From Chaos to Clarity: Here’s How to Purge Your Closet and Stay Sorted!
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Out with the old, in with the fabulous! Let’s start purging the closet the right way!
Does your closet space turn you off whenever you are trying to get ready for an outing? Do you never find anything good to wear while going out?
Wondering why your closet space is unable to accommodate all your outfits? Do you never have enough clothes, no matter how much you go shopping?
Then, babe, you are in desperate need of a closet purge!
Trust me, girl! Get rid of all the unwanted clothes in your wardrobe and opt for a complete closet cleanout.
So, basically, our clothes do get piled up in the closet over time. And we keep hoarding them up in the hope of wearing them someday in the future.
However, our unused and unworn clothes do take up a lot of space, thereby creating a lot of unnecessary clutter.
So, the only solution is to purge clothes that are lying neglected and unused. Now I understand that doing away with your clothes and sorting out your wardrobe is not an easy task.
First, it requires a great deal of management and planning. Second, it needs a mindset shift as well.
Worry not, darling! Your girl has all the nuggets you would need! Let’s not waste any more time and get started with building a minimalist wardrobe!
Why is it Important to Purge Your Closet From Time to Time?
- Coz’ it brings mental peace.
- And buys you time.
- And keeps your clothes in the best condition.
- And you get to make room for your newly bought pieces.
Yes! There are so many benefits of getting rid of unwanted and unworn clothing articles.
Nothing frustrates you more than a wardrobe that is so full and still you have NOTHING to wear! Save yourself this mental battle and purge clothes that you do not need anymore.
Save your precious time and get ready in minutes. No more spending hours before you finally get that one outfit to wear at work.
Protect your clothes from lint, scratch, and wrinkles. Fold them up, or hang them and give them enough room to breathe. Buy new clothes and arrange them with love in your closet.
When is the Right Time to Give a Makeover to Your Wardrobe and Go For a Closet Purge?
Although it is important to purge your closet at regular intervals, having a timeline in mind will help you clean up and set up your closet quickly.
If you ask me, I would say that I take hints from seasonal changes. Take cues from the weather around you.
If winter weather is gone, take out warm outfits from your wardrobe. On the other hand, if summer is gone, then take them out of your closet and store them somewhere else.
Also, if it’s getting excessively difficult to choose a single outfit for any occasion, then I would definitely take time out to de-clutter my closet.
And the constant nagging feeling that “I have nothing at all to wear” also pushes me to try closet purge so that I can get rid of unwanted clothes and make room for outfits that match my current personal style.
Mindset Shift You Need Before Purging Your Closet
A closet purge can be emotionally draining. See, it is not just about sorting out your wardrobe and getting rid of unused clothes.
Purging your closet also involves giving up on outfits that you have held onto for so long. If you are anything like me, then you must definitely have at least a couple of outfits that hold sentimental value for you.
- Maybe you had worn that dress when he proposed to you.
- Maybe that button-down shirt was once worn by your mother.
- Maybe you got your first-ever promotion in that blazer.
It is, therefore, important to proceed with the closet purge cautiously. Because you cannot always get rid of sentimental items. Without a proper mindset shift, it gets impossible to purge your closet peacefully.
The idea is to understand that a closet purge can be highly liberating.
Here are a few points that helped me get that mindset shift. Try ’em and lemme know how it goes!
- Darling, if money is your concern, then let me tell you that your unused clothing items are already an instance of sunk costs. Since you are not wearing them, you are not getting anything out of your purchase.
Rather, you are just getting annoyed and frustrated while blaming yourself for buying that outfit in the first place! - Just by looking at certain pieces, you can be sure that it is no way coming back in style EVER!
“But 90s outfits are all over the place once again”, you would say.
Honey, I have always emphasized timeless pieces. Of course, you can keep your branded jacket from the old days.
But you really need to get over that short dress you borrowed from your college bestie!
I mean, any “old” outfit that does not give you that classy look is not worth storing in your closet. - Any outdated clothing item which makes you look old because of its stitches, buttons, collar, sleeves, or patterns should not take up space in your wardrobe.
Why would you want to store and wear any outdated outfit that won’t contribute to your good looks? - Babe, stop confusing your closet with a departmental store!
You do not have to hoard outfits of different styles, tastes and ages in your wardrobe. Just adhere to your current style, and you are sorted!
