Each day do you look at your closet and just cringe? Do you struggle to find things in your closet when you need them? It could be time to clean out your closet. No Worries! Clean out your closet in these 4 simple steps and have a fresh, clean closet again!
Take Everything Out of Your Closet
First, you want to take every single thing out of your closet. Do the same for any dresser drawers, bins, shoe racks, etc. Get everything out. This way you can fully see everything you have.
Give Your Closet a Good Clean
Once you have taken everything out, give your closet a good clean. It is much easier to clean a space when there is nothing in it. Wipe down shelves and racks. Dust in corners and high areas. Vacuum the carpet or sweep and mop the floors. Get the home of your clothes looking and smelling fresh.
Page Through Every Single Item In Your Closet
While your closet is drying and sparkling from the good wipe down, page through every single item you took out and make four piles.
Garbage Pile
The first pile is for anything you are going to put in your rag bin or are going to toss in the garbage. It may be items that have holes in them, are too worn, or has stains. These are the items that you know you or someone else will never wear.
Goodwill/Selling Pile
The second pile if for items that you aren’t going to wear anymore, but that someone else might wear. These items could be given to friends or family, sold online, or given to goodwill.
Unsure Pile
Next if you have an item that you are not sure what to do with put it on the unsure pile. Either leave the items out and come to a conclusion in a couple days or put the items away in a tote for a couple months. If you needed anything in the tote then you know to keep it and if not then you know it is ok to part with them after several months. When in doubt keep the item, and make the decision the next year when you clean out your closet.
Back In Closet Pile
This is the pile you are keeping and putting back into your closet. As you are paging through all your items make a list of anything you notice that you are low on or out of. Then you can possibility add these items to your future birthday or Christmas list. For more on how to make an easy birthday or Christmas list click here.
Rule Exception
If you haven’t worn an item in the past 3 years chances are you aren’t going to ever wear it. However, I have found an exception to this rule – maternity/new mom clothes.
The past 5 years I had my closet sections as follows:
- Normal clothes (largest section)
- Maternity clothes (which some I still wear as I still have some baby weight to lose:)
- “Bigger” clothes section (This was for the beginning of pregnancy when my normal clothes didn’t fit anymore but I wasn’t large enough for maternity clothes. Also, this was for the year after having a baby before I could fit back into my normal clothes.)
So there are a few items that I haven’t worn in over 3 years, but I am close to wearing them again:) It is ok to have a couple of motivation pieces of clothing.
Organize Clothes Back Into the Closet
There are different ways to organize your clothes when you put them back into your closet. Here are some examples of ways to organize your closet:
- Season (winter, spring, summer, fall)
- Color
- Activity (work clothes, workout clothes, going out clothes, home clothes)
- Clothes type (short sleeve shirts, long sleeve shirts, blouses, dresses, sweaters, pullovers, etc)
Create a system that works for you based on how your mind works organizationally. The whole point to setting up your closet a certain way is so you can always find what you are looking for quickly and easily. So make sure to put clothes back in the correct spots so you can find it fast next time. For more tips on how to organize you closet click here.
Keep Up With Your Closet
Now that you have a fresh, clean, decluttered closet keep it that way to avoid another major clean out. Twice a year I do a mini closet clean. I do not take everything out, instead I briefly page through to take items out I no longer use. The first clean I do after Christmas and the other in the summer. I pick these times of year for 2 reasons:
- I have time off from work so it gives extra time to complete the project.
- It is good times of the year for me to access and get rid of items. After Christmas I am able to get rid of summer clothes that are worn or that I haven’t worn the past year. In the summer I do the same thing for my winter clothes. Also, at the two points I have been in the current season long enough where I know if there is something I am missing that I need or if there is something that I haven’t worn yet that particular season that can be tossed.
Another way to keep up with your closet is to take something out every time you put something new in. This helps keep your closet clean, organized and not get overstuffed.
Final Thoughts on How to Clean Out Your Closet
Looking forward to that amazing feeling of a clean closet where you can actually see everything and locate something within a couple seconds? Get your closet sparking, smelling fresh and clean by following the 4 simple steps above to clean out your closet.
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