Tag Archives: closet cleanout

How to have the Ultimate Closet Clean Out

Let us be honest here.

 

How many times have you sifted through the clothes in your closet and saw outdated pieces? Those apparel that in no way would fit you or those clothes you have never worn? Probably a lot more times than you can count. When you do sort these clothing pieces in clearing out your wardrobe, how many times have the following sentiments below crossed your mind?

 

“Oh, I can probably lose the extra weight I have put on and wear that slinky pink halter top again.”

 

“…but I have only worn this once in my life. EVER!” 

 

“This was such an expensive piece when I bought it. It would be a waste to throw it away.”

 

Well, I am quite sure you have been guilty of using those views to pass off as your rational excuse for not disposing of the extra clothes that you do no longer need. Quite ironic indeed for someone who would stare in the closet for half an hour and bemoan the lack of clothes. Read: I have no clothes to wear!

 

Nothing to worry about, though, women and people who have a flair for fashion are as equally guilty of this as you are. Though your eclectic taste for fashion may seem reasonable, the hoarding of clothes is not. But like many women especially those who are big on retail therapy, you would probably have a hard time parting with some of the clothes in your closet. Even the ones that are no longer necessarily fashionable, are too tight or too loose for you or have simply been sitting in your closet for years without ever being worn again.

 

Well, fret not, if you are reading this article now, then it means you have made a conscious commitment to at least try and sort your closet out from a superfluity of clothing. So, my dear apparel hoarders, whether it may be that fashionable wholesale clothing you have found online or that piece on sale you found four years ago, this article will assist you step-by-step in having the ultimate closet clean out.

1) EVALUATE THE DAMAGE

Cleaning out your closet requires a quick assessment of what you are going to be working with. This can range from the limited closet space you have that is teeming with clothes, the perpetually unused chair filled with freshly washed and pressed clothes, the shoe rack that is filled to the brim with shoes, the floor space that could no longer be seen from being covered by all of your closet clutter. Really, it could be anything. This is imperative as it would give you an idea where to start and how to go about your sorting.

 

 2) FIND SOME BOXES AND OLD TRASH BAGS

Now that you have evaluated the extent of sorting and cleaning out you have to do, it is time to get started with the clearing out and the organizing.  A great start would be to collect the disregarded or neglected boxes you have sitting in your homes. If you do not have a sufficient supply of these, you can always opt to buy them from stores that do sell them. Separate the clothes you would want to donate to goodwill and charity and those clothes you would like to sell. Preferably, those that are still stylish but would no longer fit you and those pieces that were expensive when you bought it. The thought of profiting from the clothes you once loved makes it easier to let go of these pieces especially if you know that the people they are going to actually want them. Selling used clothes online has been an ongoing trend recently, and it would not be long before someone takes a notice of yours and purchase them.

 

3) SORT THROUGH THE CLOTHES ONE AREA AT A TIME

This will make the logistics of closet cleaning faster and easier. Do not mill about from your shoe rack to your closet; instead, focus on one are first. The best way to start is to find the primary source of all the mess and clutter. Your closet perhaps. Go through each rack and drawer carefully and start taking out things you have not worn in six months or so. This is also the perfect opportunity to inspect some of the clothes you do have but forgotten about. Then, you might want to decide whether you want to keep them to wear once more or not.

 

4) BE FOCUSED

 

It is easy to fall off track when you are throwing things away. A good tip to keep in mind is to keep things that “spark joy” in your life and get rid of those that do not. When you have seen old pieces in your closet, an overwhelming feeling of nostalgia will creep up on you. It would be easy to convince yourself to keep something and more difficult to throw it out. But remember, if you have not worn a piece of clothing in the past several months, it is likely you are not going to wear it anytime soon. You do need the space, and it will make room for current and more fashionable additions. So, stop keeping stuff for sentimental reasons!

5) INVEST IN HANGERS

When you do buy hangers, at least, buy them all in the same style or color or, have them in the same material and make. This makes the inside of your closet look organized. Really, nothing would look worse than mismatched hangers. They will just add to the existing noise of your closet. Having ones from the same make will help you have a closet that looks tidier. Dispose of the hangers that do not fit in with the rest or place them somewhere that is not your closet like a clothing rack for recently pressed clothes perhaps.

 

6) ENJOY YOUR END PRODUCT

When you have carefully followed through this guide, you will have a cleaner and more organized closet. When you do, do give yourself a pat on the back for succeeding what may be a grueling and daunting task for some – hey, you actually made it! Perfection is not necessarily the end goal here as closet space is relatively different for everyone. The important thing is, you have successfully lessened the clutter in your closet, in your room and perhaps, in your life. Essentially, this is what you need to have a bit of positive energy to your personal space as you would not feel so overwhelmed and suffocated. Additionally, being charitable by donating clothes and earning money from the pieces used to love are bonuses to the extra space you already have.

 

 

Having too many clothes is not necessarily a bad thing, but when it starts to take up so much space without you even wearing some of the pieces for several months or years even, then recognize that you do have a problem and an urgent need to purge your closet. Sure, this may be an intimidating task, but could you really afford to keep all of those clothes when you know it is taking so much personal space already? Free upthe space. Clean out!