I'm spending most of today on starting a project that will likely take a few months to complete…revamping my wardrobe! This is on my list of things to do during year 23, and I'm excited to take on the first step: cleaning out my closet.
Ok, so technically I haven't really gone through my closet since I moved in (almost two years ago!). I know I have items that I don't wear, don't need, no longer fit right, etc. And today I'm going through those items to clean out my closet and only keep what I want to take with me into this new "grown up" style.
I'll be donating most of the items, and selling some popular items to consignment stores.
Here's how I'm cleaning out my closet:
1. Taking on different parts at different times - Shoes, accessories, tops, bottoms, dresses, coats/jackets/sweaters, t-shirts. I'm doing half of these items today and the other half next week. I think doing it all at once can be overwhelming and you're less likely to get rid of everything you should if you have to do it all at once.
2. Shoes - I'm eliminating shoes if:
- They don't fit
-They're worn out
-I never wear them
-They're uncomfortable
I keep in season shoes out on the floor (see above) and out of season shoes in a large plastic blue box that I got from Target.
3. Accessories and tops - I think accessories are very versatile so I have trouble getting rid of these. But I'm eliminating belts and scarves if they're worn out or if I never wear them. And I'll pack up my winter scarves into a box once Atlanta's weather gets stable!
When it comes to tops, I am separating them into winter and summer tops. I am not going to go through my winter tops right now, but I will toward the end of summer. They will go in a storage box, similar to the shoe box. I am eliminating summer tops if:
-I never wear them
-They don't fit right
-They don't fit the adult wardrobe I'm going for
-I think I can sell them and buy a top I like more
4. T-shirts - Every college student/grad probably has a ridiculous collection of t-shirts, and I'm no outlier! While I do wear t-shirts to sleep in and workout in, there are some shirts that I never wear. I'm packing those up and they will be used in the t-shirt quilt I want to sew with my mom (hopefully this summer!). Here are other fun/interesting things to do with t-shirts.
5. Dresses and skirts - I still have some dresses from high school! And while they may still fit, I know that I should get rid of them because I don't wear them. First, I'm separating my dresses into fall/winter dresses versus spring/summer dresses, and I'm packing up the fall/winter skirts and dresses into a box. Then, I'm going through the spring/summer skirts and dresses and eliminating them if:
-They're too short
-They don't fit right in other areas
-They are out of style
-I never wear them
-They don't go with the new style I'm going for
6. Jackets and coats - These are also difficult to get rid of, but they take up so much space in my closet! I definitely need some new grown up coats and jackets so I know I need to get rid of the ones I have now. I'm making sure to keep a light jacket, heavy jacket, the blazers I wear the most, and a rain jacket. I'm eliminating jackets/coats/sweaters if:
-The arms are too short
-They're too short or too tight overall
-They are worn out
-I never wear them
-They don't go with the new style I'm going for
7. Everything else - if I haven't worn it or even considered wearing it in the past few months, I'm getting rid of it. It feels great to get rid of the old, and make room for the new. I also know that there are people who will appreciate my clothing donations.
Once I'm all finished cleaning and organizing, I'll be sure to share an update!
What are some other tips for cleaning out your closet?
I have my T shirts down to one drawer of ones that have sentimental value and I have not bought any T shirts since college because they are just unflattering and take up space. I looked at my tops yesterday and managed to get rid of 2. I have such a hard time getting rid of things. I think you are going to do way better then me.
ReplyDeleteI don't have the wardrobe you have but I totally agree with how you are going about organizing yours... Taking on things in portions that can be handled and getting rid of things that are no longer useful to you. After I lost all this weight, I bought quite a few clothes and I finally cleaned out all the clothes that no longer fit or looked good... it was freeing :)
ReplyDeleteI probably have stuff from years ago lost in my closet
ReplyDeletereally helpful post! i definitely have to do some cleaning out :)
ReplyDeleteI have a similar method when cleaning out my closet as well. Most of the stuff I get rid of is usually still in good condition or with tags still on it that I never wore so I donate it in lieu of trashing it. I have soooo many tshirts. And pajamas surprisingly that they take up the majority of the drawer space so that's what I usually have to toss to stay organized....
ReplyDelete