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Tired of searching for an outfit every morning? Learn how to declutter clothes so you’re left with only pieces that you love and that fit the body you have!
Hopping on one foot, I glanced at the clock. 5:32.
I pulled off pair #3, exasperated that I was going through this mess again.
Panic rose up my throat as my heart pounded faster. I had to leave for work in 8 minutes, and it felt like I had nothing to wear.
The Problem With a Messy Closet
A wardrobe full of clothes that you don’t like and that don’t fit you sets you up for failure day after day. According to Marie Claire, trying to figure out what to wear can even cause anxiety.
When your clothes don’t fit and your closet is full of things you don’t like, you waste time trying to find an outfit you like that you fit into. It causes frustration, because you’re constantly sifting through stuff you don’t want to wear, looking for something that’s halfway cute. It can also make you feel bad about yourself, if you repeatedly try on clothes that don’t fit, in search of something that does.
The Solution: Declutter Clothes
Not to worry, though. You can turn those stressful, frustrating mornings around by decluttering your clothes.
Decluttering clothes removes items that aren’t an option for you right now, and leaves you with things that fit and that you want to wear. As a result, you’ll feel better about yourself, save time, and reduce morning frustration before work. Doesn’t that sound awesome? Are you ready to rip those ill-fitting, icky clothes out of your closet for good?
Before We Get Started
You’re almost ready to declutter your clothes. Before we get started, here are a few things to keep in mind.
If you’re short on time, try to focus on low-hanging fruit – things that you know don’t fit, that you no longer like, or are no longer your style.
Remember that you can declutter your clothes over the course of several days – you don’t have to declutter your clothes all at once. Just take it 1 dresser drawer or 1 closet section at a time. Stop when you need to, and move forward to the next section of your wardrobe the following day. This strategy is perfect for working women, because hey, we’re busy and short on time!
The Limbo Box
Finally, you’ll see me mention something called the “limbo box” below. Since the goal of decluttering your clothes is to remove things that you don’t like and that don’t fit, you might run into a common problem: You might have clothes that almost fit (i.e., a little too big or a little too small).
Reality check: If some of the clothes that you like are 1 size up or down from where you are now, I’m not going to tell you to get rid of them.
Sometimes we lose or gain a little weight, and that’s okay. However, clothes that you like, but that are too big or too small for the body you have RIGHT NOW shouldn’t be in your dresser or closet with the stuff that fits. As a result, you can put them in a “limbo” box or bag and set them aside, in case you do lose or gain a little weight. This is great because you get to keep them, but they aren’t staring you in the face every morning, wasting your time when you go to try them on and they don’t fit.
Okay, now that we have that out of the way, let’s get decluttering!
How to Declutter Clothes
To make decluttering clothes easier, there’s a little prep work to do first.
Gather Supplies
Decluttering your clothes will be a lot easier with the right supplies. Don’t worry, there aren’t a ton of supplies needed, and you probably have all of them! Here’s all you need:
- At least 4 boxes or bags (at least 1 each for the following categories: repair, donate, limbo, trash)
- Extra hangers
See? Super easy supply list. Now you’re ready to go!
Choose 1 Area to Work In
As I said above, you can declutter your clothes a little at a time, in sections. Even if you’re going to declutter your closet all at once, it’s important to choose 1 small area to start – 1 drawer, 1 section of closet, etc. As a result, you’ll avoid overwhelm and feel a sense of accomplishment when you finish that first little area.
Clothes Decluttering Checklist
Okay, here is the mack daddy of all clothes decluttering checklists! Use this checklist to analyze each item in your closet. Some items will only make it past the first few questions; others might take a bit more decision-making. But at the end, you’ll be left with only clothes that fit AND that you love to wear!
- If you know it’s way too big or way too small, put it in the donate box
- If it’s damaged beyond repair, put it in the trash box
- If you know you don’t like it anymore, put it in the donate box
- If you’re not sure if it fits and/or you’re not sure if you like it, try it on
- If it fits and you like it, hang/fold it back up and put it away
- If it fits but you don’t like it, put it in the donate box
- If it fits and you like it, but it needs to be repaired, put it in the repair box
- If it almost fits and you like it, put it in the limbo box
- If it doesn’t fit and you don’t like it, put it in the donate box
After analyzing each item in your wardrobe, you should be left with only items that fit you, and that you like. No more wasting time sifting through things that don’t fit your body or your style! Your mornings will be more calm, because you won’t be searching for something to wear. Plus, you’ll feel better about yourself, because your wardrobe will be full of things that you like and that fit you!
Follow Up With Your Limbo Box
Remember the limbo box – where you put items that you like, but that didn’t quite fit? Make a note in your phone or planner to check it every 2-3 months. If anything in the box fits after a few months, put it back in your closet! If you’ve gained or lost a significant amount of weight and things are now way too big or too small, it’s probably time to donate them.
I decluttered my clothes right after the holidays, and, yes, I’d gained a little weight. I was so tired of wasting time every morning trying on multiple pairs of jeans that were just barely too small. They’ve been in the limbo box for a bit now, and the extra few pounds are slowly coming off. I’m excited to get those jeans back into my wardrobe soon!
How to Declutter Clothes: Conclusion
Decluttering your closet doesn’t have to be a big, scary, arduous task. Take it 1 section at a time, analyze each piece of clothing, and remove items that you don’t like or that don’t fit. As a result, you’ll save time and frustration before work each morning, because you’ll be left with a wardrobe full of pieces that you like and that fit the body you have now.
Looking for more wardrobe hacks for working women? Check out my tips for getting dressed faster, plus how to do less laundry!