Are you overwhelmed every time you see your closet? If yes, it’s time to reset it. Here’s a simple guide on how to declutter your closet.
If you have a closet full of clothes but nothing to wear, it’s time to declutter. This is a sure sign that you need to reevaluate your wardrobe. It may sound overwhelming but I promise it doesn’t have to be.
I’ve decluttered my closet using various methods. I’ve used Marie Kondo’s method, where you take everything out of your closet and dump it on your bed. Guess what? It was overwhelming because now I felt like I was rushing against the clock to remove this ginormous pile of clothes so I can use my bed to sleep. It added to the pressure of deciding what I wanted in my closet and what needed to get out. Not fun.
I’m not saying her method doesn’t work, it just didn’t work for me. If you’ve tried her method and you’re here, likely, it didn’t work for you either.
HOW TO DECLUTTER YOUR CLOSET –
THE EASY WAY
1. You Need A Plan
The first step to decluttering your closet is, setting a plan. You don’t want to do this on impulse because you run the risk of getting overwhelmed, running out of time, and putting everything back in your closet. Instead, decide what day you can set a few hours to tackle this task.
Have a plan in place of what you are going to do with the items that are in good condition but you no longer want. Will you be selling or donating these items?
If you live in a place that experiences different seasons, make a plan for where and how you will store your seasonal items. I live in Florida, where we only have summer and winter seasons. These under-bed storage containers are so good and hold a lot of clothes. I also love using jumbo vacuum storage bags, they save soo much space.
2. Determine Your Style
This is a crucial step in the process, determine your style. You may be saying to yourself, “I know my style“. The problem is, sometimes we buy things just because it was a good deal or we thought we’d like to try something different. Then, we end up with a closet full of clothes we don’t wear.
Tips for finding your style:
Pull everything you love to wear on repeat out of your closet. Analyze the clothes. Do you see a pattern? Look at the colors you enjoy, the fabric type, and the cut of the clothing. Do you enjoy jeans, skirts, or shorts? Are your tops mostly fitted or loose-fitting? Make notes for yourself, this will be your wardrobe guide.
Next, do the same with the clothing you don’t enjoy wearing and make notes. These will be handy when shopping for items. For example, if you have pencil skirts in your closet but hardly reach for them, they probably aren’t something you enjoy wearing or it’s no longer part of your current style.
Now that you know your style and know what you love and don’t love, it’s time to declutter and organize!
3. Sort Your Clothes
This part should be easy since you already have two separate piles, clothing you love, and clothing you don’t love or wear. Now that you know exactly what you’re doing with the clothing you no longer love or wear, place it in a bag or box to be dropped off or sold.
I’m sure you’re wondering what about the clothes that you love but doesn’t fit. If you’ve been holding on to it for more than a year, maybe it’s time to let go of them. I used to have clothes in my closet that were 2 sizes too small in the hopes I’ll fit into them one day. I parted with it because I realized my body has changed after children and by the time I fit into that clothes, it’ll most likely be out of style or more importantly, not my style. Another thing to remember is that generally speaking, we love to go shopping for a new wardrobe once we lose weight.
If it’s a sentimental item, you can store it in a keepsake storage box.
If you’ve decided to sell some of the items, here are some things to consider. It may take time to get the item sold. Keep in mind you will need to keep these items in your home until they are sold. Is continuing to house these clothes going to bring you stress? Perhaps selling is not the best option for you. Maybe the amount of money you’ll make is not worth the extra stress for you.
Now we tackle seasonal clothes and shoes. Will you be storing these items in your closet or elsewhere like under the bed or in a spare closet? You can store them in your closet but I recommend you separate all seasonal clothes that will not be used. This will keep your closet organized and will make getting dressed easier. You won’t need to dig through the items that you aren’t wearing this season.
These storage bags are amazing!
My favorite underbed storage containers.
4. Organize
This is my favorite step! Now you have a clear picture of what items you love in your wardrobe.
Another bonus is you’ll be able to see what items need replacing or if you need more button-downs, etc. For my needs, it’s easier to organize my clothes by color but you can also choose to organize them by type.
I love wooden hangers like these, but I decided to replace them with these velvet hangers instead.
Remember that everyone’s space is different so you need to keep that in mind when purchasing hangers, bins, etc. Always measure and look at the space you’re working with.
Now you get to enjoy your clutter-free closet!
