How to Successfully Clean Out Your Closet
Prelude: In a time of quarantine
March 19th marked the beginning of Spring, but who knows what date of the month it is anymore? Quarantine has taught me time is a construct.
My circadian rhythm, not a day too late, kicked in and told me it was time to deal with the neglected piles of “???” hiding in my nooks and crannies.
In a time where we’re all cooped up wearing nice tops (with questionable bottoms) to video conference calls, I figured there was no better time than the present to share some tips for conducting a Closet Clean Out.
Why Clean out your closet Now?
Here are a few good reasons to give your closet some 💗 today:
When you go back to work post-Quarantine, you’re going to feel fly as hell with your spiffed up wardrobe.
Cleaning out your closet will give you a clearer idea of what’s missing. Say “hello” to some online shopping to fill the gaps!
You can explore and rediscover your closet in this low pressure environment. Don’t like the outfit you put together in the morning? Change during lunch. Easy peasy.
Let’s get into it.
A Thoughtful Closet Clean Out
After completing your Closet Clean Out, you will:
See all of the pieces you own.
Love each piece.
Have notes on what pieces you want to buy to better tie your closet together.
Step 1: Reflection
a grounding exercise
Stand in front of your closet and answer the following questions to get a better sense of your wardrobe’s current state.
What percentage of my wardrobe do I wear on a monthly basis (excluding non-seasonal pieces)?
What percentage of my wardrobe do I love to wear?
What do I feel when I look at my closet?
What are my wardrobe goals?
Can I…
See all of the pieces I own in my wardrobe view?
Feel excited, not overwhelmed, when I open up my closet?
Love each piece?
Feel all of the pieces work together to create different outfit combinations?
Feel most pieces serve more than one occasion-type (could be dressed up for dinner, or down for work)?
When we own less:
We create space for creativity. “When I paired down my closet to a minimal amount of items, and I didn’t have the resources to go refill my wardrobe, I had to become creative. What can I do with these particular items to get me through a week?” Chanel Lewis, Seeking Inspirato Feature.
We simplify our routine.
We value what we have. “If I can’t see it then why do I have it? And if I can’t see it, then I can’t even think about it.” - Chanel Lewis, Seeking Inspirato Feature.
Step 2: Evaluation
This exercise works for shoes, jewelry, clothing, hats, scarves–you name it.
Set aside time. Make a smoothie, or a drink? Cue the music. Get comfy.
Look at EACH piece that’s hanging in your wardrobe and evaluate it using the questions below.
Separate out each piece based on the categories below (Keep vs. Remove).
If the answer is yes, yes, yes, and yes - then keep it!
Have I worn this piece in the past month?
Does it fit my current figure well and work with my 4Cs (Cut, Color, Cloth, & Comfort)?
Do I love it?
Is the item in perfect condition? Would I be embarrassed to wear it in front of (insert highly respected person in my life here)?
Keep it! Put it back in the closet, or
Mend it
Dry-clean it
Alter it
If you answered “no” to any of the above, ask yourself:
Why haven’t I worn it in the past month? You’ll know why if you’re honest with yourself.
Note which of the 4Cs it violates (Cut, Color, Cloth, & Comfort).
Provide a quick sentence on why you don’t love it.
Notice what makes it not wearable or ruined.
Don’t keep it. Remove it from your closet and
Save it for safekeeping (memorabilia).
Donate it. If an item is new or gently used, a clothing donation store would love to sell it.
Sell it. Ebay/Etsy/Local consignment or second hand shop.
Trash it. If an item is damaged (e.g. STAIN) consider throwing it away.
THE TIEBREAKER QUESTION: “If I could get a full refund on the piece, would I take it?” If ‘yes’, then it’s time to pass it on.
Repeat until you’ve finished going through your entire wardrobe!
The logic you’re using to describe why something is, or is not, worth keeping is valuable to building a wardrobe you’ll love.
You may feel motivated to begin throwing everything in a bin for donation instantly, however, I recommend taking a slower approach so you have time to reflect and process. A good purge is only as good as the learnings you take away from it. I recommend spending at least ~10 seconds an item determining why you want to keep, or remove, it from your wardrobe.
Take Notes
As you’re doing your Closet Clean Out, be sure to jot down notes on your phone about the items you’d like to add to your wardrobe. Be as specific as possible!
Step 3: Coordination
Create piles for each of the items you’re removing from your closet and load up the bags!
For those concerned about making rash decisions: You do not need to throw away, or donate, anything right now. Fill up the bags with the pieces you determined won’t live in your closet anymore and place the bag somewhere that’s not in plain sight (your car, hallway, garage). Put a notification on your calendar to check in with the bag in a month. The items you haven’t gone back for are ready to be donated or thrown away.
Keeping it, but:
Mending it
Dry-cleaning it
Altering it
Not keeping it, and
Saving it for safekeeping (memorabilia)
Donating it
Selling it
Trashing it
Step 4: Organization
With the items removed, it’s time to put your closet back together in an organized fashion.
An organized closet will allow you to more seamlessly create looks each day. Try organizing your closet by type of clothing (pants, skirts, etc.) and then within each category, organize by color. While this process takes thought and a little bit of time, you won’t believe how much easier it is to pick out an outfit.
When your closet is 1) filled with only the items you want to wear, 2) organized well (by color and style), and 3) provides enough space between hangers to see your pieces, you’re free to be creative and inspired to pick a look you love.
Post-Closet Clean Out
Closet Clean Out Check In
By this point, you should no longer feel overwhelmed by your closet. Thoughts like “I need to fix that”, or “I need to be able to fit into that” are of the past because everything in your closet post-Clean Out fits your current figure and abides by the 4Cs.
Now that you’ve finished your Closet Clean Out, ask yourself:
Did I meet my wardrobe goals?
Do I see all of the pieces I own?
Do I love each piece?
Do I have notes on what pieces I want to buy to better tie my closet together?
Compare how you felt at the beginning ff the exercise to now.
Honor Your Gut
Remember: always go with how you feel.
The questions outlined in the Closet Clean Out section are meant to guide, not dictate, your process. To live a Clothing-Confident life is to be in tune with ourselves and the clothing on our bodies. Trust when a piece isn’t working and come up with your own process for passing it on.