Decluttering clothes is one area many people struggle with when simplifying and decluttering. Today I’m sharing 11 tips to help make clearing out your closet easier.
If you want to know how to be ruthless when decluttering clothes, these 11 tips and tricks will help! Use these tricks to make it easier to downsize your wardrobe and clear the clutter from your closet.
Decluttering clothes: why fewer clothes make life easier
It’s no secret that I love a simplified wardrobe. In fact, creating a capsule wardrobe has been one of my favourite simplifying projects ever!
Having a capsule wardrobe and embracing a small, simple wardrobe has brought so many positive benefits to my life. Getting dressed is faster and easier, it saves money, my closet is organized and clutter-free and easy to keep that way, and more!
Even if you aren’t ready to go all in simplifying your clothes and create a capsule wardrobe, decluttering your clothes can still have a wonderfully positive impact on your life.
“If you want to improve your life immediately, clean out a closet. Often it’s what we hold onto that holds us back.”
~ Cheryl Richardson
Tips & tricks to make decluttering clothes easier
In today’s post, I’m sharing 11 of my favourite tips and tricks I use to help make decluttering clothes easier. If you’re struggling to clear out your closet and be ruthless when decluttering clothes, these tips will help!
Sometimes all you need is to approach decluttering your clothes in a different way to make letting go easier. Use these tips and tricks to help downsize your wardrobe, get rid of the clutter and enjoy the benefits of a simplified wardrobe!
11 tips & tricks to simplify decluttering clothes
1. Wear it today
As you’re decluttering your clothes, if you come across something you don’t wear often but are struggling to let go of, make a point to wear the item today or in the next couple of days.
This is one of my favourite tricks to use when decluttering clothes, especially clothes you’re having a hard time letting go of. It’s easy to keep things you hope to wear, or wish you wore, or think you wear, but in reality, rarely wear.
The best way to challenge this is to make a point to wear the item right away and see how you like it.
Often, the things we want to keep, but rarely wear, are things we want to work for us, but don’t really work. By making a point to wear it right away and paying attention to how it fits, feels and how you feel while wearing it, can help you decide whether you honestly want to keep it or not. Making it easier to weed out the clothes that don’t work for you.
For example, if you notice it bugs you in some way when you’re wearing it, doesn’t fit as well as you thought or hoped, doesn’t feel good, or just doesn’t make you feel great when you’re in it, get rid of it! Aim to only keep the things you look and feel your best in when you wear them.
If you don't want to wear it now, when will you want to wear it?
And further, if there is something you think you want to keep in your wardrobe, but don’t want to wear in the next few days, when will you want to wear it?
Of course, this doesn’t apply to special occasion clothes. But if there is something from your everyday wardrobe that you want to keep, but don’t want to wear in the next few days, that’s a good sign you don’t really love it, to begin with!
2. Turn your hangers around
This is a well-known trick to use when decluttering clothes. And it’s well known for a good reason – it works!
Most people wear the same small selection of their favourite clothes most of the time. In fact, it’s often estimated that most people wear 20% of their clothes, 80% of the time.
But even knowing this, you might think you need more clothes to give yourself options and variety. However, keeping track of which items you wear, and which items you don’t, is a great way to give yourself a push to be more ruthless when decluttering clothes.
Here’s how it works:
Turn all your hangers to hang backwards in your closet. Set a deadline to revisit your wardrobe in a set amount of time, say 3 or 6 months. Then, each time you wear an item, hang it back up with the hanger facing the right way.
When you reach your deadline, see if there are any hangers still hanging backwards. If you haven’t worn an item in the past 3 to 6 months, you can feel more confident getting rid of it.
3. Track your wears
The hanger method works great to show you which items you never wear. But what about items you wear only once in a while, but don’t love or wear frequently?
A great way to take the backwards hanger method to the next level is to keep track of how often you wear each item of clothing in your wardrobe.
You can track your wardrobe and which items you wear in an app. Or simply make a list of your clothes and tally up how many times you wear each item over a set period of time.
For example, after tracking your wardrobe for 3 months, you’ll be able to see which items are the go-to pieces you wear often. As well as which items you rarely wear and can likely get rid of.
