Spring is in the air and so is a whole season of new clothes and accessories just waiting to break into your wardrobe. Now is the perfect time of year to clean out your closet and determine what you need (read: actually wear) and what to be rid of.
If you find yourself at a loss for what to wear in the morning, peering into a tight and cramped closet or finding items you forgot you had, then it’s definitely time for a closet reboot.
With some time, organization and a positive attitude, you’ll be on your way to a clean and streamlined closet that’s ready to hold the season’s best new items that will surely put a spring in your step.
1. Prepare
Make sure to reserve a couple hours to completely purge your closet from top to bottom. Believe me, nothing is worse than stopping halfway through cleaning out your closet with a huge indistinguishable mess (what’s this pile of clothes, again?!). Make time, relax and turn on some good tunes to make the time go by quickly.
2. Edit
Look at your closet as if you were an editor styling the photoshoot of your life. What pieces are your must-haves, your everyday go-tos? If a piece of clothing or an accessory doesn’t make you feel confident and comfortable, ditch it. Try Gwyneth Paltrow’s “two tries” rule: If you put on a garment but then take it off to wear something else more than twice, you’ll probably never wear it. Also look for tags – anything more than 6 months old obviously means it’s not working for a reason.
3. Ask Yourself
Be true to yourself and ask the important questions –
- Does this fit?
- Have I worn this item within the past year? If not, let it go.
- Is this item truly my style or a trend that I want to wear?
- If something is damaged, is it reparable? If so, would I take the time and spend the money to get it fixed?
- Do I feel confident when I wear this?
4. Organize
Re-evaluate your new wardrobe and check out places like The Container Store, Bed Bath and Beyond or Target for great closet and storage organizers. Things like huggable hangers, shoe compartments and accessory containers will take up less room in your closet and make your life easier.
5. Purge
While you’re shopping for organizers, gather three boxes for those items you’re ready to part with. Divide and conquer into toss, donate and sell. If items are damaged, ripped or are generally no longer wearable, toss them into the trash bag. For those articles that are wearable but aren’t particularly of value (e.g. fast fashion pieces from H&M and Forever 21), donate them. Consider selling the rest of the items to a local consignment boutique or online.
Have any tips for spring cleaning your closet? Share them in the comments below.
