How to Clean Out Your Closet for Good

Find out how to finally say good-bye to those clothes you never wear and purge your closet of all that negative clutter.


It’s a new year and it’s time to whip your wardrobe into shape and finally say good-bye to those things you’ve been holding on to for years. You know, those items just sitting in your closet that you see every day when you go to get dressed but never pull off the hanger for one reason or another? Maybe it’s your favorite pair of pants that don’t fit anymore but you hold on to them with the hope that one day they’ll fit again. Or perhaps it’s a shirt that doesn’t quite go with anything else in your wardrobe, but you can’t bring yourself to get rid of it because (even though it’s been years) one day it might magically go with something.

I’m as guilty as the next girl when it comes to this problem; and quite honestly, I’m tired of it. I mean really, why do we insist on keeping clothes that don’t make us feel good about our bodies?! These clothes, no matter what the attachment to them might be, are not doing us any favors. They’re merely clutter in our lives; roadblocks if you will, that are preventing us from truly embracing our bodies.
I’ve spent the past year striving to overcome these wardrobe roadblocks and build a new wardrobe for myself. You can read about my full wardrobe transformation HERE along with steps to create your own. I can’t say that I’ll ever be perfect at it but I am learning. I still make shopping mistakes and have trouble letting go of certain pieces that are more than overdue. With some of the lessons I‘ve learned, I want to share with you some tips on how to finally purge your closet of the clothes that are holding you and your style back. 
 

1. Get rid of anything that does not fit or flatter the body you have now (whether it be something from high school or a recent purchase)

 

2. What may have been your style 3 years ago may not be your style now

 

3. If you haven’t worn something for at least a year, chances are you won’t ever in the future.

 

4. If you have clothes that need mending but have been sitting in your “to-do” pile for months, either make it a goal to fix them this week or throw them out

 

5. Don’t keep something if you have nothing to wear with it (even if it is the most stylish skirt you own)

 

6. Don’t keep clothes that are uncomfortable to wear, that wrinkle easily, or that make you feel like you are always having to adjust or pull at them

 

7. Sentimental clothing can be hard to finally let go of, so allow a few minutes to remember the good times, take a picture of it, and either box it away or put it in the giveaway pile

Find out how to finally say good-bye to those clothes you never wear and purge your closet of all that negative clutter.

 

When cleaning out your closet, be truly honest with yourself. If an article of clothing falls into one of the categories listed above, get rid of it. Don’t allow yourself a lot of time to rethink your decisions. Cleaning out your closet can be hard in the moment; but believe me, it is so liberating when you are finished and you’ve freed yourself of all that negative clutter!

To reiterate what we have been talking about, let me share a few brief examples of clothes that were difficult for me to let go of and why I finally did.

 

Example #1: I bought this skirt almost 5 years ago. I fell in love with it the moment I saw and just had to have it. Before I thought much about it I bought it and took it home to hang in my closet. The problem is that it did just that…sit in my closet. I’ve always loved this skirt but have never really found anything I liked to go with it. I’ve worn this skirt a total of 6 times, none of which have been in the last 3 years. Needless to say it was time to finally let it go.

Example #2: This basic button-down shirt was a more recent purchase of mine. I bought it about 6 months ago because I wanted one I could wear and/or layer with other pieces in my wardrobe. I bought the first one I tried on in Target. It only took me several wears to realize that this was a big shopping mistake. First off, the shirt altogether was a bit too long on me which made it bunch up at the bottom when I walked or sat down. The sleeves were also too long so I could only wear it if the sleeves were rolled up. And lastly, the material was thin which caused it to wrinkle easily and loose shape when I tried layering it with other pieces. It was a literal fail; but I guess I kept holding on to it hoping that one day I’d try it on and it would magically be everything I hoped it to be. Instead I came to terms that is was a waste of my money but a good learning experience. This too is in the giveaway bag.

 

Linked to:
http://www.madetobeamomma.com/2014/01/hit-best-shot-link-party-2.html

6 thoughts on “How to Clean Out Your Closet for Good

  • Cooper
    Commented 7 years ago

    Please do not donate stained or torn clothing. If you would not wear it don’t expect others to wear it.

  • Commented 10 years ago

    LOVE these tips! I definitely have a hard time holding on to clothes that I never wear! Thanks for sharing at the ” Hit Me With Your Best Shot Link Party” Hope to have you swing back again tonight!

  • Commented 10 years ago

    Amen! I do the same. I figure, if I don’t wear it anyway, I might as well try and make it into something I will wear. If the project fails, at least it’s not a big loss.

  • Commented 10 years ago

    Love this! I also love altering clothes that don’t fit perfectly – or just get rid of them. Why do we keep clothes that we don’t like and don’t fit? Either alter or purge!

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