New Year Closet De-Clutter: 5 Steps

From a shoot I did at Favor Jewelry, Portland, Oregon

As I shared with you guys on Monday, there’s something about a new year that is very motivating to me. It’s a time for fresh starts and new beginnings, two phrases that are as cliché as they come, but bear a squeaky clean appeal. I’m ready to be the boss of my goals and the boss of my physical spaces.

I am eager to pare down, clean out, and do away with the unnecessary. Naturally I like to go to my zen garden, aka my closet. I like to shuffle things around, see what I like, and then trim a bit.

I’ve made a few purchases for winter, and even with avoiding post-holiday sales, suddenly it seems like I have more garments than hanger slots, and my shoe collections looks like it might have procreated while we were asleep.

The remedy: ride that inspiration wave high and engage in a little new year closet clean-out. In the past two-and-a-half years I’ve gotten pretty good at pare downs. We’ve moved twice, and I cycled through several seasons of capsules. Here’s how I do it.

STEP ONE:

Take everything out and put it on the bed.

You have to take everything out of your closet, or you might as well quit before you start. Something about cleaning out the whole closet, makes every item need to ‘earn’ it’s way back in. Plus, when you own lots of black (like me!), it can be kind of hard to see what’s really in that shadowy section of the closet! If nothing else, consider this a good familiarization step.

STEP TWO:

Sort.

1) What do you love? What are the items you would grab to wear on a day you want to feel your very best? What would you grab for a weekend getaway if you had to pack in five minutes. Immediately put these items back in the closet.

2) Which (weather-appropriate) items did you only wear 1-2 times over the fall? Put them in the maybe pile.

3) Which (weather-appropriate) items did you NOT wear this last fall? Put them in the sell/donate pile.

4) Locate what needs mending or ironing. Set aside and take care of it. I am embarrassed to say how long some shirts have collected dust in my closet because I simply won’t take the time to iron them. Is a button too lose? Maybe a break in a seam? Get that stuff done! Do it yourself, or drop it off at the nearest dry cleaners. You will instantly augment your wardrobe – in the way you want – if all your items are ready to wear.

STEP THREE:

Grab each item from the maybe pile and try it on.

I know, more work. But all good things take hard work, no? Trying items on gives you the clearest idea of how an item really works for you.

1) How do you feel in it?

2) Would you pack it for a trip?

3) If you were going to a gathering where it was important for you to feel your best, would you consider this item?

4) Thin down the pile accordingly.

5) Move the remainder of the pile to the sell/donate pile. Or, if you’re chicken like me, put these items in purgatory under your bed until you decide 100% for sure.

STEP FOUR:

Look at the sell/donate pile and consider what is marketable.

1) What is the condition? Are there excess pills or any tears or stains? Set aside for donating or repurposing.

2) Does it have a name brand that re-sells well (ie. Madewell, J.Crew, Everlane)? Sell it on Poshmark (they really do make it so easy!). 

3) Remaining items: see if friends are interested or consider re-purposing for accessories (headbands, doll clothing, cleaning rags, patches for other clothing).

STEP FIVE:

Admire your hard work. I would call this a few hours well-spent. I am starting to find that getting rid of clothes almost feels as good as getting new ones. For me, it alleviates the ‘pressure’ or ‘need’ to wear them. When my closet stops being crammed, and returns to a simple space of my favorite items, it makes the start of each day a little more peaceful and relaxed.

I bid you the best of luck in your closet clean out!

xo,
Andrea