So you want to declutter your clothes. First, raise your hand if any of these sound familiar…
You’re getting ready in the morning and feel like you have nothing to wear.
You have an overflowing closet, but you feel uninspired as you flick along the rack.
You’re always shopping, but you continue to wear the same old favorites.
You have an overflowing wardrobe, but it feels like you can’t put together an outfit you love.
Can you relate?
If you said “yes”, the problem isn’t with your clothes, it’s with your shopping habits.
Say whaat??!!!
I’m not suggesting that your personal aesthetic is lacking. However, the way you pick and choose which items to buy could be holding you back from having a happy wardrobe.
For example…
- Do you often shop as a form of retail therapy?
- Do you buy items just because they’re on sale (even if they don’t fit you well)?
- Do you buy items on impulse, just because you think they’re cute?
- Do you buy trendy items even if you don’t really like them?
If any of these ring true for you, it could be the reason why it feels like you have nothing to wear.
If you want to fix this and transform your closet, here’s a quick way to solve it: Declutter your clothes and build a wardrobe full of items you LOVE. Today I’m going to share how to declutter your closet.
NOTE: This doesn’t mean that you need to make a mad dash for the mall and buy a new wardrobe. The goal of this activity is to make the most from clothing you ALREADY own and find new ways to mix and match items. Buying new clothes should be a last resort.
If you need some motivation to declutter clothes or you want to downsize your wardrobe, this post is for you! Here’s a fun step-by-step guide to declutter your closet once and for all. Don’t be afraid to be ruthless when decluttering clothes. Pretend you’re Marie Kondo!
Related Posts:
- How to build a capsule wardrobe for beginners
- 10 tricks to kick your shopping habit
- How I did the no new clothing challenge for a year
Table of Contents
How To Declutter Your Clothes + Build A Wardrobe You Love
Step 1: Take Everything Out
I’ve created a printable checklist that makes it easy to declutter your closet and wardrobe. You can use this checklist available in my Declutter Binder Printables and follow along below.
The first step to declutter your clothes is to take everything out of your closet (this includes clothing in your drawers, under your bed, and any other spots you’re hiding clothes).
The goal is to create a clean slate. Dust, vacuum, wipe down your drawers, and so on.
Arrange similar items together. Group all jackets together, all pants together, all shoes together, and so on. This will make it easier to see how many similar items you own.
For example, if you keep buying the same items over and over again (such as floral dresses), it’s only natural to feel uninspired when opening your closet. Anyone would feel like they don’t have a lot of outfit options.
Step 2: Create Your Ideal Vision
The next step to declutter your clothes is to create a clear vision for your closet and wardrobe. Ask yourself, “What does my dream wardrobe look like? How do I want my clothes to make me feel? What does my lifestyle look like?”
If you’re a visual person like myself, I recommend creating a vision board on Pinterest which highlights your inspiration. This is your opportunity to design your dream life, the one you’re aspiring towards (not the one you’re trying to escape from).
If you’re using my Declutter Binder Printables, grab the Declutter Zone sheet and write down your goals for the room, including your ideal target date to complete each goal.
You probably already know, but having a clear vision for your closet and wardrobe will make it easier to decide what to eliminate and what to keep. This is essential when decluttering your clothes.
Step 3: Sort Everything
Sort everything into two main piles: your “vision pile” and your “non-vision pile”.
Put items that you want to keep in your “vision pile”. This includes items that reflect your lifestyle and are part of your dream wardrobe.
Put items that you wish to eliminate in your “non-vision pile”. This includes items that are either going to be donated, sold, or trashed.
Now, it’s time to grab 5 bags or basket and label each one as follows:
- Vision Pile: Items to put away
- Vision Pile: Items to fix or mend (set a target date to fix these items by)
- Non-Vision Pile: Items to donate
- Non-Vision Pile: Items to sell
- Non-Vision Pile: Items to trash
Putting together your “non-vision pile” will help you better understand your previous shopping habits. The key is to be honest with yourself when you declutter your clothes, so your spending habits will transform going forward.
