I was obsessed with What Not to Wear, anyone else? I learned so much from Stacy London and Clinton Kelly about style, fit, and embracing my body as it is NOW. One of the first things they did was a closet audit or closet cleanout if you will. I am currently post-purge and in the process of organizing my clothes and accessories. If you feel like after the pandemic you’re struggling with your clothes, whether it’s fit or fashion, I want to help you.
Purging your closet is a huge undertaking and usually, it starts off well-intentioned. Everything comes out of the closet and onto the bed. You fall in love with some pieces all over, you want to keep everything, overwhelm starts to set in…You have a mountain of clothes piled in front of you, it’s easier to stuff it all back into your closet and save your clean out for possibly another day…It may be hard deciding piece-by-piece what to keep and what to toss. Keep going! Determining where to start digging deep into your closet gives you a clear plan for what you need. Here are some tips, reminders, and advice to help you through the process:
- Cleaning out your closet gives you a sense of accomplishment and mastery over your wardrobe. It’s one step on the way to style confidence.
- Oh, the possibilities! Sometimes seeing pieces again helps you fall in love with them all over again.
- Fun Fact – 44% of women can’t find an item in their closet once a month, slowing them down. Seeing what you have and knowing it fits makes it faster and easier to get dressed.
- You’ll wear more of your clothes – Another fun fact: I recently read the average woman wears about 20-30% of her (closet) clothes. My mind was blown away by this. We tend to reach for the same old, same old. When you see what you have, it’s easier to switch things around.
- Poshmark: When you resell clothes you don’t wear, you can use your earnings to buy new clothes, it’s a win/win.
- Question to ask yourself:
- Maybe you’ve left the 9-5 office, and are now working from home, and find that you need more casual work outfits?
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- Have you gained a few pounds from the pandemic, had a baby, or menopause? Does your current wardrobe work with your new curves, or do you need a few new pieces?
- Or, are you stuck in a style rut, hanging on to clothes you’ve worn for years, but are now ready to start embracing your body, and lifestyle and try new silhouette styles?
Getting Started
Time – It always takes longer than you think. Make sure to set aside at least half a day (4 hours or more on the weekend) or a couple of hours a day to do one section at a time. I prefer to piecemeal by section.
Area- Be sure you have plenty of space to work in. I personally like to have a clean room and bed to keep me from completely feeling overwhelmed during this process.
Boxes – Grab 5 boxes/bags and label them to keep you organized. As you go through your clothes, you will need to create 5 distinct piles: Keep, Donate, Sell, Fix, and Trash. This will make it so much easier to get everything taken care of once you finish.
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- Donate: If you have not worn something in 1-2 years, say bye. If you have not worn in 1-2 seasons and you’re not ready to part with it, place it in storage.
- Sell: Make some money, honey! I’ve had success on Poshmark, online marketplaces, to sell clothing and make some cash. You can also try TheRealReal to get the best offer possible for high-end or luxury pieces. Try and drop off your donations as soon as possible! You may have the urge to keep some things you put in there!!
- Storage (seasonal/not yet ready to part with)
- Trash: Too far gone to donate or sell
- Alterations: Get these done asap!
- Thin, non-slip velvet hangers – These are better than wire or the thick white plastic ones so many of us have. Wood is good, but thick, heavy, and takes up space.
- Full-length mirror – always good to have a full-length mirror in general to see a full view of your outfit. Good to have during the clean-out process to see if items still fit your body as it is now.
The Process
Now comes the tedious task of cleaning out your closet. While this initially feels great, I find it causes a lot of stress after an hour or so. This is about when you realize how slow you are getting through the mess. I recommend two things: Put on your favorite music or call your best friend for obvious reasons. Also, try chunking it down by sections of clothing at a time. For example, start with your sweaters; sorting from fall/winter and summer/spring. Pull them out, place them in storage bins and start going through them one by one. I love these storage bins from Amazon. These stackable storage bins have 2 breathable mesh windows (front and side) to view contents inside at glance without opening them. You can pull a sweater out by the bottom without ruining any other neat articles. Next, move on to your tops, then bottoms (jeans/trousers/skirts). Finally shoes, jewelry, and accessories complete the process.
Questions to Ask Yourself:
During this step, it’s important to go through every piece of clothing and ask yourself…
- Is this damaged? If yes, can I alter it or can I donate this? If it is too far gone, place in the trash bag and move on.
- Does this fit me? -Don’t hold onto things that don’t fit whether too big or too small. Don’t hold onto a dress in hopes to fit into it one day again. Dress for your size, if you really want to hold on to the dress, put it in the storage pile!
- Do I wear this? – This is always the sticking point. If you don’t wear it, why? Does it go with your lifestyle or needs, if not – part ways with it.
- Do I have duplicates If you have one too many, yes, definitely get rid of your least favorite? This was definitely my problem before I started the audit.
- Does this fit my current lifestyle? – Do you have a closet full of dresses or gowns? Check out Becca’s Closet! No longer going to the office? Dress for Success is a global not-for-profit organization that empowers women to achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, professional attire, and the development tools to help women thrive in work and in life. Career Gear is a charity for men what Dress for Success does for women. They provide professional clothing, mentoring, and life skills to help low-income men get the clothing and toiletries they need for job interviews. There are several locations on the East Coast and in various parts of the Southern U.S.Consider donating to one of these amazing charities. There is always the Goodwill, Vietnam Veterans of America, Salvation Army, and Green Drop.
- Do I love this? Does it bring me joy? – Of course, this is key. Marie Kondo it in other words… Give it to someone else who will gain joy from it.
Final Steps
Almost Done! You’re at the home stretch. Get ready to feel accomplished! Let’s clean a little: Wipe down shelves, drawers, and rods and clean the floor.
- Organize by Item and Color
I like to divide it into five sections tops, bottoms, dresses, jackets, and special occasions (evening dresses/jumpsuits). Within those categories, I start with the whites on the right side of my closet and work my way through colors to black. I find that this method also
- Create a List for future purchases
If your closet clean-out made you realize you have a few missing key items, create a shopping list to fill in the gaps. If you’re not sure what to buy, start by creating outfits first and see what you might be missing.
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