Every 6 months or so I like to do a quick purge of my closet to make more room for the next season of styles. I load up all of the items I no longer want and take them down to the nearest Goodwill drop-off. Every couple of years in the process I’ll do a big purge,make some deep cuts, and unload those items that I’ve been saying I’ll wear again but never do. The next couple of days afterwards feel so good because for a brief, shining moment my closet is in perfect order. This past weekend was one of my bigger purges so I decided to write about my advice to cleaning out your own closet. I like to have fun with it so why not pass on those good times.
Step 1: Wash, Fluff, and Fold
Whether you’re keeping it or donating it, it’s going to need to be washed. Send everything through the washer and dryer at least once, and as much as it sucks, fold and/or hang everything so that when you start going through every item, they are at their best.
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Step 2: Make the tough decisions
I get that it can be tough to let go of some items. This past weekend I got rid of things I wore in high school. There are always going to be jeans that you swear you will fit back into someday. Keep one or two of those instances, but tough decisions will have to be made. If an item is just too difficult to give away, hang it on a hanger in your closet with the hanger turned around (like the picture). If in 6 months or whenever you clean your closet again, the hanger is still turned in the wrong direction, get rid of it and free that precious closet real estate.
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Step 3: Don’t forget to go through the accessories
It’s easy to focus solely on clothing when cleaning your closet, but all of those little odds and ends can start to accumulate as well. Jewelry, shoes, scarves, that coat closet in the hallway also need to sorted and edited from time to time. If you still have a plastic choker from high school in your possession or a pair of Candies’ Slides it’s time to edit your accessories.
Step 4: Invite your friends over for a clothing swap
Once you’ve gone through everything, and I mean everything, it’s time to have a little fun with all of this. Make some logical groups and piles of everything you plan to get rid of, invite some friends over, pour a glass or two of vino and have a clothing swap! You can even have other friends bring their giveaways to add to yours and boom, you’ve got a free shopping spree right in your bedroom. Anything left over is ready to be donated and you’ve got yourself a well edited and clean closet.
