Clothing is one of the toughest things to declutter. It is a basic necessity but also a burden. Clothes saved for years just because, shirts with tags sitting there taunting us, and stained shirts. I’m going to show you how to declutter your closet by sharing the simple system I use.

When I was in college, my mom counted over 200 t-shirts in my closet. And that was just t-shirts! This is my fourth year doing 40 Bags in 40 Days and now I’m at a point where I declutter my closet and dresser monthly. I have 37 hangers in my closet, 3 bins stored, and four drawers of clothing.

If I decluttered and got to this point, you can declutter and get to this point. Follow these simple steps and you’ll be freed from the excess weighing you down.

Start Sorting

Start in sections. First I’ll work on my dresser, drawer by drawer, and then my closet. I prefer to take ALL of my clothes out instead of only taking things out that I don’t want. I find this helps me be a bit more strict with what I decide to keep. As you are taking everything out, sort it into the following three piles:

• Keep
• Don’t Keep
• Store (optional, see below)

Once my clothes are sorted into those piles, I sort each pile!

 

Make a Keep Pile

Now let’s take another glance at this and make sure these are items you really want to keep. I want you to ONLY keep the things that make you feel and look like the hottie that you are. Don’t keep it because it was a great deal or expensive. As you hang it up or fold it, ask yourself the following questions:

• Do I love this item?
• Does it fit me?
• Have I worn it in the past year?
• Is it stained or damaged?
• Does it make me look and feel good? (ask a friend or spouse if you are unsure)
• Would I buy it today?
• Would I buy it today if it wasn’t on sale?
• Will I want to replace it with something newer?
• Will it make someone else happier?

After you’ve answered those questions carefully and strictly, add them back to the closet or dresser. You might want to try the hanger trick: hang clothing on hangers backwards and if you wear it, keep it. If you don’t touch it after a certain period of time, get it out.

Set a timer on your calendar or phone to remind you to go through your closet again. I like coming back a second, third, fourth time… or even monthly! In time you might be ready to part with things you truly don’t need.

Make a Store Pile (Optional)

If you have a small closet space, you might want to store some of your clothing in plastic bins. Some examples include: out of season clothes and shoes, maternity clothing, pre-baby clothing, too small, too big (post baby clothing).

But don’t save everything and don’t shove stuff in bins! Think of your store pile as a future keep pile and edit it with a careful eye. If you are storing more than a few bins, re-think what you are saving. If you brought this bin out (warmer weather, having a baby, lost/gained weight):

• Do I love this item?
• Is it stained or damaged?
• Does it make me look and feel good? (ask a friend or spouse if you are unsure)
• Would I buy it today?
• Would I buy it today if it wasn’t on sale?
• Will I want to replace it with something newer?
• Is it still my style?

Be just as selective of your bins as what you have in your closet because one day, they will be the items in your closet. Do you need your bin of high school t-shirts? Will you ever make them into a t-shirt quilt? Do you need 40 sweatshirts? No. No you don’t. 😉

Remember that with body changes, you will likely want to buy a few new, thrifted, or on sale items. Keep basic items like jeans or shirts, only the ones you love and that fit well.

 

Don’t Keep Pile

This can be tough for even the most detached people. When sorting, put your “don’t keep” clothes into bags, and put those bags in the car. Don’t let your bags sit around, clutter things up, or deter you from donating them. Just get them out!

Here is a list of what to do with your stuff. It has everything from donating, selling, a list of charities, or even how to recycle your damaged clothes.

One of the big reasons this can be so tough is that when decluttering, your clothes are a reminder of money spent or lost. If you don’t love or wear an item that is new, let someone else love it. Okay, so you spent $50 on a shirt and you never wore it. Stop feeling bad about it or letting it get to you, move on. Could you sell it? Maybe. But not for what you paid for it. Give it to a friend that might love it and pretend you bought it for her. Or just donate and let someone else love it.

And guess what? After this experience you might be a little bit more careful, at least that’s how it’s been for me. Shop at thrift stores, consignment shops, or my favorite, garage sales. Not only will you will save money, but you will be less attached to things and more willing to donate when you are done with them. If you spend less, you can afford to splurge on items you will wear often, like shoes or jeans.

 

When Decluttering Clothes Gets Emotional

This is where it gets even tougher.

Maybe you aren’t the size you’d like, or maybe you had a hard time getting pregnant again. Maybe some clothing is from a loved one who passed or marks a happier period in your life. I could go on and I wish I could give you a hug right now. Many people have an emotional attachment to clothing and it’s NOT silly, nor are you alone.

But DO NOT let those pieces of woven fibers control you or make you feel miserable. Because really, that’s what they are: fibers, fabric, thread, buttons.

If you have something memorable that makes you happy, keep it. If it smells like your loved one, keep it.

Do so with careful editing because you can’t keep everything. Have a friend help you out. Take pictures of items or look for pictures of the piece when it was in use. You may find that the picture holds more of a memory than the clothing.

Think about the good you can do with the clothing, and maybe make up scenarios. You can help a single mom preparing for a new job, a young mother with a new baby, or an elderly lady looking for some pieces to update her wardrobe.

 

Most importantly with all of this,

Don’t Be Hard On Yourself

If sorting the clothing gets to be too much, take it bit by bit, that’s what the 40 Bags in 40 Days challenge is about! Chip away at your clothes until they become less overwhelming. It has taken me years to get to this point.

Start now, and I promise, you will feel a whole lot better.

 

Do you have any suggestions for decluttering clothing?

I’d love to hear them, leave them in the comments.