Often, seeing exactly how many wears (or how few wears) you’re getting out of your clothes is a great way to make decluttering clothes easier.
4. Pay attention to what’s always left on laundry day
If listing your clothes and tracking how many times you wear them sounds like too much work, another great option is to simply pay attention to which items are always left on laundry day.
Before you put your clean laundry back into your closet, take a minute to notice which items you didn’t wear. If you notice the same items sitting unworn week after week, you might feel more confident getting rid of those items.
Another way to use laundry day as an experiment to help declutter your clothes is to see how long you can go before doing your laundry. This forces you to wear some of the clothes you usually pass over in favour of your favourite, go-to items.
As you’re wearing the clothes you don’t wear as often, pay attention to how they fit, feel and look on you. If you don’t love the fit, feel or look, get rid of them!
5. Try it on!
Just like making a point to wear items you’re struggling to let go of, another great way to make decluttering clothes easier is by trying on each item you want to keep.
As you try each item on, honestly assess how it looks, feels and fits. Look in the mirror, take pictures of yourself, or ask a friend you trust to be brutally honest with you to give you their opinion. Often, having a fresh pair of eyes to help you sort your clothes can be really helpful to decide which items make you look your best.
Sometimes you think something looks and feels great on you, but what you think isn’t always true!
Maybe styles or your style has changed. Your body size or shape might have changed. Or maybe the style, color or fit of an item just doesn’t flatter you as much as you thought it did.
And sometimes even though you want to love an item, something about it bugs you. Maybe you notice you’re adjusting it constantly, the material is irritating, the color isn’t the best on you, etc.
Here's another important tip to help when you’re decluttering your clothes: if you have to ask someone else what they think of an item, it’s usually a good sign you don’t love it.
If it’s something you love, look great in and feel great in, you usually know right away. Asking someone else if they think you should keep an item or not is usually a good indicator you don’t love it to begin with!
6. Give yourself deadlines for repairs or alterations
Clothes waiting to be repaired or altered can be another source of clutter in your closet. It’s easy to keep clothes around that need repairs or alterations, but never actually get around to getting the repairs or alterations done. Then, the clothes sit in your closet but aren’t actually worn.
The best way to deal with this type of clothes clutter is to give yourself deadlines to get the repairs or alterations done. If you haven’t got the repairs or alterations done by the deadline, get rid of the items.
If an item isn’t important enough that you want to get the repairs or alterations done in a timely manner, you probably don’t need it in your wardrobe.
7. Give the clothes you don’t need to someone who really does need them
Another great way to help you be more ruthless when decluttering clothes is to shift your mindset. Instead of thinking about you, think about how other people could use and appreciate the clothes you aren’t wearing in meaningful ways.
For example, Dress for Success collects business clothes for women trying to enter the job market to wear to job interviews to increase their chances of getting a job.
Another great organization is The Glass Slipper Project which collects formal gowns to give to girls who otherwise couldn’t afford a prom dress.
Other examples are women’s shelters, homeless shelters and other organizations that support people who otherwise may not have access to clean, weather-appropriate clothing in good condition.
Often, thinking about how you could help others with the clothes you don’t wear or need can help make decluttering clothes and getting rid of them easier. And even feel rewarding, knowing you’ll be helping make someone else’s life better.
8. Have a donation box in your closet
Make sure you have an ongoing donation box in your closet. Any time you come across something you don’t like, doesn’t fit, you’re just ready to let go of, etc. put it straight in your donation box. When the box gets full, drop it off at your donation center and start again!
The easier you make it to get rid of the clothes, the more likely you will follow through and clear the clutter from your closet!
9. Ask yourself the right questions
If you want to downsize your wardrobe and be more ruthless when decluttering clothes, asking yourself the right questions about your clothes is important.
Here are my favourite 6 questions to ask yourself to make decluttering clothes easier:
- Does it fit?
- Is it damaged, stained or needing repairs?
- Do you feel good in it? Is it comfortable?
- Do you look good in it? Do the colour and style flatter you?
- When was the last time you wore it?
- Would you be happy wearing it for the rest of the day?
