Closet Decluttering Guide: I Got Rid of Almost Everything in My Wardrobe and Here's Why
I’ve jumped out of the bread baking phase of quarantine and into the closet declutter phase. This past weekend, I went through every single piece of clothing I own and I got rid of almost everything in my wardrobe. You’re probably thinking, Darrian, why the heck would someone do that? I don’t know if it’s just a feeling of being stuck in the year 2020, an exercise in control to cope with anxiety, or a little bit of all of the above but what I can tell you is that it felt so good to finally do.
Okay, honestly, when we got back from our month of military leave at the end of August I was overwhelmed with the amount of STUFF we had. I’ve done a great job at pairing down and decluttering my closet over the last few years but I have never tackled a huge closet declutter on this scale before. But I know that feeling of being overwhelmed by our stuff and specifically the stuff in my closet, was because my brain was trying to tell me something. August isn’t the first month I’ve lived out of a suitcase and in fact, it’s actually something I’ve done pretty regularly since we moved to Alaska in 2019. But I realized over the last month that my wardrobe has been doing literally nothing for me over the past few years.
I wanted to share this journey with you in the hopes that it would provide you with a practical guide on how to declutter your closet (not the Kon Mari closet declutter you’ve seen all over) and provide you with actionable closet declutter tips.
Side note: I wish I had taken pictures so I could show you a closet declutter before and after so learn from my mistake and do it for your own closet declutter adventure.
So why might you want (or need) to do a closet declutter in 2020?
1. Your work situation has changed
Whether you’re going to the office or working from home, a change in profession is one of the best times to declutter your closet. In 2020 being a professional comes with a lot of additional challenges so the goal of decluttering your closet is to make sure your wardrobe works for you and your lifestyle. I think this is the biggest mistake many of us who aren’t regular closet decluttering minimalists do when they’re building a wardrobe. I know I’m guilty of impulse shopping, especially when I’m dealing with anxiety or other life challenges. But all of the clutter means that you’re not able to find pieces that actually work in your day to day life. Sure, you might love some of the pieces but how often are you really wearing it?
2. You're ready to really define your personal style
Personal style can sometimes feel like an elusive unicorn but I swear that it’s a real thing. I used to be someone that dressed extremely preppy but over the years I’ve realized that the preppy style isn’t really something that suits me anymore or that I’m really drawn to. If this sounds like a box you’re ready to check then it might be time for you to tackle a closet declutter. The great thing about my closet decluttering method is that it’s easy to do in phases!
3. You're moving
If you’re military and getting ready to move, you know that weight is everything. But even if you’re not moving with the military, decluttering your closet or wardrobe before a move is a great habit to get into (especially if you move frequently). It frees up space and it’s fewer things for you to pack at the end of the day.
4. You’ve lost or gained weight
I am a huge fan of getting rid of clothing that just simply doesn’t fit you anymore. No need to hang on to those jeans from high school anymore. The reality is that our bodies change as we change and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Buy pants that fit your current size and stop holding on to the ones that don’t. Trust me, you’ll feel better about your closet when you know that everything you have is going to fit you and make you feel good about yourself.
5 Steps to Declutter Your Closet
If you know you’re why, decluttering your closet is going to be easy. Here’s my foolproof method for decluttering a closet.
1. Make a pile of every clothing item you own
Take every item of clothing you own and pile it on your bed. Yes, I mean that. If you're going to do an extreme closet declutter then you need to be intimately aware of every item that's in your closet. The easiest way to do this, in my opinion, is to pile it up. Especially do this if you want to focus on closet decluttering minimalism. Putting every clothing item you have on your bed in one large pile is going to show you exactly how much you truly have. When I first started this journey a few years ago, doing this was truly an eye-opening experience for me. There was so much excess. So much I held on to for sentimental reasons (something I’m still working on), so much I didn’t ever wear or couldn’t fit into. You don’t need to keep that stuff around for the sake of having it. At the end of the day, it’s all just STUFF.
2. Analyze Each Item Closely
Take every item of clothing you own and pile it on your bed. Yes, I mean that. If you're going to do an extreme closet declutter then you need to be intimately aware of every item that's in your closet. If you want to declutter your closet Marie Kondo style, just ask yourself if the item brings you joy. If you’re not into that, here are the three questions I ask myself about every item:
"Do I love this item?"
"Does this item make me feel confident and/or is it comfortable?"
"When was the last time I wore this item?"
Once you've answered these questions you should be able to easily decide whether or not that item belongs in your new, less cluttered closet. My advice is that if it doesn’t make you look and feel your best, it needs to go. If you want to make the end of decluttering your closet a little easier, you can put items you’ve decided to keep away as you go.
3. Make three piles: keep, give away/sell, and trash
This should be pretty straightforward but you’ll want to keep things organized as you’re going. Make sure to mark anything you want to give away or sell separately from your keep pile. Selling your old clothes is a great way to cash flow new items for your wardrobe. And if you’re anything like me, you’re gonna need a trash bag or trash pile ready for when you clean out your handbags.
Pro tip: Want something that can declutter a closet in 5 minutes flat? Don’t forget your underwear drawer! I am so guilty of just ignoring this part of my wardrobe but if you know for a fact the underwear isn’t comfortable or doesn’t fit or is just gross, why are you keeping it?
4. Identify the Holes or Gaps in your Wardrobe
Once you've analyzed your current wardrobe situation, finding the holes in your closet should be easy. Depending on your current lifestyle and work situations, these gaps are going to be different. For example, I have a serious loungewear gap in my wardrobe that I identified over the weekend. I have plenty of leggings now that I’ve purged and restocked my leggings but I would love to add a really great loungewear set to my wardrobe, especially for winter here in Alaska. Another area I’d love to work on is swapping out some of my favorite sweaters that are starting to look a bit tattered for similar, more high-quality pieces. As I’ve decluttered my closet over the years and began learning more about fast fashion, I’ve decided to start making the switch to more ethical and sustainable clothing brands. I realize this is a privilege to be able to buy from some of these brands. Thrifting is also a great way to get higher-quality pieces at lower price points. And, when you declutter your closet, you can sell your name brand clothing on sites like Poshmark in order to make money to put towards items you may need or want.
5. Actually Sell/Donate the Stuff you Don’t Want or Need
Okay but I am actually so bad at this. Honestly, there are boxes of donations we identified before moving to Alaska that is still in our house. I promise we’re taking care of that this weekend. I’m also selling a bunch of my clothes in an Instagram story closet sale! This will be the first time I’ve tried that method and I’m excited to see how it goes. I know it can be easy to put all of the stuff you’ve decluttered in your closet into the basement or garage and forget about. Out of sight out of mind, right? But you still have that stuff and getting rid of it is actually going to make you feel so good. I’m already excited about someone finding a few of the items I’m choosing to donate to the thrift store and it makes their day.
Whew… did this tire you out even before you attempt your own closet declutter? I hope I was able to provide some closet declutter inspiration to get you motivated to tackle your own closet this weekend. Happy decluttering and cheers to a better wardrobe!
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