Halloween is officially over which means that the holiday season is upon us. This is my favorite time of year, but it’s also a time when a lot of people suffer the most, which makes it a great time to clean out your closet and donate clothes. Cleaning out your closet can be really tough, so I’m going over the best way to clean out your closet and how I tackle it.
Figure out where you’ve accumulated the most
When I was in college, I moved about every six months for all four years, but since I graduated I’ve basically been in the same place, which leads to a large accumulation of items. The biggest areas of accumulation are closets and drawers, so focus on those. Pay attention to how these areas are organized as well, because this will indicate what you wear and what can be donated.
A good rule of thumb is that the items towards the front are the ones you should keep, and the items crumpled up and squashed towards the back are the things you can donate.
If you haven’t worn it, get rid of it
Let me explain that I really dislike getting rid of clothes. I know that it is good to do, but I always feel like if I get rid of something, I’ll want it back someday. Fashion is cyclical, so it always seems silly to get rid of stuff I may want again. However, my closet cannot hold everything, so I need to be realistic. When cleaning out my closet, I always ask myself these seven questions:
- Does this fit?
- Do I actually like this piece of clothing?
- How often do I wear it?
- If it magically disappeared or fell down behind the other clothes, would I notice or care?
- What can I wear this with?
- What willI wear this with?
- Is it worth the clutter?
The first question is probably the most important. I understand wanting to give yourself a goal, but the reality is that you need to dress for your body now and feel good in order to get to a better place. If your items are a little snug after the holidays, that’s one thing, but keeping a dress that’s two sizes too small that you wore in high school is just silly. You’re not going to wear it, so get rid of it.
The rest of the questions are really just to make you think. Think about what you like and what you will actually wear. I can honestly say that I have nothing in my closet that I don’t like and don’t wear. I absolutely wear some items more than others, but I do wear everything. Your clothing should make you feel good and excited to get dressed, so ensure that your closet reflects that!
Avoid clutter
I hate getting rid of clothing, but I also hate clutter, so at some point during the year (usually around the holidays) I inevitably get frustrated with the clutter in my closet and clean it all out. There’s no point in having a cluttered closet if you don’t like the stuff in it. Go through everything, donate or sell what you don’t want, and let your clothes breath. They will actually last much longer if they have some wiggle room so they aren’t squished and scrunched up all the time. This process does take some time, but I promise it will make you feel much better about you clothes, your life, and about your home.
Donate
There have been natural disasters all around us, so consider donating your clothing to areas in need such as Puero Rico, Texas, or Northern California. You can donate to GoodWill, Dress for Success, and many clothing stores have made it easy to donate as well! Nordstrom recently started a program that lets you donate clothing in the box that you received your online order in. Similarly, you can bring clothing to donate at H&M. When it comes to giving back to the community, donating clothes is a great way to help.
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Going through and getting rid of old clothes can be a pain, but the best way to clean out your closet is to take note of what you wear and what you don’t so you can fill the space with clothing that makes you feel good, and donate the rest to those in need. A decluttered home helps to declutter your mind, so do yourself a favor and clean out your closet.