You can read more about how to use these 6 questions to declutter your clothes more effectively here.
These questions can help you figure out which items you love wearing and wear frequently. As well as which items don’t work for you, your lifestyle or your wardrobe.
10. Stop buying more clothes!
If you want to declutter your wardrobe and simplify your closet, it’s important to stop adding more clothes to your wardrobe while you’re trying to declutter.
Focus on decluttering your clothes first. You can even put yourself on a shopping ban if you need to.
Once you have decluttered your clothes, there may be items you need to replace or gaps in your wardrobe you need to fill. But be sure you add items to your wardrobe slowly, thoughtfully and intentionally. You won’t get anywhere by decluttering your wardrobe just to fill it back up again!
Pay attention to the clothes you’re getting rid of and the clothes you’re keeping. Look for trends or similarities between the clothes you’re getting rid of. Use these similarities to help you avoid making the same mistakes when buying clothes in the future.
Also, pay attention to the clothes you’re keeping and wear most often. Do they have anything in common? This can help you hone in on your personal style and preferences so you can buy clothes that will work best for you in the future.
11. Use a maybe box
My absolute favourite trick when decluttering clothes is using a “maybe box”.
Here’s how a maybe box works:
If you’re struggling to let go of an item, especially if you know you don’t wear it often, put it in a box and put the box out of sight. Add a reminder in your phone for a date in the future, say 3 months from now. If you haven’t needed, wanted or even thought about the items in your maybe box by that time, get rid of them knowing you can live just fine without them!
A maybe box is like a decluttering safety net. It lets you be more ruthless with your decluttering decisions by taking away the fear of regretting your decisions. If you really miss something, you can get it out of the box. But it lets you experiment with living with less without being afraid of regretting getting rid of something.
Figure out what makes decluttering clothes easier for you
When you tackle decluttering your clothes these tips and tricks can make the process easier.
You can try some of these decluttering strategies or all of them! The key is to figure out which decluttering tricks make it easier for you to let go of the clothes you no longer love or wear.
What is your favourite trick to make decluttering clothes easier? Which trick are you going to try to clear the clutter from your closet? Let me know in the comments below!
Really great tips, especially the "maybe" box! I'm going to try that and at the end of 6 months I haven't missed it, I'm not even going to open the box, just donate it.
Thanks, Rose! I'm glad it was helpful for you. And great idea with the "maybe box"! That's a great way to declutter! Thanks for reading :)
@Rose, I did a MAYBE box/bag and made/dud that fatal NO-NO … I opened just to see what I hadn’t worn …. NOT a good idea 😞
Yes, sometimes taking a peek is not a good idea!
I often have a black garbage bag that l put donations in. Once in the bag l don’t take it out. I try on all my clothes and weed out favorites. Clothes l don’t wear often or special occasions l will keep for a year. Expensive not then l donate them.
That's a great idea. Good for you!
Thanks for sharing your process!
Melissa, I used to keep the donation box in my closet but it was too easy to pull things out and hang them back up. So my donation box is in my bedroom where I can weekly bag up anything that's in there to go to the Christian Mission or some other charitable drive. I don't keep a maybe box in my closet either. Too tempting to hang it up. But I have been using your tip about wearing things that I know haven't been worn in a while! Thanks for all your posts and help!
Yes, it's definitely important to figure out what will work best for you. Good for you for knowing you need to keep your donation box out of your closet. That's great! And I'm glad to hear you're wearing things you haven't worn much as well. I find that's a really great way to help me declutter my clothes too. Thanks for reading!
@Gin, I had to chuckle 🤭 at your comment so as I set up my donation box, I will keep your comment in my mind. Thanks for the laugh 😂
Reading this post makes me want to finish cleaning out my closet..ha! I love these tips so much and they're definitely helpful. I have heard of the backwards hanger trick for some time, but I think you finally convinced me to try it! I also LOVE the tip of the maybe box because I am *always* using that excuse..ha! I also am so glad you reminded me of the tip to give yourself a time to wear it by. That really forces me to either start using the item or get rid of it! Honestly, just thinking of it will probably be enough to change my mindset and make me get rid of things. Thanks for the post!
