Yesterday, I tackled bi-annual closet cleanout, and wow, it brought up all the feels. So I recorded a video and wrote up some tips to help you if you’re feeling overwhelmed or unsure where to start.
Here’s how let go of those pieces that no longer serve you. I’ll also give you a quick tour of how I reorganized my clothes– it’s going to be a game-changer to help me find the pieces for my outfits each day!
Quick Summary: Letting go of clothes isn’t just about removing things, it also brings up strong emotions like guilt, anxiety, or sentimental feelings. The good news is, while it’s painful to remove those items, you’ll quickly discover how GOOD you feel right after. It’s actually going to surprise you. Here’s how.
How to Cleanout Your Closet and Let Go (Despite those emotions)
Let’ get real—decluttering is tough, emotionally. As I was going through my closet yesterday, I felt everything from guilt about those rarely-worn items to a wave of sentimentality over pieces I’ve had for years.
But the reality is, we shouldn’t be keeping clothes we don’t wear or only put on (with hesitation) once a year. It’s cluttering our space and not serving us.
It’s so normal to feel anxious or even a bit of pain when you’re deciding what stays and what goes.
Just know that these emotions are part of the process, you’ll feel better on the other side of the decision!
Benefits of Decluttering
Once you push through those emotional hurdles, the benefits of decluttering are so worth it.
You will feel SO FREE after moving those items away from your daily view, it’ll probably surprise you that such tough emotions could be followed by such relief!
My closet now only holds what I actually wear, and it’s so much clearer and more organized.
It makes getting dressed each day so much more enjoyable because everything left there are favorites AND it’s easier to find pieces because there’s less clutter.
You’ll also be ultra clear on what gaps are missing in your wardrobe– use our checklist to find out!
Practical Tips for Decluttering
There’s a simple way to approach decluttering your closet. Here’s what helped me yesterday:
- Ask yourself with each item: Do I love it? Would I wear it tomorrow if the weather was right? This question keeps me grounded and focused on what truly deserves a spot in my closet.
- If the answer is no, consider archiving the item by storing it out of sight for a few months. I have a bin where I stash those “maybe” items, giving myself time to decide if I really miss them.
- If you don’t miss the archived items, it’s easier to let them go later. This way, you’re not forcing yourself to make final decisions right away, which can ease the pressure.
- Declutter your closet about twice a year, ideally before major seasonal changes. This habit keeps things fresh and prevents clutter from building up.
Organizing Your Closet
Now, let’s talk about organizing!
Every time I declutter, I move things around and gradually improve the flow of where I put each category of clothes + how I group them.
I love where I ended up this time! Here’s what I did:
Grouped similar items together—pants, sweaters, tops, dresses, and completer pieces. This makes it easy to find what I need.
I also divided these groups into print pieces versus solid pieces, and further by color (neutrals first and then accent colors) which makes outfit planning a breeze because you can locate the pieces in our outfit formulas easily.
Kept completer pieces like cardigans, jackets, and vests in their own sections. It helps when I’m grabbing layers to finish off my look.
Displayed my shoes and bags nicely too, like a little shop in my closet. It makes getting dressed more fun and makes your closet pretty too. (Thanks to my husband for inspiring this step!)
For a more comprehensive blog post on decluttering + organizing check out: How to Declutter Your Closet.
I hope sharing my experience helps you tackle your closet with confidence.
If you’re going to give it a try, let me know in the comments below—I’d love to be your accountability buddy and check in on how it went!
Decluttering Resources
Here are the free resources I mentioned in the video to help you get started.
Our free 5-day decluttering guide can walk you through the process step by step, with daily emails and videos.
We’ll send you an email a day for 5 days, with what steps to take, which questions to ask, and answers to frequently asked questions in case you get stuck.
Also, using our clothing essentials checklist can also help you figure out what essentials you have and what gaps you need to fill. It’s a simple way to instantly create a shopping list that is objective! Grab that below: