Most of us have bedroom closets crammed full of clothes. Clothes that are gathering dust. Not being worn. Not serving any purpose.

Let’s work on decluttering your clothes with a simple method broken down into 3 easy steps.

But, first…

It’s good to know some of the common reasons for having a closet full of clothes that you don’t wear:

• Your size changes
• Clothes have gone out of style
• It doesn’t make you feel good about how you look
• Lifestyle changes – you no longer attend events that require that type of attire

All of that is perfectly ok!

It happens to everyone.

But, we don’t have to keep loads of clothes that are no longer serving us. Acknowledging why our closets are full is the first step in the process of getting rid of clothes we don’t need.

Once we’ve addressed that, we can actually move on to the tips for decluttering your wardrobe and closet in general.

One popular method to declutter your clothes

You’ve probably heard the trick about turning your hangers in the opposite direction at the beginning of the year.  Then when you return the clothes to your closet after wearing them, you turn the hanger the correct way.  When the year is up, then you’ll see which clothes you actually wore.

There is nothing wrong with that method.

However, let’s face it, you most likely already know what you’re wearing and what you’re not wearing.

You don’t need to wait a year to look at the hangers.

In fact, this might be an unintentional way to avoid dealing with the issue until “later.”

Try this method instead

Lay out clothes like you’re going on a two-week trip.

(If you live somewhere you have different clothes for winter, add those clothes to your pile.)

These are your go-to clothes.

Most of the rest of your clothes you probably don’t wear much or at all.

NOTE: No one is suggesting you get rid of everything else.

This exercise will just help you realize how much more clothing you may own than you are actually using.

Getting rid of too many clothes at one time can be scary and exhausting.

You might end up afraid that you won’t have enough to wear and let’s face it – this takes time and energy.

>> If you’re still struggling, you might find this article on tips for a successful closet cleanout helpful.

So what should you do with “the rest of the clothes”?

Donate them.

Give them away.

Sell them.

Get them out of your home.

3 ways to create a donation pile of clothes in small bites

1. When you get dressed each morning, grab one item and fold it up for the donation/give away pile
2. Once a week or when you do laundry, pick 3 or 4 items to donate/give away
3. When getting dressed, if you take off an item because you don’t like it – put it in the pile rather than back in the closet

At the end of the month, you’ll have a decent pile of clothes OUT of your closet and on their way OUT of your home!

>> Have donations piling up at home? Check out this article on donation pickups for help!

Am I wasting money though?

Try not to focus on the money you spent on these clothes.

The money will still be gone even if you allow the clothes to take up space in your closet.

Focus on the freedom of an uncluttered closet.

Focus on the fact that all of the clothes you now have in your home are actually serving their purpose and being worn!

(Note: Some people like to sell the clothes they are finished with by various methods. Also, there can be, in some cases, tax advantages to donating your clothes. Check the rules with your tax preparer or official IRS instructions.)

Is there one item in your closet you can let go of right now?

Even if it is only one, grab it now and make it your first item. If you want to a grab few more, then that is wonderful!  But, even just one and you are on your way.

Want more information on how much clothing you actually need?

• How much clothing is too much for adults?
• How much clothing do kids really need?
• How to declutter your closet (and still have something left to wear)

Interested in selling some of the clothes?

 

Check out this article: How to sell your stuff without wasting your time

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Linda Bee is a Decluttering School coach who works with clients to declutter and organize their homes while specializing in time management. Connect with Linda on our coach network.