Are you also in a purging mode? For some reason, I am in a reset and purging mode the last week of the year and the first few weeks of a new year. Last year, I did exactly that I took January as a reset month and one part of this was my closet. I started my personal style journey, figured out my personal style and started to create a curated closet filled with items I love. This year I didn’t need a big closet cleanout as I have kept up with it throughout the year and I have become very selective about what I am adding to my wardrobe. If cleaning out your closet and having a manageable wardrobe you love is something you are looking forward to tackling this year, I have 5 tips for you that will help you with this process.
5 Tips for Your Closet Cleanout
Tip 1: Figure out your Why & Know Your Personal Style
Before you start decluttering, figure out your why. Why are you cleaning out your closet? Do you want to have less clothing? Or do you have decision fatigue as you have too many items? Do you feel you have nothing to wear despite having a closet full of clothes? If you have figured out your style and have your style list ready, and with your goal in mind, I think you’ll be able to successfully clean out your closet. If you are unsure of your personal style, I have several strategies and tips that can help you in this post.
Tip 2: Have a Game Plan
I found having a game plan on how tackle the closet cleanout and to mentally prepare myself was very helpful. Instead of randomly pulling out items to get rid off, go by categories. Pull out all items in that category and go through each item one by one. Try on as many items as you can, you don’t necessarily try on every item, especially if you have worn that item just yesterday. Having a visual can really help you decide how you feel about the item as well as what to do with it if you get rid of it. Start with your toughest category and move on to the rest. I decluttered in the following categories: Pants & jeans, sweaters, tops & blouses, long & short sleeve T-shirts and tank tops, skirts and dresses, blazers and jackets. I also went through my undergarments and socks at that time.
You can tackle the whole closet in one sitting or if time and energy doesn’t allow, just do one category. I highly recommend having enough time to get through one category all at once. This can be really helpful when deciding between similar items in your closet.
I find it really helpful to have a plan on what to do with the purged clothing items. Having heavy-duty trash bags and putting anything that has to be tossed in them right away is really useful. I often reuse cardboard boxes to store clothes and other items that I donate. If you are planning on consigning and re-selling some items, make your you have a place to store those and a system on how to do it in place so that they actually leave the house.
Tip 3: Figure out your future closet organization
This is also a great time to re-organize your closet. Decide where you are going to store what type of clothing and how to organize clothes. You might prefer to organize by color or by smaller sub-categories. I decided to organize my clothes by category and then by color. For example, I have all my blouses and shirts together from light to dark.
This is also a good time to make a list of all the closet organizational things you might need to make your space more functional. A few years ago, I started to change all my hangers to non-slip velvet hangers, and it’s made such a difference. I love that my clothes don’t get the creased on the shoulders anymore and stay put but I also really like the aesthetics of it.
Some of my other favorite closet organizers:
One/Two/Three (for large drawers)/Four/Five/Six/Seven/Eight/Nine
Tip 4: Make a shopping list off all gaps in your Closet after Cleanout
As you are purging and putting clothes back in your closet, make a list of gaps in your closet and items that you love but need to be replaced. Be as specific as possible. Be very selective and take your time to purchase these items. This doesn’t have to be complicated. I have a running list on a note’s app on my phone so it’s easily accessible when I’m shopping but also to add things. I try to be as specific as possible. This has really helped me narrow it down and not stray from my style or closet needs. Very often, items are on my list for quite some time before I find the right garment to fill a gap in my wardrobe.
Tip 5: How to Maintain Your Closet
There are two things to focus on: How to keep your closet neat and tidy and regular closet evaluations to make sure all items are still serving you well.
To keep your closet tidy, I have set aside a few minutes a week for maintenance. This includes get all items that need to be specially cleaned taken care of, mend or at least move it to where it will be mended and get rid of anything that is beyond repair. Additionally, I straighten and clean up any mess on the floor etc.
As I live in a seasonal climate, pack away out of season items (which I highly recommend), I take some time when I swap clothes for the season to evaluate my closet more closely. Make sure everything is still working for me and add any items that I need to my shopping list. Often, I make a point to purchase basics that need to be replaced at the end of the season and use the end of season sales prices to get some good deals. Careful, make sure you are only purchasing things that really serve you well.
I hope this will helps to encourage and motivate you to reclaim your closet and bring joy and excitement back into your closet and wardrobe.