What do I mean by a Closet Cleanout? I’m not talking about folding everything into Marie Kondo clothes-origami, although you should feel free to do that if it sparks joy.
Cleaning out your closet will help you:
- rediscover pieces you haven’t been wearing
- create new outfits, instead of buying more clothes
- make room in your closet by sending ill-fitting items to the tailor, and sending other items to charity or consignment
- clear out your mind too — making room for new ideas and plans
Ready to dive into this season’s wardrobe? You’ll need at least two hours to edit one season, and the patience for a try-on-a-thon.
How to Clean Out Your Closet:
1. Groups
Focus on just one season. Group clothing together by category and color. All pants together, all dresses together, all necklaces together. Leave as much in your closet as possible, but if the racks & shelves are too full, arrange a couple of categories on your bed. If your shoes are not stored visibly, bring them out of the closet & place them around the edge of the room. If you have a (folding) table available, place it in the room and organize your jewelry on it.
Now within each category, group together any items you don’t wear.
2. Paper Trail
Make Signs
What do you want to happen to the clothing and accessories you’re going to remove from your home?
I like to think backwards, starting with, “What am I going to find?” Here’s my cheat sheet of possible scenarios & solutions:
Scenario / Solution
I Love It, But It’s Worn Out / Replace
I Loved It, But Now I’m Sick of It / Give Away or Sell
I (Almost) Never Wear It / Make New Outfits or Give Away
I Don’t Really Like It / Give Away or Sell
It Doesn’t Flatter Me (Style, Fit, Color) / Give Away or Sell
It Doesn’t Fit / Have it Tailored, Give Away or Sell
I’m Emotionally Attached / Store (see ‘How to Let Go’ below)
Make a chart for yourself and make signs for your possible Actions (Solutions). Place the signs on the floor around the edge of the room.
Post-Its & Pen
You’ll need these to write down specific actions for specific garments, especially items that need to be tailored, or items you want to give away to people you know.
3. Try-On-A-Thon
It’s time! If in doubt, try it on.
Start with pants.
Remove any that don’t fit or that you don’t like.
Add those to your give-away pile.
Next pair them with something you don’t often wear, including accessories.
In this case, pair the pants with tops.
The Critical Three Questions
Here we are, at the essence of this process. I want you to ask yourself these three questions each time:
A. Does it Fit my Body?
B. Does it Fit my Personality?
C. Does it Help Me Achieve My Goals?
If it doesn’t fit, have it tailored or get rid of it. Note on a Post-It what needs to happen to each item to make it wearable.
If it doesn’t feel like you (fit your personality), get rid of it.
If it doesn’t help you achieve your goals, you’re allowed to wear it around the house. Otherwise get rid of it.
For everything that’s left: photograph any new combinations you come up with.
The Three Outfit Rule
Make at least three outfits with each garment. If you can’t do that, you should consider adding it to the give-away pile.
Work your way through all your clothing items and shoes for the season, continuing to take photos of the new combinations you discover.
4. Ask for help.
Do you have better things to do than organize your closet? Do you hate the task so much you would do anything to avoid it? The process goes much faster with two people. Could you use some help making objective choices about what to keep and what to toss? Are there a lot of ‘orphan’ items in your closet? Would you like help creating new outfits? I’m here to help. Believe it or not, this can be done remotely. Click here to plan in a quick call to discuss the options.
How to Let Go
A word about being attached to clothing and accessories… It’s normal to get attached, and it’s OK. If and when it becomes a problem, e.g. if you feel sad, guilty or angry looking at all of those items in your closet, here’s how to ween yourself off of them. Place them in a box or bag and write the date on it. Get the items out of your closet and out of sight. Store them under a bed, in another room, or even in someone else’s house. If you haven’t returned to them within six months, you can let them go. I give you permission. 😉
Bonus Resources
What are your options for getting rid of clothes? There should be very little that has to go in the trash. If the items are completely worn out, put them in a clothing bin on the street and they’ll be sorted and recycled. You can give items away to specific friends and family members. You can take them to a secondhand shop or donate items to charity (my favorite for business clothes is Dress for Success). Or you can sell your top-condition items on consignment.
My favorite European consignment sites:
The Next Closet, Vestiaire Collective, Rebelle
A Helping Hand (and Eye)
Want some help navigating your wardrobe? Paring it down? Making new outfits with your favorite pieces and ones you rarely wear? Click here to plan in a quick call and discuss the options.
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