear or workout clothes in your closet take them off the hangers and put them away in your dresser. Those items should not be hanging. I’ve walked into many closets where people have their bathrobe or the clothes they wear to the gym in their closet, that’s not your “everyday” clothing. It’s not going to help you walk into your closet and feel great about your wardrobe if your bathrobe is one of the things you see. You want the clothing in your closet to be the pieces that you love and feel good in.

11. Let Go Of The Guilt.

Pull out any items that were gifts or that you spent too much on. Items that you feel guilty getting rid of. If you don’t love the items this is your permission to let those items go. It’s okay to let the item go if it doesn’t work for you.

The same is true about hand-me-downs. If someone gave you an item that didn’t work for them, maybe it was your mom or your sister and you feel guilty about letting them go, it’s okay to let those things go. If you are still struggling with this, go back to your reason for decluttering clothing in the first place. What is your intention to declutter your closet? What are you hoping to let go of and create space for? Remember that.

12. It Doesn’t Fit.

From the remaining clothes, what doesn’t fit anymore? If some of these items you absolutely love and would wear without a doubt if they fit, then ask yourself what is your plan to have those items fit. It’s okay to hold onto them for 6 months to a year but only if it’s a realistic plan that you’re actually working towards.

In the meantime, put these clothes in the back of your closet or in a storage bin tucked away. It’s not helpful to go into your closet and have items hanging in front of you that don’t fit. Put those items away and in 6 months reassess.

13. 7-Second Rule Try-On Session.

Try on everything that’s left. You may need to grab another glass of wine or cup of coffee, but try on every single piece that’s left hanging in your closet. In the first 7 seconds of putting on each item, what do you feel? If it’s not an immediate yes in the first 7 seconds then it’s time to let that item go.

14. Ask For Help.

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After that last step you might need a little break, but when you’re ready if there are any items left ask for the help of a trusted friend or spouse. Someone that will tell you the truth and whose opinion you trust. Plan on trying on these items again. You can probably tell from their initial reaction what they’re feeling about the piece. If there’s a question or it’s not an immediate yes, then it’s time to let that item go.

Related: How To Organize A Small Closet

If you don’t have someone like this in your life, look for a Personal Stylist to help.

15. It’s Time For Some Self-Care.

Once you’ve gone through all these decluttering steps give yourself time for some self-care. Take a hot bath, order out for dinner, watch a movie, read your favorite book, or whatever you choose to give yourself some downtime.

Clothes hold a lot of emotions and committing to decluttering and letting pieces go can be emotionally and mentally exhausting. Make sure you have something to look forward to at the end of this process.

If Decluttering Clothes Fills You With Dread… Follow These 15 Steps

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Decluttering Clothing FAQs & Expert Tips

How Do You Emotionally Get Rid Of Old Clothes?

10 Ways To Emotionally Let Go Of Clothing

Give Yourself Permission.
Keep 1 Storage Bin Of Sentimental Clothes.
Question Why You’re Holding Onto Items.
Remind Yourself Why You Want To Declutter.
Ask For Help From A Friend Or Spouse.
Be Gentle With Yourself.
Think About Someone Else Who May Enjoy It.
Write Down Your Connection To The Piece.
Thank The Item Before Letting It Go.
Start Small With 1-5 Pieces.

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15 Simple Steps To Declutter Your Closet