Toss out these Clothes and Stuff ASAP!
Still, feeling clueless as to which clothing items you should get rid of? Here’s a quick list for you to tick off!
1. Clothes that don’t fit anymore
Been there, done that! And that’s how I know that these outfits are a total waste of your closet space.
Be it that high school denim jeans from your “zero size” days or that short dress from your college prom night, if it does not fit you NOW, it does not deserve a space in your wardrobe.
2. Outfits that can be worn just once
There are certain outfits that you wear just once in your life. For instance, it can be your wedding dress, a cocktail dress or maybe your high school uniform.
If you wore it just once and there are seemingly no events coming up where you can wear them again, it is better to let go of such outfits.
Of course, it is hard to part ways with your wedding gown. You can then at least shift it from your main closet and store it in a spare room.
Or, maybe you can be the good samaritan and donate your wedding dress to someone who cannot afford such expensive attire but deserves all the happiness in this world!
3. Clothes that are stained
Some stains are hard to remove! If your favorite pair of skinny jeans have stubborn stains that even your stain fixer is not able to remove, then babe, just move on!
If the outfit is super close to your heart, try removing (the stain today itself, not tomorrow, not next week, maybe).
You can also take it to a dry cleaner and seek professional help.
If nothing works out, then babe, it’s time!
4. Clothes that are damaged
No matter how much you love that satin shirt of yours, if it’s damaged, you must let it go.
There’s absolutely no sense in storing damaged, worn out, torn and ripped clothing items in your closet.
Socks and underwear that have holes also come in this category.
5. Mismatched socks
You got to be lying if you say that there’s not even one drawer at your place that is not dedicated to single socks.
I mean, losing one of your favorite socks is common. But holding these forever single socks close to your heart is completely useless.
Dedicate a day to search for the missing pairs. And if the search goes in vain, you better get rid of these mismatched socks.
5. Clothes that you plan to wear “one day”
We all have those outfits which we “plan” to wear “one day.”
Will wear that bikini when I visit Maldives!
Will wear that blazer when I attend the XYZ seminar!
Will wear that overcoat when I visit Alaska!
Grow up! You don’t even know what you are gonna have for dinner tonight! And you have been saving all these outfits for that one event that you are not even sure of happening in the future!
This is straightaway crazy!
Either you donate them, sell them out in a thrift shop, or store them in a spare room.
For God’s sake, stop overloading your wardrobe with these “One day, I will” clothes.
6. Clothes that make you feel uncomfortable
It can be that little black dress with a dangerously plunging neckline.
Or, it can be a turtle neck pullover that makes you feel suffocated.
For once, choose your comfort over the spent money!
Just because the outfit is expensive does not mean that you have to wear it by compromising on your comfort!
7. Gifted items that do not suit your style
Generally, I do not like to wear the gifted items because, most of the time, they do not match my style.
Come on! Hardly anyone researches about your preference and style before gifting you an outfit (read relatives).
Only your loved ones actually make efforts to gift you some really nice outfits.
So, simply donate those gifted outfits which do not match your vibe and style to someone who actually needs it.
8. Outfits that you are holding onto in the hope of passing down to your daughter
Trust me! These “just in case she loves it” outfits hold no significance at all.
It does not make sense that you keep storing certain outfits for your future daughter.
It is okay to keep one special outfit as a token of love. However, storing piles of clothes in the hope of passing them down to your off-springs will not only occupy more space in your closet but also hamper your everyday fashion decision-making.
Step-by-Step Process of purging clothes you don’t Need!
Now that you have finally made up your mind to achieve a sorted wardrobe, here’s a step-by-step breakdown of how to purge your closet.
I promise it will be much easier than you think! Here you go, honey!
1. Take out every single clothing item from the closet.
Want complete clarity?
Then do me a favor, darling! Empty your closet completely to begin the closet purge process.
The idea is to purge clothes that do not serve your purpose anymore.
So, whether your clothes are lying in the laundry, piled up somewhere in the storage room or are at your boyfriend’s place, get everything in front of you.
P.S. You will need a lot of time to do this. So, I would suggest you start with the closet purge process only when you have at least 4 to 5 hours in hand.
2. Do a Black, White and Grey sorting!
Create three bins and label them as black, grey and white.
The black ones are for those clothes that you absolutely don’t want in your closet anymore.
“White” will be the outfits that bring joy from within add to your confidence and urge you to get ready and go out.
