5 Unique Tips for Decluttering Your Closet

Getting ready to clean out your closet but don’t know where to begin?

Even for the most organized among us, decluttering can seem like an overwhelming task. We’ve all heard the same old advice and classic tips like, “if you haven’t worn it in a year, throw it out.” And while that advice is helpful, it’s certainly nothing new.

Keep those old tidbits of advice in the back of your mind—they can come in handy. But if you really want to declutter your closet once and for all, it’s time for a new mindset altogether.

To alter your thinking and make a lasting change, follow these 5 tips for decluttering your closet.

1. Create a Capsule Wardrobe

If you’re serious about having an organized and efficient closet layout, think about creating a capsule wardrobe. A capsule wardrobe is one made up of timeless, essential pieces that you can mix and match together. It should consist of your favourite pieces of clothing that you wear all the time.

We’re not suggesting it should be an endless supply of boring basics—it can (and should) include fashion pieces. The trick is that nothing seems out of place and everything works together.

Creating a capsule wardrobe means getting rid of those statement pieces that you never wear. Don’t feel bad—we all have them. It also means only keeping the things you really love. Follow the advice on decluttering from expert Marie Kondo and only keep items that “spark joy”. If it doesn’t make you happy, it’s got to go.

To create a successful capsule wardrobe you’ve got to take a “quality over quantity” approach to your clothing. Do you really need those eight black sweaters? Chances are, when it comes time to throw one on, you almost always reach for the same one or two.

2. Be Completely Honest With Yourself

Decluttering your closet means you’ll have to ask yourself some tough questions and be completely honest in your answers. Ask yourself the following questions:

1. When was the last time I wore this? If the answer is more than a year ago, you already know what to do with it.
2. Will I wear this again in the next year? If it’s an article of clothing that sat in your closet for six months before you wore it that ONE time, chances are the answer is no.
3. Am I keeping this just because it was expensive? We’re all guilty of this. We splurge on an item, wear it once or twice (or never) and then suffer from guilt when it comes time to part with it. If you don’t wear it, you may as well donate it to someone else who can get some use out of it.
4. Does this actually fit? Everyone has that pair of jeans in their closet that they want to fit into again someday. Our advice is if it doesn’t fit you today, get rid of it. If you’ve got to lose 20 pounds to wear it again, don’t hang onto it. Work hard to lose that weight and when you do, you can reward yourself with a brand new pair of jeans to fit your new body.
5. Is this item easy to care for? Do you bypass wearing certain items that have to be hand washed or dry cleaned? If so, eliminate those items and keep the ones that can be machine washed and dried.

3. Ask For Help

Tackling a messy closet alone can be a frightening thought. When you need some backup, ask a friend to help you to make it a bit easier. Do yourself a favour and make sure the friend will be brutally honest. Don’t enlist the help of someone who is going to tell you that every piece you own is fabulous.

By having a friend by your side, they can also help you answer the questions from tip #2. Having a friendly support system by your side can make the entire process easier.

4. Forget About “Getting Your Money’s Worth”

One of the hard questions we listed in tip #2 is “am I keeping this just because it was expensive?” We’re going to delve a little deeper into this one because this is something that many people get hung up on.

When you’re in serious declutter mode, you can’t make the mistake of keeping things in the hope of getting your money’s worth. If it doesn’t fit or doesn’t go with anything in your closet, get rid of it. You’ll probably never wear it enough times to make it worth keeping.

Instead of thinking about how much the item is worth, think about how much neater and more organized your closet can be without it.

 Resell

For those of you who are struggling with this concept, you might want to consider selling your items rather than donating them. Visit resale stores like Buffalo Exchange or sell your items online through eBay or PoshMark.

You’ll never get the money you paid for them, so set your expectations low and remember that something is better than nothing.

Expensive Donation

If you donate an item that is very expensive, you might even be able to write it off on your taxes. For donated items with a value of over $5,000, you can obtain a written appraisal for the current market value of the item and deduct it when you file next year.

5. Make Decluttering Habit

Once you’ve completed your first giant closet purge, keep up with it. Make decluttering a habit. Make it a way of life. Instead of spending an entire weekend once a year going through your closet, declutter it every season so you never find yourself in a mess again.

When you declutter on a regular basis, the process is a whole lot easier. Keep a box or bag for donations nearby your closet so it’s easy to pitch something in as soon as you feel the urges

 

Conclusion

To make a long-term impact on your closet, you’ve got to change the way you think about decluttering. If you don’t change your mindset, your closet is likely to become a mess again in a month or so.

Follow these 5 tips for decluttering and keep up with it on a routine basis. Once your closet is clean, keep it organized. You’ll be amazed at how much easier it is to find outfits and how much time you’ll save getting dressed in the morning!