Closet Edit
The how, the why, and any other questions I can answer on the topic :)
Feeling the need for a closet clean out but wondering how to best go about the task? I have a long history with closet clean outs.
Back in my blogging days I had a closet clean out e-course. Then as a professional organizer for 3 years in Colorado I cleaned out closets for clients. Now as a personal stylist I’m still giving advice on all the things closet-wise. And one foundational part of a closet is the all-important closet clean out & edit.
When should you do a closet clean out?
It depends! I’d say two of the most important times to do a closet clean out is if A) you have no hangers/space left, or B) you are feeling overwhelmed and/or uninspired by your clothes. When you have that urge to start all over or change your wardrobe entirely, that’s your cue to get into your closet and edit.
And editing doesn’t always mean purging 😉
Other times it could be ideal to do a closet clean out:
moving
switching out seasons
life transitions
reorganizing your closet
Really I don’t think there’s a wrong time to do a closet clean out. If you are feeling the urge, that’s always a good sign to take some time to tackle it.
How do I begin?
If you’ve never done a complete closet clean out, this might take awhile. You’ve been warned ;) But the good news is the more often you dive into your closet and maintain the contents, the less time consuming it will become down the road. First clear your schedule for at least one whole day. It might take two days depending on the size of your closet and the contents. Make sure your household knows what is going on, you will soon find out why.
Turn on some tunes, get yourself some good snacks and beverages, and it’s time to start this party!
Step one:
empty out your closet. Yes. Every.Thing. You can sort a little into broad categories as you empty. Dresses. Bottoms. Tops. Activewear. Outerwear. (If your closet is close to the living or dining room it might help to empty your closet/sort items in other rooms. This is why it’s important for the household to know what is happening 😉)
Step two:
clean your closet! This is probably the easiest step, btw. Vacuum, dust, wipe down the walls, use a magic eraser on the shoe scuffs…whatever you need to do to get the space clean while it’s empty.
Step three:
some fair warning, this step takes the longest. Especially if this is your first clean out/it’s been awhile since your last clean out. This is also the step where you may want to enlist some help if you get stuck: a trusted friend, a professional organizer, a personal stylist…plenty of options!
You will need at least 3 piles/boxes during this stage:
repair/clean
donate/sell
recycle or trash (lets face it, sometimes we moms find straight up trash our kids leave in our closets 🙃)
optional categories can be: put away in storage, put in a memory box, on the fence, give to a certain friend or charity, or whatever else fits your particular needs/desires.
This is where you edit and put away. Edit means TRYING THINGS ON. Especially the pieces you are on the fence about. Put away the pieces you KNOW serve you well, fit, and adhere to your personal style. Here are some tips to help you along in the process:
if the item(s) can’t be paired with at least 3 other items in your closet, time for that piece to go.
if the item(s) cannot be repaired by you or a tailor, it needs to be recycled.
if it cannot be fitted to your body as it is now, and it is currently unwearable…pass it along. You are only adding to your burdens by hanging on to it.
if you saw this piece in the store today and wouldn’t buy it, why are you keeping it?
if you don’t like how it fits/looks on you, time to go.
if you don’t wear it, why? Do you not like the color? The silhouette? The fit? Ask yourself some questions and go from there. Maybe that piece just isn’t you! (If you want to read more about personal style click here.)
There are MANY questions you can ask yourself during a closet clean out, so those are just a few to get you thinking.
Put your clothes back in a way that serves you and your space best. Think of easy to reach places as the “prime real estate”, put your most often worn pieces in those zones and go from there.
Why do a closet clean out?
After your closet clean out is complete, do your best to donate, sell, or giveaway your unwanted pieces as soon as you can.
I also recommend going on a “buying break” at this point. Especially if this closet clean out has been a long time coming, you need to wear what you have so you can rewear, rework, and identify gaps in your closet.
Maybe you’ve heard that term thrown around before but don’t really know what it means.
A gap in your closet is usually when you put something on and you think “this would look so much better with _____”. Or if you’ve noticed a certain garment people are wearing and everytime you see it you think “I love that! I could totally wear it with ____.” Those are gaps. You notice how you could wear them and already own at least 3 pieces to coordinate with it.
An example might be a denim jacket. You identify how you could wear the jacket with dresses, black jeans, as well as some skirts.
A gap in your closet could also be something you need to replace. Jeans, jackets, dresses, shoes, tank tops,…just make sure you replace with something that will last! Not an impulse purchase.
But going on a break from buying new clothes (I suggest 4+ weeks at least) is a great way to identify gaps.
Another good reason to do closet clean outs consistently as well as buying breaks: clothes in our closets do add mental and emotional weight. If you step into your closet and are daily reminded: those jeans don’t fit, I spent XYZ on that dress I wore once, I was gifted that shirt I do not like, those sweaters were a late night impulse purchase, those shoes look cute but give me horrible blisters,…all those thoughts and reminders are burdening you. Are they causing you to wear those things? I’m guessing not.
So stop hanging on them out of pure guilt. Stop punishing yourself. Let the items go and make better decisions in the future.
Sometimes when you aren’t buying clothes you can hear these thoughts more clearly. When we are filling our closets, we are distracting ourselves from the truth we aren’t wearing certain things So stop stifling them with more stuff. Let the dust settle and just listen. It’s easier to let your personal style shine through as well ;)
So that’s how I go about a closet clean out. There are many “why’s” but those two are I feel are the most important. Personally, I enjoy a good closet clean out. Once it’s done it is so refreshing. You feel empowered to wear what you own and the space feels reset and inspiring.
When was the last time you did a good closet clean out? I hope this was helpful as well as encouraging! And should you need any help or cheering along the way, I’m here for you 😉
An edited, cleaned out closet is an intentional closet!