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How to Declutter Clothing |
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If your closet represents the best of several decades of fashion or contains multiple sizes of the same article of clothing, it’s time to think about how to declutter clothing. Knowing how and where to begin can be intimidating. Here are a few tips to help you get started.
Invite a Friend |
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Letting go of clothing can be difficult. Often we form attachments to our clothes. We make excuses for why we need to keep something we’re better off without. Having a friend around when you declutter clothing can help you keep things in perspective.
Gather Supplies |
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You’re not serious about your intent to declutter clothing if you don’t have a donation bag or box handy. I recommend a trash bag as well. Let’s face it, some things should not be passed on. If you think you’d like to sell some things, bring along a separate container for those items as well.
Guidelines for Sorting |
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Make a plan for how you will declutter clothing. Are you going to start with the dresser before tackling the closet or vice versa? If you are reluctant to part with anything, you might consider working in chunks. Do the dresser one day and the closet another. If that’s too overwhelming, do one drawer at a time. Know your limitations and set yourself up for success. Don’t try to do more than you are physically, mentally, or emotionally capable of at one time. This will only lead to frustration, and frustration will result in shoddy work. In your eagerness to be done you will not be as thorough as you should be. Pace yourself.
Discard the Following: |
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Clothing that is stained, ripped, or otherwise damaged beyond repair: Depending on the type of fabric such items could be cut up and used as rags. Otherwise, they should go in the trash.
Clothing that does not fit: Are you holding onto clothing that is too small in the hopes you will one day be able to fit into it again? Trust me, I can relate. That said, now is the time to pass it on. When you succeed in dropping those extra pounds, reward yourself with a new outfit. You deserve it! In the meantime, don’t clutter your closet with clothes that don’t fit. In addition to taking up valuable space, such items serve as a negative reminder of your personal struggles. Fill you life with things that motivate and inspire you and get rid of the stuff that weighs you down.
Clothing that isn't flattering: Most of us have had the experience of falling in love with an item in the store only to get it home and realize we aren't comfortable with the way it looks on us. These items are no-brainers when it comes to decluttering clothing. No matter how stylish an item may be, if it doesn't make you feel good about you, it’s not a keeper.
Clothing you never wear: If you don’t wear it, why are you keeping it? Toss it.
Clothing that is worn out: We all have items we've loved to death. If it’s thread-bare it’s past its prime. Bid it a fond farewell.
Clothing you're keeping out of guilt: Sometimes we hang on to items because we feel guilty for not wearing something we spent a lot of money on. Other times, we keep things simply because they were a gift and we don’t want to offend the gift giver. I get it. In fact, I've done it.
If you’re worried about the cost, try selling the item or swapping it online at a clothing swap site. Then you can feel like your money didn’t go to waste. If you’re worried about offending the person who gave you the item, only you can decide whether it’s safe to pass it on. Relationships are worth more than closet space.
If you decide to keep a gift out of guilt, think about storing it in a more out-of-the way location like the top shelf of the closet or in a box under the bed.
Clothing that is obviously out of style: I know, I know the 70’s are 'back', but do you really want to wait forty years for an item to once again become stylish, assuming it ever does?
Clothing that does not fit: Are you holding onto clothing that is too small in the hopes you will one day be able to fit into it again? Trust me, I can relate. That said, now is the time to pass it on. When you succeed in dropping those extra pounds, reward yourself with a new outfit. You deserve it! In the meantime, don’t clutter your closet with clothes that don’t fit. In addition to taking up valuable space, such items serve as a negative reminder of your personal struggles. Fill you life with things that motivate and inspire you and get rid of the stuff that weighs you down.
Clothing that isn't flattering: Most of us have had the experience of falling in love with an item in the store only to get it home and realize we aren't comfortable with the way it looks on us. These items are no-brainers when it comes to decluttering clothing. No matter how stylish an item may be, if it doesn't make you feel good about you, it’s not a keeper.
Clothing you never wear: If you don’t wear it, why are you keeping it? Toss it.
Clothing that is worn out: We all have items we've loved to death. If it’s thread-bare it’s past its prime. Bid it a fond farewell.
Clothing you're keeping out of guilt: Sometimes we hang on to items because we feel guilty for not wearing something we spent a lot of money on. Other times, we keep things simply because they were a gift and we don’t want to offend the gift giver. I get it. In fact, I've done it.
If you’re worried about the cost, try selling the item or swapping it online at a clothing swap site. Then you can feel like your money didn’t go to waste. If you’re worried about offending the person who gave you the item, only you can decide whether it’s safe to pass it on. Relationships are worth more than closet space.
If you decide to keep a gift out of guilt, think about storing it in a more out-of-the way location like the top shelf of the closet or in a box under the bed.
Clothing that is obviously out of style: I know, I know the 70’s are 'back', but do you really want to wait forty years for an item to once again become stylish, assuming it ever does?
