At some point or another everyone feels like they have nothing to wear. I constantly feel like this, despite having a fairly size-able wardrobe. I also find that there are items in my closet where every time I try and wear them, I end up changing them out for something different. If either of these happen to you on the regular it’s time to clean out your closet. Cleaning out and re-organizing your closet is definitely a chore. It’s time-consuming and tiring but trust me, it’s one chore you will be very grateful for in the end. The satisfaction of having a wardrobe you love and can navigate with ease is definitely worth it.
In order to avoid getting too overwhelmed or giving up, I’ve put together a few guidelines to help you through. It does require a few hours so make sure you’ve given yourself enough time to start and finish.
1. Start with item type or a section of your closet (jeans, tops etc.). Breaking it up will make more manageable and you’ll feel more productive.
2. Sort items into three piles: keep, sell and donate. Selling items is a great way to make extra money on clothes in great condition or even have tags still on them (guilty!) These can be sold online on eBay or sites like Kijiji. If it sounds like too much work there are always consignment shops as well. Donate items that are more worn or not in line with current trends.
3. Decide where each item should go. Go through each piece carefully to check for stains, holes etc. Those items should immediately be tossed, unless the hole is repairable with little cost and you still wear the piece. If you haven’t worn the piece within 6 months, ask yourself why? If it doesn’t fit and cannot be tailored at a reasonable cost, toss it. If you don’t absolutely love it, toss it. If it’s no longer your style, toss it; you have to love everything or you’ll never wear it.
Before you start putting items back in the closet, make sure to wipe down shelves and vacuum the floor. You’ll want a clean closet to start fresh. Once you’ve completed your sort, organize what you are keeping.This will also allow you to keep tally of what you do have, or are missing in your wardrobe.
Generally keeping items together by group is best: shirts and blouses are better on hangers so they don’t wrinkle, jeans and sweaters may be better folded. I also like to have all the same hangers to stream-line but there is no right answer for how you should organize your closet, your choice should be based on what works best for you keeping things organized in the space you have.
Happy Cleaning!
Image Courtesy of Why Did You Wear That
By: Rachel Ingram, Ottawa
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