I'm so glad to hear you found this post helpful & it's inspired you to finish your closet. That's awesome! I've found using these tricks has really helped me be more ruthless and figure out whether I really love something or not. I hope they will help you too! Thanks for reading :)
I ask myself... if I would buy it again if I saw it in the store?
....................Does it coordinate well with my other clothes
or can I never find what goes with it ?
Those are great questions to ask! Thanks for sharing and thanks for reading :)
@Simple Lionheart Life,
Very good questions!
Thank you! I'm glad you found it helpful!
Boy did I need this article!~
Stop buying clothes was just for me!
I also love the hanger trick! Thank you!
I'm so happy to hear it was helpful for you! Thanks for reading :)
Not going to buy any clothes until the end of 2019. ( 3 months)Make one rack with all the clothes with tags on them. Dozens of items?. When I want something new to wear to an occasion...go to that rack & shop!
What a great idea! Good for you! Thanks for reading :)
Great idea of wearing the item to see if you still want it. You can tell yourself you like it and want to keep it- but you truly won't know until you actually wear it. I'm going to do that this week while I'm off. Thanks for helpful ideas!
Yes!! It's such a great way to see if you actually like an item or are just telling yourself you like it, as you said! I'm glad it was a helpful post for you! Thanks for reading :)
Very interesting read. I was wondering how to declutter my wardrobe. I liked the tally method that you have mentioned.
Thanks! I'm glad it was helpful for you. Thanks for reading :)
Love this
Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for reading :)
I love the “maybe box”. I’m going to take the advice of the other reader and not even open the box after 3 months. If I haven’t missed it then I don’t need it. It goes straight to the Goodwill! And I’m going to start using the backwards hanger method too. And “stop shopping”. That will probably help me more than anything! Thanks for all of your great ideas!
You're welcome, Angie! I'm so happy it was helpful for you! The "maybe box" has been so helpful for me too. And I agree that donating it without even looking in it is a great idea! Don't want to give yourself the chance to second guess your decisions! Thanks for reading :)
@Angie,
I also have done the 3 month thing a few times but made the mistake of opening the box.
You're right! Looking in the box can sometimes be trouble!
Great ideas, especially the "maybe box".I think I will start under the bathroom sinks since some of the "stuff" we moved with 6 years ago ,is still there. Again, a wonderful article with great tips. Thank you.
Thanks so much! I'm so glad to hear you found it helpful! Under the bathroom sink sounds like a great place to start. Good for you! Thanks for reading :)
I love these tips! I declutter my clothes on a constant basis and have been really trying to be more intentional with my purchases; there's nothing worse than spending money on something you never wear!
I just started the hanger backwards trick and so far so good. I'm hoping it will give me incentive to start giving away or selling the pieces I'm not wearing soon!
xx Victoria
http://www.thevicversion.com
That's awesome! Good for you! I agree - nobody wants to spend money on clothes that don't get worn! Sounds like you're making great progress with your wardrobe. Thanks for reading and sharing :)
@Victoria, how do you sell the pieces you no longer use?
@Renee, I have had good luck selling items on Poshmark. I also know that several people list items on Buy/Sell/Trade groups on Facebook. Poshmarks does the collecting for you & emails you labels to mail the sold items to the buyers & holds out a portion of the sale price for the listing. The buyer pays the postage. They have several ways that the company then pays you or you can use it to buy things on their website. The Facebook groups you would be responsible for collecting & deciding on the delivery methods (shipping, meeting somewhere, delivering or the buyer picking up from you).
Great tips!
Thanks i am going to try these tips. The are great i am the one like to whole on to things hate to get ridding of them sometime i do give them away but i seem like i am not giving anything away but am going to try very hard on these tips thanks
You're welcome! I'm glad you found it helpful. Thanks for reading :)
I have a rule that you can only have a maximum of 7 pieces of any 1 color. Some colors might not have 7 pieces because you have it as an accent color. Also my closet is divided by colors. This makes the process so much easier. I have a few special occasions pieces and some summer tops separate. If I decide to buy new that means some of the old has to go. You have to rotate your clothing or you are right back with too much again.
