How to Clean Out Your Closet for Results

Inside: Clean out your closet with 5 clear questions to get results and a more organized wardrobe.

You are staring at your closet ready to get dressed looking at plenty of clothes and yet saying to yourself “I have nothing to wear!”

Sound familiar?

The never-ending cycle of too many clothes, not the the right clothes or clothes that don’t fit continues. You want to clean out your closet but don’t have time or know where to begin.

Here’s the good news…cleaning out your closet doesn’t have to be a major chore! There is a strategy I’ve been doing for years in cleaning out my closet (which I do on the regular). And once you start enjoying the benefits of a decluttered wardrobe, you’ll be up for doing it again and again.

Benefits to Cleaning Out Your Closet

• You save time. Instead of spending valuable minutes looking into the fashion abyss trying to find something you want to wear, you now only have what you love and fits; making your daily what-to-wear choice much, much easier.
• You save money. Instead of running out to buy a white blouse because you can’t find one in your messy closet, you know exactly what you have and what you don’t. This avoids overbuying and duplications. Not to mention you’ve honed in on what you truly love to wear.
• You feel better. Cleaning out your closet instantly gives you a lighter feel (as does all decluttering!) since you’ve removed the excess and have created more space in your home.
• You lower stress. We make so many decisions daily and what to wear should not require too much thought. Consider Steve Jobs, found of Apple, who famously only wore a black sweater and jeans to make his wardrobe choices easy. Less choice, less frustration.
• You provide for someone else. You may no longer be wearing that cardigan sweater purchased several years ago, but likely there’s a person somewhere who’d appreciate it (by way of a donation).

Steps to Cleaning Out Your Closet

Follow the simple steps so you can clean out your closet with efficiency and effectiveness!

• Don’t wait for the urge to hit because it may not. Simply start and you’ll see how this snowballs into wanting to do more.
• Be prepared with bags or boxes for donations, recycle and resale.
• If your closet is super messy and crowded, start by pulling everything out first and then go through each piece one-by-one. If it’s not overcrowded you can keep things on hangers as you move through them.
• Be ruthless! The more you have to consider something, the less likely you truly want it. If you make a mistake getting rid of something, you can always replace it.
• Have a goal in mind for what you’d like your closet to look like…do you want it open and airy? Everything hanging? Everything folded? Seasonal items (i.e., coats, etc) in another place? Visual your ideal closet and that is your goal.

Clean Out Your Closet With These 5 Questions

Below are questions to ask yourself as you evaluate each item in your wardrobe. This may sound time-consuming but don’t worry. Once you begin it will not take as long as you think. In fact, you’ll be so happy with your progress, time will speed by. Blast some fun music to really zip along.

1. Do I recall owning it? 

We are going to start very simple here. Do you even recall owning this item? For those with super-crowded closets, this is a legit question. If you don’t remember owning it then chances are you will not miss it when it’s gone. Purge it.

2. Do I wear it? 

Ask yourself if you actually wear this item. If so, when was the last time? If the answer is six months or more it’s likely nothing special to you (unless it’s a seasonal item such as a coat or swimsuit). In that case, let it go. If you do actually wear it, move on to the following questions.

3. Does it fit? 

The best way to answer this question is to try the item on.  Be honest with how it fits your body.  Over time fabrics stretch and bodies change.  Maybe you bought something because it was on super sale and you couldn’t pass it up — even though it didn’t really fit in the first place.  Clothing that doesn’t fit well are easy items to discard when cleaning out your closet.

If you still love an item after trying it on but it doesn’t fit well, have it tailored. Seamstresses can work wonders for an ill-fitting blazer or oversized blouse. Pants that are too long can be hemmed by anyone with basic sewing skills. Some retailers will hem items for free (with proof of purchase).

4. Is it in good condition? 

Thanks to constant laundering, clothes can quickly lose their luster. Excessive hot water and high heat break down fabrics and can ruin clothes. If an item is in poor condition thanks to over washing or it’s simply been worn a long time, move on. If it’s something you love and it can’t be nursed back to quality, feel free to replace it with an updated version.

5. Do I love it?

Simply put, ask yourself if you love wearing the clothing or accessory. Does it feel good to wear it? Do you love the way you look in it? There is no point in having an item of clothing in your closet that you don’t actually like. Wearing clothes that don’t feel good or you dread putting on are not worth having.

You Have Cleaned Out Your Closet: Resale vs. Donation

You’ve officially cleaned out your closet. Way to go! I’m willing to bet you feel much lighter than you did before. Now what to do with the unwanted items?

Your best options are to donate or resale.  Please, please do not throw away your clothes. Shockingly many people do this and the clothes end up in landfills which has disastrous effects on our environment. Consider a donation or resale instead.

Donate

• Drop off discarded items at your local Goodwill or another non-profit that will benefit from gently used clothing.
• Pass along children’s clothes to friends with younger kiddos. 
• Gift maternitywear to an expectant mother or post for free on a moms-to-be Facebook group.
• Did you clean out professional attire or special occasion dresses? Offer it to a co-worker or donate to Dress for Success. Formal or evening wear can be given to a local non-profit for young women who can’t afford prom dresses (i.e., one in San Diego I’ve worked with before is called The Princess Project).
• Host a clean-out-your-closet shopping swap with friends.

Resale

• Take your clothing to a local consignment shop (consign means they will pay you a small commission once your item sells).
• Sell it to a resale shop (stores that buy your clothing outright) or use an online resale site like ThredUp.
• Sell your clothing online.  Facebook Groups or Marketplace is great for this.
• Have a yard sale. Not enough to sell on your own? Go in with neighbors for a community or block yard sale. You’ll get tons of traffic.

Cleaning out your closet is worthwhile and an excellent tool in lowering your overwhelm and decision fatigue. A curated closet of wardrobe choices that fit and you actually enjoy wearing is a great gift for yourself. The questions above will give you a blueprint for your best results.