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Where to Donate Out of Style Clothing |
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A great place to donate seemingly out-of-style clothing is your local community theater group or community college or high school drama department. Often plays call for period clothing. The wider the selection they have to choose from, the better!
Another option is your local pre-school or daycare center. Children love to play dress-up. Handbags, high heels, fancy hats, elbow length gloves, and frilly dresses are all the rage with the four-year-old crowd!
When making a donation, be sure to call in advance and confirm that your donation will be useful to the organization.
Another option is your local pre-school or daycare center. Children love to play dress-up. Handbags, high heels, fancy hats, elbow length gloves, and frilly dresses are all the rage with the four-year-old crowd!
When making a donation, be sure to call in advance and confirm that your donation will be useful to the organization.
Things to Keep |
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As you declutter your clothing, you may come across items that you've hung on to for purely sentimental reasons – things that bring back fond memories of people and places you love: your child’s christening outfit, your grandfather’s old scarf that still smells like him, your wedding dress, whatever it may be. Please don’t part with these items unless you really, really want to. The space they occupy in your heart and memory is far more valuable than the space they’re taking up in your closet. Decluttering is about getting rid of the things that you don’t want, need, or use.
That said, when selecting treasured keepsakes to hold on to, try to limit them to a reasonable number. The more items you keep, the less special they become. It’s a little like the law of supply and demand. The more you have, the less they’re worth. Hang on to the dearest and the best. Also, consider storing treasured clothing somewhere other than your closet. Reserve that space for things you wear and keep the keepsakes in a container or hanging bag where they will be preserved and protected.
That said, when selecting treasured keepsakes to hold on to, try to limit them to a reasonable number. The more items you keep, the less special they become. It’s a little like the law of supply and demand. The more you have, the less they’re worth. Hang on to the dearest and the best. Also, consider storing treasured clothing somewhere other than your closet. Reserve that space for things you wear and keep the keepsakes in a container or hanging bag where they will be preserved and protected.
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Suggestions for Preserving Keepsake Clothing |
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If an article of clothing is particularly meaningful to you or a member of your family, consider displaying it. That way you can enjoy it and the memories associated with it continually. Here are some suggestions for displaying clothing keepsakes:
Make or commission a quilt – My husband’s mother is a talented quilter. She’s also tremendously creative. She has made t-shirt quilts for my husband and each of my children. These are made from favorite t-shirts obtained through school activities, sports, camps and other events they’ve participated in. When my father-in-law’s mother passed away, she made quilts from his mother’s clothing for his two sisters. This was a wonderful way of preserving something that reminded them of their mother in a fashion that was both beautiful and useful.
Frame it – sports jerseys, cultural costumes, and even plain old t-shirts become art when carefully preserved in a shadow-box style frame.
Make a pillow – T-shirts, sweatshirts, and other clothing items can be used to create unique, personalized throw pillows.
Make an apron – Visit Lori at Bee in My Bonnet BlogSpot for examples.
Just about anything you can craft from fabric can be made using the fabric from clothing keepsakes. The possibilities are endless.
Make or commission a quilt – My husband’s mother is a talented quilter. She’s also tremendously creative. She has made t-shirt quilts for my husband and each of my children. These are made from favorite t-shirts obtained through school activities, sports, camps and other events they’ve participated in. When my father-in-law’s mother passed away, she made quilts from his mother’s clothing for his two sisters. This was a wonderful way of preserving something that reminded them of their mother in a fashion that was both beautiful and useful.
Frame it – sports jerseys, cultural costumes, and even plain old t-shirts become art when carefully preserved in a shadow-box style frame.
Make a pillow – T-shirts, sweatshirts, and other clothing items can be used to create unique, personalized throw pillows.
Make an apron – Visit Lori at Bee in My Bonnet BlogSpot for examples.
Just about anything you can craft from fabric can be made using the fabric from clothing keepsakes. The possibilities are endless.
Make It a Habit |
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I recommend making an effort to declutter your clothing twice a year with the major changes in the weather. It’s a good time to evaluate your wardrobe and discard items you haven’t worn at all during the appropriate season. If you store out-of-season clothing in boxes, be sure to launder everything before packing it away. Perspiration, dirt, and oils from the skin all attract pests.
Often when you sort through your clothing with the intent of getting rid of some things you find items you forgot you had. We tend to get in a rut of wearing the same things over and over. Expand your wardrobe by reintroducing yourself to some old favorites as you declutter clothing!
Often when you sort through your clothing with the intent of getting rid of some things you find items you forgot you had. We tend to get in a rut of wearing the same things over and over. Expand your wardrobe by reintroducing yourself to some old favorites as you declutter clothing!
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Read More |
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Once you've achieved your goal to declutter your clothing, it’s time to put the keepers away. Click here for tips on how to organize your closet as well as what to do with unwanted clothing.
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Please Share |
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