What a great idea! Thanks for sharing. I agree - sometimes having rules you set for yourself are a great way to help limit your wardrobe. Thanks for reading and sharing your tips!
@Sherrie, I really like the idea of having 7 pieces of clothing of one color this is a great idea and getting rid of some of clothes to get something new . Thanks so much for these tips been really wanting to declutter and organize my closet better .Your tips are really simple and very creative
Glad to hear you're feeling inspired and motivated! Thanks for reading :)
I enjoyed this article! Since coronavirus hit, I've been going through my closet with a closer look, since I have the time. I've also lost several pounds since the last time I cleared out my closet, so quite a few pieces are leaving just based on fit! I've noticed a distinct trend in the colors of clothes that I'm keeping (lots of black and white), so hopefully that will help me make informed choices when I have to replace pieces in the future. As I go through sections of my closet, I do the hanger trick with the clothes I'm hanging on to.
Once stuff opens back up, I want to have a clothing swap with my friends! It makes me feel better about getting rid of clothes if I know they're going to directly benefit someone I know, instead of a big corporation thrift store.
This is so great, Ashley! Good for you! It sounds like you're doing a fantastic job of simplifying your wardrobe and paying attention to what types of clothes work best for you. That's such a big piece of creating a wardrobe you love. Way to go! I love the idea of hosting a clothing swap too! That's a perfect way to help clear out your closet and ensure the clothes will continue to be loved and worn. Thanks for reading and sharing about your experience!
I greatly appreciate the part of your article that lists different questions to ask when evaluating old clothes and if they're still needed. We've had a lot of different events and parties go by where we were asked to dress up in all sorts of costumes, and these aren't exactly clothes we can wear on a daily basis. Because we won't be finding any use for them any time soon, I'll take your advice and arrange them orderly so we can hire a decluttering service to help us get more space in our house.
That's great! I'm so happy to hear it helped you find a way to better sort and declutter what you no longer use or need. Thanks for reading and sharing your experience!
I have a give away box with a lid in my walk in closet. I put whatever object in there and close the lid and can’t see it. I keep putting stuff in there until the lid gets too full. At that point, I will remove the clothes and take a second look and put in a bag to be given away. I usually give clothes away 3 to 4 times a year, more or less with the change of seasons. After a season has ended, if I did not wear it, it gets considered to be given away. I have been doing this for a bit over one year now. I should just take half a day of trying on my clothes and getting rid of...- but I work full to over time and have a young child plus husband that wants my time so can’t dedicate half a day for this task. I find this works well for me. Usually when I want to wear something and find it no longer fits well, I put in the box.
I love this strategy and think it's such a great way to continually assess and edit your wardrobe! It sounds like you're doing a great job of keeping your wardrobe simplified and down to the clothes you love and feel great in! Thanks for reading and sharing your strategy!
I don’t think this year counts. The last time I wore a nice outfit was for our 50th wedding anniversary dinner in August. Last time I went to church was March. Because of the pandemic. It’s not easy, we are trying to declutter & we are trying to down size to move into a patio home.
Yes, I totally agree. I think this year has definitely been an exception. It might be helpful to think about what you would normally wear and use when life is a little more normal, instead of looking at what you wore and used in 2020. Thanks for sharing this important point!
I like your ideas! Another plan that sometimes works for me is to set a limit on how many of a specific item I can keep. ex: I had accumulated 20 pairs of shorts (everyday, golf, better). I cut the number in half allowing myself to pick out my 10 favorite pairs to keep. The remainder were donated. Sometimes it's easier to pick out favoites than the opposite.
Yes! That's a great way to encourage yourself to be more ruthless. Focusing on keeping your favourites often makes it easier to let go of the less favourite items. Thanks for reading and sharing your ideas!
I had too many pairs of pants in all styles. One day l tried on each pair and then looked in the mirror. I no longer felt comfortable in pants with zippers, large leg openings, too tight ,too loose, or uneven colors. I donated half to a Womens shelter.
That's amazing!! Good for you!! I've found trying things on and really paying attention to how I look and feel in each item makes a huge difference! Thanks for reading and sharing :)
@Simple Lionheart Life,
Thank you for your practical tips.
