It’s likely that you’ve experienced the common feeling of frustration and exasperation when going to choose an outfit and feeling overwhelmed by the mess in your closet. Piles of disorganized clothes and stacks of mismatched shoes that barely fit in your closet with the door closed – this isn’t a rare sight in many households. The task of finally emptying your closet and thoroughly checking that everything in it deserves its place can seem like an impossible challenge, which is why so many people avoid it for so long. However, the satisfaction of completing a good clear-out and only keeping items you truly want is worth the trouble. Here are some tips to help you get started clearing out your wardrobe for good.
Select Your Favorites
One huge fear many people have before embarking upon a large-scale wardrobe clear-out is the notion that something you love might slip through the net and get tossed away unintentionally. Perhaps you’re worried that in the ruthless process of decluttering, you discard something that you later wish you had kept. To combat this, search your closet for the items you hold most dear and put them safely in their own pile or box. This way, you know that you won’t accidentally discard them or make a snap decision to donate them.
Create Separate Categories
After putting your favorite items of clothing into their own separate area, you can get started dividing up the rest of your closet’s contents. Put shoes, accessories, and clothes into their own sections and work within each section. It will take patience and time, but the results are worth it. Spend time working through the piles to further divide them into what you want to keep, what you can donate, and what isn’t in good enough condition to give away and therefore must be tossed or recycled. If you can’t decide whether to keep or donate something, look up your local storage unit prices to safely store your belongings while you make your choice. If you can go about your life without missing them, it’s a sign you can give them away after all.
Consider What You Truly Need
The process of dividing these categories can be difficult for some, especially if you find yourself sentimentally attached to many pieces. Try to think rationally about what you actually use and wear. If you have too many jumpers, for example, keep the ones you wear the most, even if that means donating or recycling the jumper you wore on a special occasion. If you know your personal style and build up a wardrobe of timeless pieces, it will be easier to say goodbye to clothes that no longer serve you.
Build Lasting Habits of Tidiness
It’s one thing to achieve the feat of clearing out your closet. It’s another entirely to keep it tidy. Train your mind to default to tidiness by breaking bad habits and replacing them with helpful ones, such as the five-minute rule that helps you complete small tasks without overthinking them. If you’ve gone to the trouble of decluttering your wardrobe, you’ll definitely want to keep it that way.
