Closet full of clothes but nothing to wear? It’s time for a spring cleaning, no matter the time of the year. Clearing out your closet sounds like creating more mess, but just remember – less stuff means more space, easier dressing, and more freedom. So what are you waiting for? Follow the tips listed bellow and you will be cluster-free in no time.
1. Organize your time
Think before you do. Choose the day or days for clearing-out, and give yourself a possible time limit. If you get easily bored when organizing, manage the cleaning in steps rather than trying to attack the closet all at once. Also acquire some boxes or garbage bags to have on hand when the clear-up starts.
2. Organize your space and take baby steps
Now do I start clearing-out? Not yet. Tidy up your room. It doesn’t have to be tiptop, just manageable, so as you can have enough space to organize the stuff as you pull them out of your closet. Otherwise it will look like trying to organize mess within a mess, which is basically mission impossible.
And now you can start. But not all at once! Choose the most ‘problematic’ part of your closet and start there. Don’t continue before clearing-out the part you’ve chosen, otherwise you could, again, create a mess, and consequently bail from the whole process.
3. Make your piles
Make four piles, ‘keep’, ‘try on’, ‘throw away’ and ‘give away’.
In the ‘keep’ pile put only things you love and actually wear. If you have to add a few items you love but, for some reason, don’t wear, try to keep them few to a minimum, no more than a box.
In the ‘try on’ pile don’t actually put anything, my suggestion is to try on the item you would put there right away. Make your decision there and then. Place the item on one of the other piles, depending on the result.
In the ‘throw away’ pile put everything that cannot be easily fixed. Don’t fool yourself that you will take that stain out with some internet hack, if you haven’t tried already.
In the ‘give away’ pile put clothes you might have liked but don’t work for you anymore. If you don’t wear it that often or it doesn’t really work with anything else in your closet – give it away. Don’t keep it for some costume party or whatever.
4. Cluster hazard
If keeping around clothes is not a solution for you, as either they will find their way back to your closet or you really don’t have the time or space for them for until you find them a new home, try using professional help, a rubbish removal company like Pinkjunk. This may cost you money but it might save you time, nerves and the necessary closet space.
5. Reorganize your closet space
Now is the time to put the ‘chosen’ clothes back into your closet. Manage them in categories, short sleeves, long sleeves etc. Depending on the season or general use, place the items used more within easy reach, in front.
6. Keep it organized
Your closet has never looked better. Good job! Now comes the hard part – keeping it that way. You can’t change your habits right away, no one can, but try to enforce new rules. Firstly, buy only the stuff you really like and you can actually see wearing. Also, think if you can combine that piece with your other clothes. Otherwise pass. If you can get some cute clothes for free, pick through them, don’t keep another pile just in case.
To sum up, clearing-out has never been so easy. If you follow the tips above, you can’t fail. Start with thinking it all out and schedule the time for the great clean up. On the actual day of the clearing, organize your working space by tidying up a bit. While cleaning out the closets, make piles and stick to the rules of each. Make sure the stuff you took out doesn’t find its way back to your closet and also keep track of the new items you bring in, so as to keep the closets organized as long as possible. And hey, since you’re on a roll now, why not move onto organizing other parts of your humble abode!