I’ve read quite a few on this subject however was wonderfully surprise for a few new ones.
I’m going to start with number one.
Wear it now!
God bless you ❤️🩹🙏🏻
I'm so glad it was helpful for you! Thanks for reading and happy decluttering :)
Thank you so much for telling me to try each item on. I am a little heavier now so should I keep items just a little tight around my waist? That's what I believe I should do!! I have so much that's new!! I don't want a capsule wardrobe only a curated closet!!!
I love the goal of creating a curated closet. That's great! I would keep what feels right to you. If you think you'll be able to wear things that are just a bit tight now and really love them, keep them!
I have COPD and have lost 35 lbs. Needless to say, I'm in a bad situation. I'm trying to gain weight, not being successful. I have an awful lot of items that had fit me that I did wear. I bought 2 pair of pants that fit me now and have a few tops I can get away with. Have you any suggestions?
I enjoyed reading your suggestions.
Sorry to hear about your health challenges. I would suggest exactly what you're doing. Creating a very small capsule wardrobe of clothes that fit you right now. Then if you are able to gain weight, buy more clothes at that time. In the meantime, you'll still have clothes that fit, but won't have to spend a lot on clothes you might not be wearing long. I hope that helps, thanks for reading and take care!
I'm doing the turning of the Hangers. Started this Spring, so will assess what is left unturned when changing into fall/winter.
That's awesome! Good for you!
Very useful tips to declut my clothes,I like the "maybe box"with a deadline 😂.
I'm so glad it was helpful for you. Thanks for reading!
The backward hanger trick is the best! When I change over my closet when the seasons change, I turn everything backwards. When it’s time to change over again, I know what I’ve worn & what needs to go! There’s something so satisfying about an uncluttered closet!!
Yes! That's such a simple and effective way to weed things out of your wardrobe. Good for you! And thanks for reading :)
Absolutely great tips! I just want to add an environmentally way of thinking to the decluttering. When replacing the clothes that are thrown away to the newer ones, they should be made up of natural fibers/contents especially prefer cotton, wool, leather not plastics! -I hate them- Plastics make you feel really hot not only in summer but also in winter during even a short period of walk.
Great point to add. Thank you!
Question, what about seasonal clothes? My mother was a school teacher with clothes for every holiday. She has passed away and that was my job for years to put away warm weather clothes and get cooler, then cold/ Christmas, cold/Kansas day, then cool spring, then warm weather… they didn’t all stay at the same time. That wouldn’t fit. So here I am with seasonal clothes, mine stretches simpler, warm season and cool/cold season. I don’t keep all out but have moved to just 2. One coat I have is a long down coat and when the temps are below 32 it is a wonderful coat to crawl into to go to work or have to be outdoors in. However that doesn’t always happen every year. Certain coats have their own clear storage container with easy access. I have decluttered many clothes but continue to keep those things that have a specific purpose not every year but do every other or so. Kansas unpredictable weather!
I can relate to needing plenty of seasonal clothes. We have 4 distinct seasons here as well, so seasonal clothes are a necessity. I do like you do, and have a warm weather wardrobe and cold weather wardrobe. I try to have some pieces that work for both (tops that I can layer in cool months or wear on their own in warmer months). But I have found making sure to only keep my favourite items and small selection of clothes for each season helpful. As far as the coats, I would recommend keeping your favourites, even if they don't get worn every year. If you pare it down to your favourites, you know you will enjoy wearing them when the time comes, but also won't feel overwhelmed with too many options. I hope that helps. Thanks for reading!
I ask my self, if I had to send someone go into my closet and pick out something for me to ware. Would I like it? Do I like the way it looks on me? If I can’t say I love it. I throw it out.
I love this idea!! What a great test to apply to the clothes you want to keep. Thanks for reading and sharing your tips!
I love your idea about turning the hangers and also having a "maybe" and/or "donation box" in the closet. You have lots of good tips/ideas now I just have to start using them.
I'm glad you found it helpful. Thanks for reading!
wonderful tips. It looks like 5 women of different sizes live in my house and use my closet. i LOVE the hangars backward idea and will start today. Thanks!
