"Purge your Closet and Love your Wardrobe in 4 Simple Steps"
How to Purge Your Closet & Love your Wardrobe in 4 Simple Steps!
I’m so glad you are here :) It’s that time of year when we all start thinking about purging unwanted items, decluttering, and cleaning out our homes. Your closet is the perfect place to start. You probably received some awesome new clothes and/or accessories for Christmas and now you’re asking yourself “where do I put this?”
Do you feel like your closet is already overflowing with clothes?
Do you feel like you have piles of clothes everywhere and don’t know where to begin?
Do you stand in front of your closet with a few minutes to spare and can’t find what you want to wear?
Do you ever find yourself saying “I have nothing to wear” but you are staring at a closet full of clothes?
If you answered yes to any of the above questions then you have come to the right place.
It’s a brand new year and we all have that same feeling of a fresh new start. I know just the very thought of organizing your closet can be overwhelming, I am feeling your pain, I have been there. Over the last year I’ve been working on minimizing my closet by using a “Use it or Lose it” strategy. I came to the realization that if I haven’t used it within the last year, I am probably not ever going to. So why hang on to all of it? Especially when I know that there are people out there that can use it. My closet is definitely still a work in progress, but I am getting there and I know that you can too
Imagine how great it will feel to open you closet doors in the morning and only see the things you love. Your closet is organized exactly how you want it and you can easily find an outfit to wear.
Here are 4 simple steps to a wardrobe you will LOVE.
Step 1: Gather all of your clothes, yep, all of them. Gather all of them from your closet, your dresser(s), your laundry area, your storage areas, or any other creative areas where you have stashed them or piled them. Empty that closet out until you only see the bare walls.
Step 2: Sort all of your clothes into 2 piles. The “Use it” pile and the “Lose it” pile.
Ask yourself if you’ve worn the item within the last year? If not, the truth is, you are probably not going to wear it again, ever. You can be brave and you can “lose it.” It will be okay…. I promise! You’ll be amazed at how free you will feel after you get going on this project. It may feel wasteful to give away perfectly good clothing, this part of the purging process can be very hard. I had to give myself a new perspective, and that is, it’s not a waste if it blesses someone. There is someone out there who will enjoy it, can use it, and will possibly even love it more than you do.
Ask yourself “Do I love this?” Our goal is to help you create a wardrobe that you love. If you only “like it” you probably won’t wear it. This is also true for items that don’t fit properly. Only keep those items that you love and that will realistically fit you again. After all, it is just after the Holidays and you may have put on a few extra pounds. So it’s okay to keep items that are a little snug.
Now you are finding items that you love but you have nothing to go with them. That’s okay, if you love them, keep them. Make yourself a shopping list of what you need to go along with that favorite item. Take a picture of it for the next time you go shopping to help you find the perfect match. This will help you shop more strategically and not end up with more items you love but don’t go with anything else in your closet.
So here’s where you are wondering if you should have a “maybe” or “just in case” pile. The answer is “No”! I used to keep a pile of these clothes. But what I found was that I still had a lot more clothes than I was actually wearing. The “Maybe I’ll wear it” pile was still causing the closet to overflow and still hindering me from finding what I want to wear. My advice is to stick to the two piles, “Use it” or “Lose it”. Trust you gut instinct, the goal is to start to rebuild your wardrobe only with clothes and accessories that you will LOVE to wear.
Step 3: Work through the “Lose It” Pile. Decide how you want to get rid of these items. There are tons of local organizations that do a good job of providing clothing to needy women and families in the community. Find one that resonates with you and drop your stuff off. As an added bonus, ask for a receipt for tax purposes. Think of friends that may love the items you have to get rid of and give it to them. Another way to get rid of your items is to sell them. Have a garage sale, use local “For Sale” sites, eBay, Poshmark, etc.
Step 4: Put each item in the “Use it” Pile (the ones that you LOVE) back into your closet or dresser. Organize your closet/dresser anyway that suits your lifestyle best. Make sure you have a good ratio of casual clothes to work clothes.
The entire process can be simple, but it does take some time. You don’t want to be rushed. Choose a time when you feel good, you look good, and you have a few hours to dedicate to the project. If you try doing this after a big meal or when you are feeling bloated you may not have anything left in your closet. I recommend that you try on a lot of your clothes, especially those that you haven’t worn in awhile. And if you have a ton of clothes, break it up into groups. Go through all of your tops, then all your bottoms, then dresses, shoes, etc. It’s even fun to buddy up with a good friend who can give you another opinion or make suggestions. Most importantly don’t stress over it, make it fun!
Let me know how it goes! Send your before and after pictures to meandmommyscloset@gmail.com for a chance to win a $100 Shopping Spree at meandmommyscloset.com.
Choose to Shine!
Jenni
