As the weather begins to warm up and we begin the thaw from winter, often our thoughts begin to turn towards a fresh start. The flowers will soon begin to bloom, the grass will turn green and what better way to kick that off than with some good old spring cleaning. This month we will include articles to get you started and have your home in tip top shape.
Today we are going to tackle your closet.
Get in the zone
Before you dive in, let’s set ourselves up for success. Throw on some good music to get the energy following and make yourself a cup of coffee. Grab a few bags or boxes to help keep items separated that you plan to donate or get rid of.
Clear the clutter
All the gear we associate with winter, gloves, hats, scarves, boots and coats it can take up a lot of space in your closet. So, grab a good storage bin or tote, load it up with all the summer nonessentials and pack them away. Slap a label on it and put it someplace out of the way until it’s time to build snowmen again.
Begin the purge
This is often the hardest and most dreaded part of a closet clean out; however, it is the most important part. At first it can seem overwhelming. Where to start? I like to start at the top of my closet with all those piles of folded clothes. Half the time, I have no idea whats even in those piles. Pull them all down. Start by doing a preliminary elimination of those things that you obviously need to let go of. That blouse with the red wine stain you swore you were going to get out or those jeans you haven’t worn since 2019. DONATE! Trust me, you won’t miss them.
Trying things on in the process is a must. Especially those articles of clothing that you are unsure about. We all have those jeans that fit like a glove and then others that we keep folded on the shelf just in case we might want to wear them someday. Try them on and be honest, you’re never going to wear those when your favorite jeans are right in front of you. Toss them. This same rule goes for things you haven’t worn in a while. This includes that shirt with the tags that you loved when you bought it, but has sat in your closet for a year, tags included. If it hasn’t happened yet, it probably isn’t going to. Toss it.
It’s also important to remember to remove sentiment here. That sparkly low cut top I wore to a club in Vegas for my birthday when I was 26, is that shirt really going to ever make an appearance again? Probably not. Or a naughty Christmas tee-shirt I wore to a santa pub crawl years ago, probably not. Remember you still have the memories without the sparkle top.
The one-year rule
If you have not worn something in a year, is it really essential to your closet? A good way to start this process is take all the hung clothing and turn the hangers away from you. Then as you wear an item, turn the hanger around. After a few months it will be pretty obvious what you don’t wear.
Organize what your keeping
Once you’ve made the hard decisions of what pieces are staying and which are going, decide how to best organize them. Whether you use plastic bins, a color-coded system or simply folding them nicely on a shelf, have it make sense for you. Now that you have less to deal with, it can make you feel like you have a whole new wardrobe.
Donating
Donating clothing can give you a sense of satisfaction. Knowing that someone else may enjoy something you have given away can be a bonus. So, pack up those items you have decided to part with and find a local charity to donate them to. As they say, “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”
Conclusion
Now sit and enjoy what you have accomplished. An organized, refreshed closet can bring you inspiration. New outfits will begin to appear and it also makes room for new clothing. So, go ahead tackle your closet and reward yourself with a little shopping spree.