Closet Clean-out

Need a weekend project? Depending how long it’s been since you’ve gone through your closet, this could take a bit. But I’ve got a few key spots to hit that will speed things up and help you clean out your closet.

The seasons are changing and it is time for me to switch out my cold-weather clothes for my sundresses and sandals. I have a small closet and a large wardrobe so I don’t have the luxury of keeping it all at my fingertips year-round.
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Before you begin:

• Wear make-up. You are going to be trying on clothes and you should feel your best to judge if you really want to keep an item.
• Have bags on-hand for clothes to get rid of. Preferably one for donate and one for trash.
• Make your bed so you have a clean surface to work on.
• Remember that you want your closet to be full of clothes that you can wear. Not that remind you of the size you once were or a style you no longer wear. Your closet should make you excited to get dressed in the morning. These tips will help!

Three areas to concentrate on:

Purging

• Try on EVERYTHING that is questionable. I recently bought a shirt when thrifting that I thought would be so fun — it looks horrible on me. I said goodbye to the $5.99 I spent and will donate it back!!
• Shoes- Look at the heals and toes. Are they worn? Are the comfortable? Will you actually wear them again? If you traded a desk job for homeschooling, maybe all those high heels can go? Decide what is throw away and what is donate. ** A word about flip flops. If you bought the Old Navy $1 ones last year, throw them away! Do not keep 12 pairs because you “might” need them. Keep two, then refresh your collection. **
• Clothing- Have you worn it this past year? Does it fit? Is it faded? Will it really come back in style? If things are stained or torn, in the garbage they go. But if it can be passed along, add it to your donate pile! I’m hoping my sister does this project- I get the best hand-me-downs!
• Jewelry- Our tastes change and yet somehow I still have some costume jewelry that hasn’t been touched in years. Be honest with yourself and then organize it so you can actually see what you have. I use these cute Command knobs for my necklaces and a jewelry tower for bracelets and rings. I actually wear more know that I can see it all laid out.
• The “maybe” bag- Do you have some things that you think you won’t wear, but are having a really hard time parting with? That’s ok- me too. I have a clear zipped bag in the back of my closet with these items. I will revisit it when I turn my closet over for cold weather and decide then. If I haven’t reached for it in the last six months, chances are I can re-home it. I did this with jewelry too. I’m pondering a repurposing craft but we’ll see if that happens…

Space savers

• Hangers- 99% of my hangers are the velvet, non-slip type. Using the same kind of hanger in your closet feeling more orderly and these do save space by being thinner than plastic.
• Jeans- I hang my jeans and need to save space. Buy these hangers and be amazed. They work great!!
• Tank top holder- Here is another great space saver for hanging tanks. I use two. I love being able to see them all so they aren’t getting lost while stuffed in a drawer.
• Bins for foldables- I use cloth bins for things like legging and bathing suits, things that can be rolled or don’t wrinkle. I have some odd spaced shelving in my closet and this utilizes the space perfectly. These would work for tanks and cami too.
• Skirts- It is quite possible that I have too many skirts. But these hangers are such a space saver. If I don’t wear them all this summer, I will follow my advice and rehome them!

Organizing

• Organize by clothing type- I have my clothes sorted by dresses, tee shirts, blouses, sweaters, pants, etc. This is a huge time saver when looking for something to wear.
• Organize by print rather than color- I find that all the blue shirts lined up next to each other just fade into one another. I prefer to organize by solids, stripes, floral, etc. Come up with something that makes sense to you and stick with it when you put your clothes away.
• Shoes- A shoe organizer is a must! If you can’t see, them, you won’t wear them!
• Out-of-season storage- Reuse bag that sheets or blankets come in (you know the heavy plastic with a zipper) to store out-of-season clothes and shoes. Don’t have any of those bags handy? No worry, Amazon sells bags just like them!

Did this help? Trust me friend, you will make a mess before it gets better. But the reward is SO satisfying! I would love to hear if there are other products you use to organize or other tips to keep it organized!