3 steps to a clutter-free closet

Before my garage sales forced me to clean up my closet, deciding what to wear was always a major pain in the butt. I only used about 40 percent of what I owned, and that 40 percent would end up being buried under the stuff I didn’t want. I still have to perfect the art of clearing and organizing my clothes, but I thought you might appreciate some tips on decluttering a closet in record time.

Photo from here

Dig in and take what you don’t like

Some people like dividing their clothes by type or by season before editing their wardrobe, but I prefer just digging into my closet and grabbing the clothes I’d like to get rid of. The unwanted items are then tossed into a box for sorting. Doing this saves me the trouble of putting back the clothes I decided to keep. And if I don’t have the time to sort through the unwanted pile, it’s at least much easier for me to select what I want to wear that day.

Create two piles

Go through the unwanted pile and separate them into two groups – one for items that you absolutely want to let go of, and one for things you’re not quite sure about. Keep the two groups as far away from each other as possible so you don’t accidentally mix them up. If you don’t have a lot of space for sorting, look for empty boxes or large plastic bags and keep your clothes separated this way.

Be ruthless

The hard part is figuring out what to do with the “not sure” pile. I sometimes buy clothes I have no immediate need for, which makes them hard to get rid of because I may still use them when the opportunity presents itself. It’s also tough to get rid of clothes that evoke certain emotions or memories, even though they’re too ratty or dated to be worn in public. At this point, you have to be ruthless and answer these questions as honestly as you can:

• When was the last time I wore this item? Will I be wearing it anytime in the near future? I usually end up discarding items I haven’t worn in a year, unless it’s a dress specially reserved for rare formal events.
• Can I still repair or tailor this item? Is it worth bringing to a seamstress to repair? No and no brings it straight to the discard pile.
• Does this item fit into my current style or a new style I want to try out? Since I want to create a wardrobe with more separates, I ended up letting go of half of my dresses and tunics.
• Will I lie awake at night knowing that some other girl will be wearing this item? If the answer is yes, I probably still like it more than I realize and I hold on to it for a little longer.

Once the “not sure” pile has been sorted, go through it one last time and repeat the questioning process. Try a few items on and take a long look in the mirror, or ask a friend or family member for an honest opinion. Repeat the three steps until you’ve completely sorted through your clothes, accessories, and shoes, then say hello to less cluttered closet!