A lot of people make the mistake of going out to buy new clothes and shoes for spring and summer before they’ve even looked at the items they already have in their wardrobe. We know it’s tempting to just hit the mall and load up on some fresh new trends, but your dressers and closet can only hold so many items, and you may find yourself with way more clothes than you can wear. Start the season off on the right foot by checking out our plan for a swift, easy wardrobe cleanout.
Step 1: Lay it all out
The first thing to do is to take everything you own out of your wardrobe and dressers: put clothing on your bed, and line up your shoes on the floor.
You’ll need to create two piles: one with items to keep, and the other, to toss.
Determine which pile each item should be placed in by going through them, one by one, and asking yourself these three questions:
1. Is this item still in good enough condition to wear?
2. Have I worn this item in the last year?
3. Can I see myself wearing this item for an event I have coming up?
If you answer “no” to more than one of these questions, place the item in the “toss” pile.
When you are done, go through the “toss” pile, and decide what to do with the clothes and shoes that have been placed there. If certain items are still in good enough condition, you can give them to charity like Goodwill, or organize a clothing swap with friends. Really worn-out clothes can be torn up or cut up to use as rags or donated to organizations that will recycle them (check online to find a local organization near you).
Step 2: Scrub down
Take this opportunity to wipe down the insides of your drawers with a damp cloth, and to vacuum and dust your closet. Leave your drawers and closet doors open to air them out. Why not add a special closet air freshener while you’re at it? There are some on the market that are specifically-designed for closets, complete with a hanger-like hook.
Step 3: Organization
This is the time to rethink where you keep everything: are your tops in a conveniently-placed drawer? Have you been keeping your socks in a drawer that is big enough to hold all of them? What is the best way to organize your closet? Take the time to think things through and figure out the best layout for your clothes and shoes.
A few tips:
▪ If you don’t have a lot of storage space for everyday clothes, consider storing the items that are not in season in big rubber bins in another room or the basement or garage. This will leave more room for what you will be wearing for the current season.
▪ You may want to invest in some sturdier hangers for jeans (they are heavier than regular pants).
▪ Separate clothes into “work” and “play” by hanging all of your jeans together, all of your dress pants together, etc.
▪ Save space in your closet by making double-use of your hangers: hang casual hoodies and sweaters over jeans, and blazers over dressier pants.
▪ Purchase stackable shoe shelves—this will maximize the number of shoes you can store in your closet. Another option is to get a shoe rack that hangs behind your closet door (this works especially well for flat-heeled shoes).
▪ If you have enough space in your closet, hang a textile shoe rack to the back of the door or on a wall inside the closet and use it to store accessories such as scarves, belts, hats, gloves, etc.
Step 1: Lay it all out
The first thing to do is to take everything you own out of your wardrobe and dressers: put clothing on your bed, and line up your shoes on the floor.
You’ll need to create two piles: one with items to keep, and the other, to toss.
Determine which pile each item should be placed in by going through them, one by one, and asking yourself these three questions:
1. Is this item still in good enough condition to wear?
2. Have I worn this item in the last year?
3. Can I see myself wearing this item for an event I have coming up?
If you answer “no” to more than one of these questions, place the item in the “toss” pile.
When you are done, go through the “toss” pile, and decide what to do with the clothes and shoes that have been placed there. If certain items are still in good enough condition, you can give them to charity like Goodwill, or organize a clothing swap with friends. Really worn-out clothes can be torn up or cut up to use as rags or donated to organizations that will recycle them (check online to find a local organization near you).
Step 2: Scrub down
Take this opportunity to wipe down the insides of your drawers with a damp cloth, and to vacuum and dust your closet. Leave your drawers and closet doors open to air them out. Why not add a special closet air freshener while you’re at it? There are some on the market that are specifically-designed for closets, complete with a hanger-like hook.
Step 3: Organization
This is the time to rethink where you keep everything: are your tops in a conveniently-placed drawer? Have you been keeping your socks in a drawer that is big enough to hold all of them? What is the best way to organize your closet? Take the time to think things through and figure out the best layout for your clothes and shoes.
A few tips:
▪ If you don’t have a lot of storage space for everyday clothes, consider storing the items that are not in season in big rubber bins in another room or the basement or garage. This will leave more room for what you will be wearing for the current season.
▪ You may want to invest in some sturdier hangers for jeans (they are heavier than regular pants).
▪ Separate clothes into “work” and “play” by hanging all of your jeans together, all of your dress pants together, etc.
▪ Save space in your closet by making double-use of your hangers: hang casual hoodies and sweaters over jeans, and blazers over dressier pants.
▪ Purchase stackable shoe shelves—this will maximize the number of shoes you can store in your closet. Another option is to get a shoe rack that hangs behind your closet door (this works especially well for flat-heeled shoes).
▪ If you have enough space in your closet, hang a textile shoe rack to the back of the door or on a wall inside the closet and use it to store accessories such as scarves, belts, hats, gloves, etc.