Wardrobe Decluttering Tips
I like to do a deep dive and declutter my clothing twice a year – in the fall and spring. Since we moved this past fall to Michigan, and I’ve been preoccupied with getting settled into our new home and community, I missed my usual fall clean out. Determined to start the New Year off with less and only the items I enjoy wearing, I undertook the decluttering of my clothing in early January, and it was freeing.
First, I worked with a stylist in December to learn how to best dress my body type (and help me with my body image); her feedback was tremendously helpful, and I now have staples in my wardrobe I know I will hold onto for years (and I feel so confident wearing them!). Second, I took a deep look at how I want to live my life every day in our new community – what makes me happy and comfortable, and presentable. These two things helped me stay focused as I cleaned out my wardrobe. By cleaning out old purses, clothing, shoes, and coats that no longer fit into the life I want to live, I freed up physical, mental, and emotional space so I can take steps to create a life I love even more than I do now.
Now you don’t have to get a stylist before decluttering a wardrobe (but if you want one, check below for my recommendation!), but I do have some tips to help you get started. I hope decluttering your wardrobe garners many positive happenings in your life! Here are some tips to help you prepare for a successful wardrobe decluttering day:
Plan! Look at your calendar and dedicate a day, or even a few hours, to this undertaking.
Dress comfortably in clothing you know you want to keep.
Try to have your laundry finished so you have most of your clothing available (if you can’t do this, it’s safe to assume you are keeping what is in the laundry since you recently wore it).
Have a healthy snack and water on hand – I sometimes get hangry and this helps me stay on task. Plus, hydration is healthy.
Put your phone on Do Not Disturb to limit interruptions.
Make dedicated spaces for clothing you want to Discard/Recycle, Donate, Sell, and Keep.
Have boxes or large sturdy bags available for clothes you are not keeping; I like the large black contractor bags, but kitchen bags and old grocery bags work just as well.
In addition to the prep tips above, take some time to think about and write down what you want your ideal life to look like and how you want to get dressed every morning. These thoughts will be helpful as you make decisions on what to keep and let go of.
Now that you are prepared and ready to dive into your wardrobe, here are practical steps to help you stay focused:
Take everything, and I mean everything, out of your closet and dresser. If you have wardrobe items elsewhere in the house, get those too.
While you are removing items from your closet and dresser sort them into categories. Categories can include tops, gym attire, pants and skirts, dresses, pajamas, undergarments, seasonal items, purses, shoes, jewelry, etc.
Choose a category to start with and dig in!
When you approach a category, first identify any item(s) you know you want to keep (like a favorite pair of jeans or that cozy sweatshirt you put on every day after work). Put those Keep items immediately aside.
After identifying the definite Keep items, hold each remaining item to determine if you want to keep it. Some questions to ask yourself during this process are:
Do I love it? Hint: You should.
How long have you had it? Is it out of style? Is the t-shirt see through after a gazillion washes?
How do you feel when you wear it? Hint: You should feel confident and like a million bucks.
Does it fit? Hint: You should be able to breath and sit down without hurting.
What condition is it in? Hint: Toss it if it itches, smells, has a stain, or pinches your toes.
Are you excited to wear it?
How often do you wear it?
When did you last wear it?
Do you know when you will be able to wear it again?
Would you buy it again?
If it gets ruined, would you spend money and time to buy it again?
Once you finish going through all the categories, immediately remove items you are letting go of by taking them to the car for a donation drop off or package them up in a box for resale. Whatever you do, don’t let them stay in your house because they sometimes find a way to sneak back into your closet or dresser, and you don’t want that after all of your hard work!
Remember that saying no to one thing is saying yes to something else. You got this!
xo,
Anne
If you would like a stylist to help you, I highly recommend Lora LaPratt; check out her business Shopping Girl XOXO.