Find out which pieces you love, which you don’t want anymore, and which you can donate or sell.
This is a task that must be done at least once a year and requires time and effort. But, the reward makes it worth it. There’s nothing quite like opening your closet and seeing an organized space. In this blog post, I’ll show you how to successfully clean out your closet. The first step is to get yourself in the mindset of Marie Kondo, put on a good playlist, light some candles and prepare your favorite drink. It’s also important to have boxes or bags for the clothes that you decide to donate or sell.
While there is no perfect method doing a spring cleansing, I personally like to start at the top of my closet and work my way down. It can even be fun if you try things on and start deciding from there. That pair of pants you haven’t worn since 2016? Donate. A top stained with red wine that didn’t even come out when dry-cleaned? Toss. When you are in this cleaning phase, it is very important to try things on during the process, especially the things that you’re not sure about. You know perfectly well which jeans fit you but you keep wearing and those that have the tag still on them because you haven’t lost those last few pounds. So, don’t be afraid to try things on and decide what you don’t want.
It is also important to not get sentimental, at least for a while. For example–those t-shirts that bring back memories but you never wear anymore. Ask yourself: “will I really wear these again?” No. Donating things to people who will really value them or need them helps alleviate the pain of getting rid of the things we have a special attachment to. Of course, if there is a garment that means a lot to you and you just don’t want to say goodbye, it is totally fine to keep it.
Think about seasons, too, when cleaning your closer. It’s obvious that after winter you’re sick of all your sweaters and jeans, but you’re probably going to get excited about them again when the first autumn leaves start to fall. The same thing happens with your summer clothes; it sure all looks exciting and wearable now as it’s been so long since we’ve seen these pieces, so keep a cool head and think about what you’ll actually be able to wear with the changing seasons.
For the future, a good rule of thumb is to start the year with all your clothes hanging facing one way in your closet. Every time you wear something, flip the hanger. Then, you’ll know which clothes you’ve already worn. It’s normal to have high hopes an for items in our wardrobe that sadly never come to fruition. It’s painful to have to get rid of things that we feel haven’t lived up to their potential, but the reality is this: if you haven’t worn it in a year or more, you’re never going to.
XO
Sira