I'm glad you found the post helpful! Good for you for starting with the hanger trick today. That's great! Thanks for reading :)
I shopped my closet and put together complete outfit, shoes and accessories on hangers. It was an economical eclectic mix. I set one out the night before and wore one everyday for a month. The garments that weren't comfortable, didn't make me feel or look good were put in giveaway box. I fine tuned color palette and styles till I had a core wardrobe that I love.
What a great way to work through your wardrobe and really assess what you love and what you don't. Great job! Thanks for sharing!
Wish I had come across your column sooner. You don’t even ask for a little payment ! When you share with aloha, good things come your way! Much aloha! Loika
I'm so glad you find my site helpful! Thanks for reading and thanks for your kind words :)
I organized my closet into 'outfits,' matching tops & bottoms. If I have 3 tops to wear with jeans, for example, I hang them with the jeans. Then I further sorted by 'activity:'
- work out (3 outfits)
- going out (3 tops (sequin tank, fancy tee, & button-up), 1 blk jacket, 1 blk pant)
- everyday (pants/top on same hanger, went from 13 outfits to 7 has winter/summer items integrated per season. example: jeans w/tee in summer, jeans w/sweatshirt/hoodie in fall/winter)
- winter (4 sweaters/everyday sweatshirts to match w/2 pants)
- summer (4 linen pants, 3 shorts to match with 4 tees)
- loungewear (seasonal (sweats or jersey pants with matching tops, 4 pr as do laundry every 3-4 days)
- 2 coats, one warm, one for rain. 1 scarf and 1 pair of gloves, all on hanger with a coat.
I don't work, so don't have to factor in work/office items. But if I did, would make another section 'work' and the 'everyday' would reduce to 3 outfits for weekending.
THAT's IT! My closet shrank so much. I wear everything I have and at the end of a season it's well-worn and needs to be tossed. This means NEXT year/season I replace it with something current to look fresh.
What a great way to approach simplifying your wardrobe! Thanks for reading and for sharing this great advice!
I have been trying to declutter my closet for about a year. I’ve made a lot of progress, but still not finished. I used to hang my “maybe” items in another closet. It is too easy to put them back in your main closet. So, I’m going to try using a box; maybe put it under the bed or in the trunk of my car. Also, I will consider the stop buying clothes, l maybe just limit myself to one quality basic per month mid I can’t stop altogether. Thanks for your suggestions.
Sounds like you've got some great ideas to find more success decluttering your closet. Good for you! Thanks for reading :)
These were some of the most helpful tips I have learned and feel more comfortable and confident in on my declutter journey now- thank you
I'm so glad it was helpful for you. Thanks for reading!
dont keep 4 or 5 items that are really similar 2 is fine incase you ruin one youll have another.
Great advice! Thanks for reading :)
This is was very helpful! I will try implementing some of these tips.
One question - I am one of those people who keep clothes in many different sizes due to my weight control problems.
Eg. 4 pairs of identical black pants in different sizes like 2X, 1X, XL, and L
Any suggestions? The closet can get pretty full with multiple sizes for pants, t-shirts, shorts, crop pants, jeans, dresses, blazers, etc.
I'm glad you found it helpful! To answer your question, I always recommend only keeping clothes in your current size in your closet. That way everything you see is an option to wear today. Keep only your favourite items in other sizes, the things you will be really happy to be able to wear again. But keep them out of your closet (or at least in a less accessible spot in your closet if you have no where else). This way they aren't getting in your way or causing you to make more decisions about what to wear each day. I hope that helps. Thanks for reading!
I recently lost a fair amount of weight, enough to drop at least 1 size in my jeans and possibly more in my tops. A lot of my cloths are too big for altering and still look right. Because of that, I did buy more clothes before trying on my existing clothing and/or going shopping from my closet. One thing I ordered was Skecher pants - nicer than sweat pants, not dated like a lot of my leggings, which I can still wear (around the house) and they aren't structured garments like slacks or jeans.
