* If you are an on-air television personality, you might have a full closet. * If you love shopping for clothes, you might have a full closet. * If your mother loves to shop and totally gets your sense of style, you might have a full closet.* For my client Catherine all three of these statements are true and she was ready for some serious closet decluttering!
Catherine’s Situation:
She is a young woman living in a tiny apartment with limited closet space. At our first meeting Catherine told me, “I’m so frustrated every morning trying to decide what to wear because everything is jammed in there so tight. The rolling rack in front of my washer and dryer makes me dread doing laundry. This space is stressing me out!”
Tools for Successful Closet Decluttering:
You’ll need large bags to collect items to give away, a waste can for trash, a tote bag to put pieces to be altered or dry cleaned, and a basket to hold non-clothing items you find tucked away in your closet. Decide in advance what you will do with the things you are ready to part with; if you need suggestions of where to donate items contact me with your questions here. Caution: Avoid getting bogged down looking for the perfect charitable organization. Make donating easy so it actually gets done!
Knock-Out Closet Decluttering in 3 Rounds:
1. The Lightning Round
Here you very quickly look at every item and pull out anything you quickly know you don’t want to keep. Don’t belabor the decisions at this point, just go with immediate gut feelings of “keep” or “go.”
2. The Take a Deep Breath This is the Hardest Part Round
This pass through your closet you examine each item more slowly and carefully. You take the time to try on questionable pieces to see how they look on your body. Anything sitting unworn for a year or more begs you to ask these two questions: “What would have to change in the future for me to start wearing again, and how likely it is that change will occur?”
Be honest about which clothes work well for you…
- Which pieces make you feel confident?
- What has irritating seams or never fits comfortably?
- Which outfits always earn compliments from others?
- Are there things you purchased based on trends or the advice of a friend but that don’t reflect your true personality?
3. The Let’s Get Real Round
The final step in closet decluttering forces you to realize how many similar or identical pieces you own. Sort everything into categories and color schemes and keep only your favorites in any category:
- How many t-shirts supporting your college or favorite sports team do you need?
- How many pairs of black tights can you really wear between laundry days?
- Do you truly love and wear pink enough to justify the number of pink shirts you own?
Now You Are Ready for the Fun Part!
Whew, you did it! The worst part of the project is over. Now you get to organize what’s left in your closet for efficiency and sustainability. You can find great ideas on organizing products at The Container Store. Subscribe below to my weekly Tips & Transformations email to get free home organizing how-to’s delivered straight to your inbox!