When’s the last time you cleaned out your closet? You probably don’t even remember. Cleaning out my closet is one of my least favorite things to do for a number of reasons: it’s time-consuming, it makes a mess and I have trouble parting with some of my clothing pieces. Despite all the hassle, it’s necessary and makes me feel like a changed woman every single time. Here are some ways to make your life easier the next time you set out to give your closet a nice cleanout.
DO listen to music while you work
This will keep your spirits high and keep you motivated. It’ll also make cleaning feel less boring. I recommend good throwback jams that you can really get into so that you don’t get too distracted by trying to find new music or constantly feel the need to press skip.
DON’T limit your work space to your closet area
Don’t be afraid to make a bit of a mess. We often have even more clothing than we’re willing to admit and find things misplaced or stuffed in the back of our closets. Make the most of your bedroom and spread things out while you organize and sift through your items.
DO organize the clothing you are willing to part with
Instead of just throwing all your unwanted items into a pile, sort through it. I like to fill three separate boxes that each represent a category: donate, toss and sell. I’m sure you’ll come across a couple of brand name items that you may be able to sell for some extra cash. Additionally, some clothes are worth donating, but no one wants to wear your old, paint-stained middle school t-shirt; you’re better off just tossing that one.
DON’T keep things you know you don’t need or will never wear again
With this one, I like to follow the one year rule: if I haven’t worn it in the past year, it’s time to say goodbye. There are items that I’ll stumble across and, even though I haven’t even considered wearing them in months, I’m still reluctant to give them away. If this is the case, ask yourself if you can come up with three outfits using this article of clothing and where you would wear the outfits. If you find yourself struggling to do so, you know it’s a lost cause and you’re better off getting rid of it.
DO try things on if you’re unsure if they still fit
You’ve already committed to cleaning out your closet, so you might as well do it the right way. I know it may seem like a hassle to try things on repeatedly, but you may just find your new favorite article of clothing this way. On the other hand, it could also make you realize that there’s no point in keeping some stuff around.
DON’T start to reorganize until you have gone through everything
If you try to start reorganizing, you may miss a couple of things that belong in the same drawer or need to be hung next to each other. It’s better to know everything that you have before you start trying to organize it. When you get around to organizing, make sure you do it as best as you can; you’ll thank yourself because your morning routine can become much quicker.
DO allot an afternoon or at least a couple of hours
You don’t want to rush the process. Instead, fit this into your schedule so that you can work at it for a couple of hours without any disruptions. This task should keep most of your attention and you don’t want to just do half the work and then give up.
DON’T keep items that need repairs
Be honest with yourself, if that piece of clothing has been hanging in your closet for months now, what makes you think you’re suddenly going to find the urge to fix it? This also goes for any alterations.
DO consider reorganizing after your purge
This could mean either investing in some new hangers or cubbies to store your clothing, or completely changing the way you organize your closet. Maybe you want to organize your clothing by color or by season. Either way, sometimes it’s a good idea to try something new out because it may make your life much easier.
DON’T go and refill your closet immediately
Just because you suddenly realize you have much more room than you had previously thought, or you think your closet looks empty, don’t go out and start buying new items. Instead, see if you can try and make new outfits out of the items that you have left.
Hopefully by now you feel more motivated than ever to do a big clean-out of your closet. I know it may seem like quite the challenge, but I guarantee that it is all worth it in the end. I try to clean out my closet every spring and fall in order to keep things from getting too messy, and I definitely recommend that you do the same. Happy cleaning!