The grey bin is for the clothes that you can dedicate to your “Maybe” clothing items.
Put back the “White” items in your closet. And keep the “Black” ones out of your sight for the time being.
You won’t even realize how mentally satisfying this task is!
3. Try every outfit that you dumped into the “Grey” category.
Grab your Grey bin and start trying all the outfits one by one. Seek someone’s advice if you are confused about whether or not to keep an outfit.
Click pictures to get a better idea. Check if you fit into them or not. And most importantly, try to understand how a particular outfit makes you feel.
Does it light you up from within? Or does it bring down your confidence?
Does it bring along a positive feeling? Or does it make you pessimistic and skeptical?
Put back the ones that you are optimistic and happy about. And get rid of the rest!
4. Create a capsule wardrobe.
Please, take a look at your wardrobe. It is fu*king breathing, girl!
Now that you are done with the clothing purge, it is time to take note of what else is missing.
So basically, what I have always suggested, is to have a capsule wardrobe that helps you slay your fashion game.
So, go out shopping and get yourself the clothing items that complete your closet. Build your capsule wardrobe gradually by adding basic pieces to it.
And if you need more help, I would suggest you check out this article I wrote to help you out with the concept of a capsule wardrobe.
Tools That Make the Closet Purge Process Easy-Peasy
Now are these a must-have? Probably not. But will they help? Definitely yes! Do they need to be fancy? Absolutely not.
1. A mobile phone
Record yourself on your mobile phone. Click selfies or full-length pictures in your outfits. This will ease the decision-making process.
I always use my smartphone whenever I plan to purge clothes. When I see myself in the images, it gives me a better sense of clarity, and I can make my choice easier.
2. A tripod
Since you will need some full-length images, I would suggest you get a tripod.
Next time you plan to purge your closet, set your smartphone on the tripod and get yourself clicked. You won’t need anyone else to click your photos and record you in those “Maybe” clothes!
3. A full-length mirror
To check yourself out and get a clear view of how a particular outfit looks on you, you should get a full-length mirror.
Not just during the closet purge, but you can use the mirror to style your everyday looks as well.
I personally have a well-decorated, full-length mirror in my bedroom, which my fashionnova a$$ cannot live without!
4. Closet lights
Invest in some good-quality closet lights. The last thing you need is a dark and bleak wardrobe.
A well-lit closet helps you see the clothes clearly. You can check the minute details, such as stitch, color, damage, fabric etc., easily. Battery-operated closet lights work really well for me!
Additional Tips and Tricks to Purge Your Closet
- As I told you earlier, it will take time to purge your closet. So take up this activity on a Sunday morning, maybe! You will have the entire day to yourself.
- Have a checklist and keep ticking the items off as you proceed through the task.
- Make notes of the nearest donation centers. So that once you are done with the closet purge, you can then donate your pre-loved clothes to needy people.
- If you have too many expensive pieces in good condition that don’t fit anymore on you, try starting your own thrift shop on Instagram.
Get yourself clicked in those outfits. Have some good clicks of the outfits, and add some reels as well.
Keep the rates nominal to make them easily accessible to others.
This way, you will not only get rid of the unwanted stuff, but also you will make some quick money! Here’s more on how to make money thrifting 😉 - Apart from clothes, you can also try a closet purge for your accessories, shoes, jewelry and similar stuff. You will be surprised at how much space they occupy unnecessarily!
Final Thoughts on How to Purge Clothes!
Conducting a ruthless and quick closet purge is an absolute non-negotiable for every shopaholic out there!
I know how much you love to shop, and then one fine day, you realize that even though your wardrobe is on the brink of exploding, you have nothing to wear.
So babe, start purging your closet as soon as possible before it is too late!
Also, shop strategically. Get yourself items that you can start using immediately. Do not invest in something just because you “think” you will use it at some point in the future.
Take cues from this elaborate guide and give your wardrobe the much-needed makeover it needs.
Still, have some doubts? Drop your questions in the comment sections. I am all ears, bub!
See ya’ll super soon! Toodles xo
Related articles on How to Closet Purge
- Save Big With Cost Per Wear: Mastering The Art Of Pocket-Friendly Fashion
- How To Look Elegant And Classy Every Day, No Matter The Occasion
- How To Build A Summer Capsule Wardrobe That Will Take You From Beach To Barbecue!
