Our closets have the tendency to get a little cluttered from time to time, as we go through seasonal and style changes that keep on adding to our collection of clothes.
There comes a point where we leave clothing items sitting there for months, unused and unworn.
Our clothes start piling into different parts of our bedroom, cluttering up our free space and possibility causing us to feel a bit overwhelmed. Perhaps the solution is to consider purging your closet.
What Does it Mean to Purge Your Closet?
Purging your closet isn’t as daunting as it may sound.
To put it simply, the act of purging means to free yourself of something that doesn’t quite serve you anymore.
In this case, getting rid of items to clear up and clean out your personal space, allowing you to design a wardrobe you love.
Because that’s the important thing, right?
Letting go of items that no longer reflect who you are today, and letting in only what represents your best self (and style!)
How to Get Rid of Your Clothes
There are several ways to go about this.
One recommendation I have is to first have a plan in place.
Decide if you want to donate the clothes you don’t keep or give them away to friends and family.
Maybe you have a few cool vintage items you want to try to resell. Then create 3 separate piles for each of those.
Next, decide how much time you plan to spend on this project.
Do you want to declutter all in one day, or is it better to set aside 30 minutes to an hour over the course of several days.
And lastly, create a vision of your dream wardrobe.
Try looking at photos for inspiration and decide how to make this vision come alive.
Now, let’s dive into the 10 steps you can take to effortlessly purge your closet, and please note when I say purge I mean donate, recycle, give away, sell, whatever you want to do with them!
10 Steps to Effortlessly Purge Your Closet
1. Purge Anything That Doesn’t Fit Anymore
Being guilty of this myself, I’ve kept items that don’t fit anymore with the hope that one day they will.
Honestly, it would have been easier to simply accept that my body has changed, and that’s okay.
Are you holding onto items that no longer fit? Let them go.
Purging these items will allow someone else to make good use of them, and allow acceptance into your life. It’s so freeing!
2. Purge Clothes That Are Worn Out
Do you have clothes that may be ripped, torn, or on the verge?
They just simply can’t be useful to you anymore, and they certainly won’t be useful just sitting in your closet.
If you can’t wear an item, it’s time to let it go.
3. Purge Gifted Items You Just Don’t Like
Did you receive a blouse from your favorite Aunt but just didn’t have the heart to tell her it’s not your style?
Are you keeping onto it just to make her happy?
Gifts are thoughtful and should be treasured, but sometimes we just receive gifts we don’t vibe with. And that’s okay.
Maybe the gift will serve a purpose to someone else and can be donated to a local charity.
That way, you aren’t wasting the gift, you are re-gifting it with a purpose.
4. Purge Clothes That You’ve Outgrown
Are you holding onto your prom dress from 2005?
Trust me, I get it- it can be hard to let go of sentimental items that are connected with an important memory.
But sometimes, we’ve got to give up the good fight and realize we’ve outgrown some times.
Perhaps they’d be better off in someone else’s closet, rather than cluttering up ours.
5. Purge Anything You Can’t Wear More Than Once
Did you buy a stylish cocktail dress for a special occasion and now it’s just sitting there in your closet ever since?
If you can only wear it once, then you’re giving it too much importance in your closet space.
The key is to be intentional about this sacred space of yours and reserve it only for items that you can continue wearing over time, for different occasions.
6. Keep Only Clothing That You Love
There are many different things I like, but only a few that I LOVE.
Sure, we could keep everything that we like, to be able to choose from at any given time.
But only keeping a few essential items that you love, will make you feel better in the long run.
Fewer choices, less stress.
Less time consumed choosing.
Better off giving yourself the opportunity to love what you wear.
7. Keep Only Clothing That Makes You Feel Good
This goes hand in hand with the point I made above.
We all want to FEEL GOOD from day to day, and our style gives us the opportunity to reflect that.
If you feel uncomfortable in a piece of clothing, then there’s simply no sense in wearing it.
If you feel confident in an outfit, then that has the power to transform your entire mood.
Wear what feels comfortable to you, toss out the rest.
8. Keep Clothing That is Versatile
Mixing and matching your clothing is the key to keeping your wardrobe simple, yet stylish.
For example, I have a pair of black boots that I can wear 3 seasons out of the year.
They match with just about everything and add a bit of style to my wardrobe.
The best part is, I don’t have to own 10 pairs of shoes when I can wear them several days out of the week.
Do you have some items in your closet that you can mix and match?
If you have an item that isn’t as versatile, consider removing it from your closet.
9. Keep Clothes That Are Practical
I already gave the example of my black boots, but I do have some other items that are practical like my white shirts, black jeans, and a leather jacket.
These items serve more than one purpose, with a bit of accessories they become my everyday looks.
So choose items that are practical and simplify your closet, not complicate it.
10. Keep One Item and Toss One
Ok so this may seem a bit extreme, but hear me out first.
In order to minimize and declutter your closet, we have to make some tough choices.
I recommend saving this step for last, as you can really take this opportunity to narrows down your items, and choose what to keep with intention.
Compare two items and decide which one you like better.
Ask yourself which one is practical, versatile, and reflects my sense of style more?
Here is where you can really figure out what is essential, and what needs to go.
The Best Way To Purge Your Closet
As I mentioned before, I always like to go into a project with a plan. How you decide to purge your closet is completely up to you. Here are some tips I’d like to share with you, to make the process effortless:
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Write down the steps and create a checklist. Check them off one by one once completed- and move onto the next step.
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Don’t rush the process, give yourself time and energy to take it day by day.
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Create a system that works for you.
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Research donation centers and reach out to friends/family to tell them about your project, and see if they may need some of the clothes you are purging.
And there you have it! Are you ready to take on the task of purging your closet? Share your process in the comments below!