Benefits Of Decluttering Your Closet
The first thing I ever do when I start or want to start a project is to do some research on the best way to go about it. And the next thing on my mind is to sort out and declutter my wardrobe. But before I go into the research I’ve done, let me give you a breakdown of my situation.
We are currently renting a house that only has freestanding wardrobes. Meaning that I don’t have a lot of space for my clothes. But like many people, I am also guilty of only wearing a quarter of my wardrobe. The rest just take up space.
I’ve also mentioned in my goals for 2020 that I want to elevate my style and thus also my wardrobe. It is already March and I’ve yet to start this process. So yes, I am super behind. Oops!
So I thought about what I wanted to achieve with my wardrobe a lot. And here is what I’ve broken it down to:
- I want to own clothes that I love and that I want to wear.
- I want to know what I own, and never have an ‘I don’t know what to wear moment
- Have a wardrobe with pieces that can easily go together.
But I also know that I need to declutter items that I don’t wear anymore.
Benefits of Decluttering your Wardrobe
But besides what I want, I also thought of the benefits of having a wardrobe that is clutter-free. So I’ve done some research on this and here is what I’ve come up with.
It saves time – knowing what you own will make life so much easier, because you don’t have to search for items that you know are somewhere in your closet
Having space – when your closet isn’t overflowing, it makes it easier to find things. And thus, making it easier to pull items out without pulling three items with it.
Have you ever been to a clothing store with overflowing clothing racks? You know how irritating it is when you cannot properly look at the clothing because there is just no space. Think about your closet as a shop and you want to make it a nice experience to look at your clothes and not an irritable one like the overflowing racks at that store.
Reduce stress – don’t start your day being frustrated and overwhelmed by finding something to wear. So, having a decluttered closet will make your morning routine so much smoother.
Be present – many of the items in our closets are items we used to wear that don’t fit anymore or items we thought we will wear. Letting go of these items of clothing will allow you to be the person you want to be! Can I get an Amen?
So if the benefits don’t make you want to start decluttering your closet, I don’t know what will!
After the research that I’ve done, I’ve come up with a simple way to declutter your clothes.
How to start decluttering your closet
Start by getting your bags/bins ready for the ‘sell’, ‘donate’, and ‘throw out’ categories. When you have everything ready, you are less likely to interrupt the process of decluttering to find the bins or bags to put the clothing in.
Now you are ready to start decluttering. Start taking out all the clothing in your wardrobe and while pulling everything out also start categorizing it into different categories.
Categories may include but are not limited to:
- Jeans
- T-shirts
- Dresses
- Trousers
- Skirts
- Blouses
- etc
The method behind the madness? Well, I do agree with Marie Kondo to take everything out of your closet to start fresh, but it also creates a big mess if you pile everything up in one pile. This can make you feel overwhelmed and you might want to give up. And that is no way to start this project.
So while you were categorizing your clothes you might have seen items that you immediately knew you want to part with. Or clothes that don’t fit well anymore. Either way, you can put the clothes in the correct bin to donate, sell, or throw out. Or if you are not sure if the item still fits you, you can do one of two things. 1) If you have time, try the item on and decide what to do with it, or 2) put it aside to try it on later.
But be brutal with yourself, if it doesn’t fit, let it go! Don’t hang on to it for someday! Make space for items you can add later that you will love.
PUT YOUR CLOSET TOGETHER
Now that you have already categorized and thrown out the items you knew you didn’t want to keep, you can start putting items back. But do it one by one.
Taking cues from Marie Kondo, ask if the item really makes you happy. Does it make you feel and look good? If it does, put it back, If it doesn’t, let it go.
You did it! Your closet is now clutter-free!
ENJOY YOUR CLOSET
You’ve worked really hard to get to this point so enjoy it!
Now that you know what you own, you can easily add items to your closet that will fit in with the rest. Or you can start experimenting with different clothing styles if you are in the market to elevate your style. You can also consider starting a capsule wardrobe to keep your closet from becoming overflowing again. Here is an article describing how to Go Green and Downsize Your Life with a Capsule Wardrobe written by Adriana Lopez from Proch.
here is an excerpt from the article:
“The Benefits of Creating a Capsule Wardrobe
There are many reasons why you should consider creating a capsule wardrobe. Here are some of the benefits you’ll gain by revamping your closet.
Economic benefits: Instead of spending money on new clothing or changing your outfits every season, a capsule wardrobe integrates versatile pieces you can wear all year. This will help you save money and give you the freedom to keep your cash or spend it on other important things.
Sustainability: When you buy less, less is going into the landfill. It also means that you’re not contributing to manufacturing processes used to make clothing, which can cause harm to the soil, air, and waterways.”