If you’re anything like me, you may feel hesitant to let go of unwanted or rarely used items. If so, you may find this helpful:
Feeling guilty about the money you spent? I know it’s natural to feel guilty, but don’t beat yourself up because you bought items and rarely wore them. You didn’t waste money. The money you spent on those items can teach you a valuable lesson: to learn from those purchases and NOT make the same type of purchase again.
Worried that you might need the item someday? We all like to hold onto items (even if we rarely use them) because we think we might wear them someday, or we’re saving them for a special occasion. The truth is, if you don’t make a concrete plan to wear this item in the near future, it’s going to continue taking up valuable space in your closet. What is that closet space worth to you?
But, it holds sentimental value…Reminiscing about the past makes us feel good. But it’s usually not the clothing itself that provides sentimental value for us, it’s the item’s association with a person, place, or time. We can retain those good memories without having to hold onto the physical item. Take a photo of the item and write a message about why it’s important to you on the back, then put it in your “non-vision pile”. It’s only worth keeping this item if you truly love and use it.
But it was a gift…Many of us hold onto gifts because we feel that the giver will be upset (or offended) if they don’t see us wearing / using it. A gift is yours to do with as you please. If it doesn’t represent your personal style, donate it to someone who will appreciate it. That’s the best way to honor your loved one.
Step 4: Sell, Donate, or Trash
Now that you’ve sorted your “non-vision pile” using the tips in Step 3, it’s time to donate, sell, or trash these items.
Selling items is an excellent way to make a few hundred extra dollars. You can sell items at a garage sale, or post them on Craigslist, Facebook, eBay, Poshmark, or Amazon.
Donate items at a local charity, shelter, or give them to your family and friends.
Put items in the trash that are stained, worn out, faded, damaged, and so on. Doesn’t it feel good to declutter your clothes?
Step 5: Does Your Wardrobe Match Your Lifestyle?
If you’re using the Declutter Binder Printables, grab the Wardrobe & Lifestyle Balance sheet to help you with this step.
Now that you’ve sorted your “vision pile”, it’s time to make sure that this clothing represents your lifestyle. This is the next step to declutter your clothes.
Sometimes it feels like we have nothing to wear because our wardrobe doesn’t reflect our current lifestyle. This usually happens when we make a lifestyle change, such as transitioning from the office to a stay-at-home mom.
For example, a wardrobe full of professional clothing isn’t practical if someone is a stay-at-home mom. It’s important to declutter these items and add more comfy or casual items to this wardrobe instead. The key is to create a better balance between your wardrobe and lifestyle.
For this step, you’ll want to make sure that the clothing you choose to keep represents your lifestyle. If you decide to be a stay-at-home mom, then it probably doesn’t make sense to have professional clothing representing the majority of your wardrobe.
When you have a wardrobe that represents your lifestyle:
- You’ll save time getting dressed in the morning. This reduces decision fatigue.
- You’ll feel good about everything in your closet. This eliminates the clutter and creates more space for items you love.
- You’ll wear everything in your closet.
- You’ll be more productive.
- You’ll save money.
Step 6: Build Your Ideal Wardrobe
This is the exciting part! It’s time to start rebuilding your wardrobe with items from your “vision pile”.
If you’re using the Declutter Zone sheet available in the Declutter Binder Printables, make sure to check off each goal once completed.
Many of us think that having less clothing means less variety. But this is simply NOT true!
Building a capsule wardrobe (a smaller wardrobe full of versatile and timeless pieces) was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. This is about creating a wardrobe that ignites your creativity, makes you feel confident, simplifies your life, saves you time, and reduces your frustration when getting ready in the morning.
Do you want to get ready each morning in half the time, and get your life back?
*Raises hand*
You deserve to have a clutter-free wardrobe full of beautiful outfits that represent your lifestyle and make you feel like a rock star! So, what are you waiting for? Let’s do this!