I really liked how they felt and looked and I liked them in several colors. The problem with the Skechers pants is they were way to long. I'm long waisted, not long legged. I can't wear high heels, because of arthritis in my feet and other weight bearing joints, so I couldn't solve the problem by wearing higher heeled shoes, even though it would look good. Because I wouldn't wear them as is, too long and sloppy looking, I had to decide if I wanted to spend the money to have them shortened professionally to be able to wear them come spring once the snow and ice melted. Or did I want to spend my time doing the job myself (of which I'm capable as a seamstress) and probably not get around to doing so in time for warmer weather. They could end up sitting in the alterations pile so long they'll go out of style. It's happened plenty of times in my closet! The answer to both questions, pay or sew, was no! I didn't want to spend the time or the money. Every pair of Skecher pants, about 6 different colors, went back to the store, even though the colors were so pretty and they fit except the length. Can you tell I teeter tottered back a forth a few times? I really felt great to return them, because I didn't add to my hoard of clothing, only to have the pants sit there for months on end until I ultimately decided to get rid of them because they were too long or too dated. In this case, though I still need clothes that fit my smaller size, at least I didn't add to the piles of alterations to never see the pants again until I declutter some time in the future. Plus, I didn't waste time and I didn't waste money.
It sounds like you did a great job of making a very intentional decision about the pants. That's great! Thanks for sharing your experience and thought process here, I'm sure it'll be helpful for others!
Thanks for your tips! I look forward to getting started... Right now I have a "summer" group of clothes at 1 end of my closet, and my "winter" group in the middle. "Holiday/dress-up" clothes are in the middle, and don't get worn very often, so I'm going to put them at one end, and concentrate on purging the "winter" group next month, when the season changes. Thanks for getting me started....
That sounds like a great plan! Good for you! Thanks for reading :)
If you can't wear something you love because you've gained weight you can tell yourself: "If I succeed in losing this weight I'm going to reward myself by getting some NEW clothes - not pulling out old clothes that might fit me now!
Yes! That's a great idea!
The hanger trick does work. If I do buy something new; I have to get rid of two items.
That's great! Good for you!
I LOVE 💕 the Donation box!!! I have a huge mess in my closet right now. Went from working every weekday to being on Permanent Disability, due to a lot of medical problems. I still want to look cute but I also must be comfortable. I am 59 but don’t think of myself as being that age. My favorite outfit is a comfy sweatshirt and shorts, leggings or long pants. I have been buying more sweatshirts without any logo’s. I also still have work shoes that I need to get rid of, when I try them on my back hurts almost immediately. I have found myself looking and buying more sneakers because they are comfortable. I need to put myself on a NO shopping BAN until I get it done!! My incentive!!!!
Thank You for sharing your 11 tips, now to bite the bullet and get it done!
That sounds like a great plan to give yourself incentive to tackle your wardrobe. I'm glad the post was helpful for you. Thanks for reading :)
I've used all of these great ideas!! The wear it if you really like it so much in the next three days!! The maybe box is great but I let myself open and decide if I just must keep anything and I stopped shopping all year 2023 for clothing. I let myself buy if needed and all I bought in the year were three pairs of Spring/Summer PJ's!! I'm being very careful in what I buy this year. I've allowed myself to purchase two linen blouses and on linen maxi skirt. I add to my linen collection yearly. Last year was very difficult not purchasing any linen!! I'm very happy I did this year!! I'm making good progress but it's not perfect yet!!!
That's great! It sounds like you're doing a great job of building an intentional wardrobe. I also love linen clothes, so I completely understand! Thanks for reading :)
I will try them all. Thank you.
You're welcome! I'm glad it was helpful. Thanks for reading!
Excellent advice. Thank you, Melissa! :-)
You're very welcome! I'm glad it was helpful. Thanks for reading :)
I haven’t read through the comments so maybe someone else already posted this; in addition to turning the hangers I also put bread clips on the hanger when an item is worn, but not washed, and then returned to the closet. I count the clips every six months or so. No clip should mean a no-brainer or at least a really hard think.
That's a great idea, thanks for sharing!
Excellent tip. I am using your method starting today.
I'm glad it was helpful for you! Thanks for reading :)