We all have those pieces in our closet that we rarely (if ever) wear, but just cant seem to let go of. Whether its a dress you wore for a special occasion or a favorite pair of jeans that no longer fit, it can be difficult to say goodbye. Here are four closet cleanout strategies for how to part with clothes, especially those-hard-to-let go-of pieces in your closet.
Follow the one-year rule
If you havent worn a particular piece of clothing in a year, then its time to let it go. A one-year period is a good time frame because it accounts for all holidays and seasons, ensuring that youve had the opportunity to wear seasonal or special occasion pieces. The same rule should be applied to clothing that needs to be mended or repaired. If the item is not patched or stitched up in a year, chances are it never will be.
To help you keep track of what you wear throughout the year, turn your hangers so they face the opposite direction. Whenever you wear a piece of clothing, hang it back up with the hanger facing the right way. At the end of the year, youll be able to easily see which pieces you havent worn.
You may be thinking, I have space in my closet, so why cant I keep all of my clothing? Just because you have the physical space doesnt mean you have to fill it. Only keep in your everyday closet what you love and wear.
Try everything on
Chances are you have clothing in your closet that no longer fits. As you go through your closet, try everything on. Dont hold on to something if you dont like the way it looks, feels or fits.
You dont have to get rid of every single piece of clothing that no longer fits. But keep in mind that clothing styles and your personal taste in clothing changes every year. So when you get back to that size youre holding on to, youll most likely want new stuff anyway.
Store out-of-season and keepsake clothing elsewhere
A simple space-saving strategy is to store in your everyday closet only clothing thats in season. Store out-of-season clothing in a guest room closet or elsewhere. It thats not possible, move out-of-season clothing to one end or both ends of your clothing rod, leaving the more accessible center space for in-season clothing.
As you go through your closet, you may find there are items you dont wear, but that have sentimental value. It may be difficult right now to let go of keepsake items such as your wedding dress or other clothing mementos. Thats fine, but these pieces shouldnt reside in your everyday closet. Try to limit the items to your favorite pieces that are in good condition and have a strong sentimental value.
Before storing any clothing, be sure to wash and thoroughly dry items, or have them dry cleaned. Next, wrap keepsake clothing in acid-free tissue paper and store in acid-free storage boxes or plastic lidded bins made of polypropylene. Clearly label each box and store in a climate-controlled area, such as under your bed. Avoid storing in a basement, attic or garage, or in plastic bags as they can trap moisture and cause mildew.
Use a closet cleanout service
Decluttering your closet can be an exhausting, yet rewarding process. If you decide to donate to your favorite charity, know that someone, somewhere will be so happy to have the items that were just taking up valuable space in your closet.
If youd like to try selling clothes, but dont have the time to do all of the work that goes into selling them, consider bringing them at your local consignment store. Or look into a closet cleanout service such as thredUP. An online consignment shop, they do all the work for you, including photographing, listing and selling. And when your items sell, they send you a check or you can opt to receive store credit. To sell your clothes online, simply fill a cleanout bag with your gently used items and send it to them.
By the way, I wrote about thredUP in my book How to Declutter and Make Money Now. The Kindle edition is free February 27-March 2, 2020. Note that since publishing this book 5 1/2 years ago, some of the web links are broken. But theres still lots of good information in there for cleaning out your closet and your entire home.
Oh, and once you get your closet cleaned out, here are some ideas for maximizing your closet space.
The post Closet Cleanout: How to Part with Clothes appeared first on Declutter Your Life with Donna Smallin Kuper.