9 Easy Steps for Decluttering Your Closet and Wardrobe
So, you want to declutter your wardrobe but are clueless about where to start? Are you feeling overwhelmed staring at all the clutter in your closet? Well, then you’re in the right place!
If there’s one thing my closet decluttering project has taught me, it’s that building a simplified wardrobe isn’t just about tossing out half your clothes – it’s a whole mindset shift. A wardrobe declutter isn’t about following some set of arbitrary “rules” found in a Google search. For me, it’s been about embracing this process and making it my own.
I feel like I’ve been through the (clothing) trenches and I’ve picked up some insights along the way. So, I thought, why not share these with you? These may be personal to me, but I bet one of you will be able to relate.
Here are my 9 tips I wished I’d known before I started this closet decluttering project! (but am glad I know now). Whether you’re a decluttering newbie (like me) or someone who has attempted to clear out your closet before, I hope you find a little inspiration (or at least a good chuckle) in this journey.
Ok, it’s time to declutter!
9 Tips I Wish I Knew Before I Decided to Declutter My Closet
1. Define Your Style
Start by really thinking about your style as it is right now. Not what it was 5 years ago, or before you had a baby, or even when you worked in the office. Holding onto clothes you no longer wear is not doing you any favours. For me, I work from home and don’t go out much. So how many blazers and fancy dresses do I need? The answer is, “not very many”. In reality, I do not need any more than 2 dressy key items per seasonal capsule. (I’m still working on this one!)
2. Think in Seasonal Capsules
This was a game-changer for me. I was panicking that I had all of these clothes, how was I ever going to narrow it down to just a few dozen key items? That’s when I discovered the concept of creating capsules for the season. Of course, I’m not going to wear my cashmere jumpers for 6 months when we’re going through spring and summer! Once I realised this, I moved all of my winter/fall items to a different space and only focused on my spring/summer clothing. Not only does moving the seasonal clothes to another space help you focus on your simplified wardrobe decluttering process, but it also creates physical space in your closet!
3. Be Ruthless
If you truly want to simplify your wardrobe, be as ruthless as possible. Ask yourself two questions for each item: How do I feel when I wear this? If I haven’t worn it in over six months, why not? If it’s a seasonal reason, then that’s ok. Move it to another space for now and evaluate it when you do next season’s capsule. If not, confront why it’s unworn. Be brutally honest about those ‘someday’ items. That top you thought was Parisian chic but feels more ‘Little House on the Prairie’? It might be time to part ways. Remember, getting rid of the clothes that don’t work,
4. Don’t Rush the Purge
Despite what I said about being selective when decluttering your wardrobe, don’t rush. Hasty purchasing decisions of my past led me here, so take your time. I did! I took weeks to go through my wardrobe. And even now, I still have an ‘unsure’ pile! My plan for these items is to reincorporate them back into my wardrobe and see if I find a newfound love for and desire to wear them. If I haven’t by the end of this season, I know it’s “Sayonara old pal.”
Top Tip: Rotate the hangers of unsure clothes. If a piece remains unworn by season’s end, it’s time for it to go.
5. Quality over Quantity
I’m aiming for 70-80% of my simplified wardrobe to be high-quality staples. Not everything must be expensive. I’m leaving space for fun, fleeting fashion trends. My goal? A closet with a balanced blend of lasting staples and some affordable, trendy favourites. I’m hoping that 80% of my wardrobe will be high quality and only constitute 25% of my actual clothing. It’s about mixing fewer, timeless pieces with some lower-cost favourites for a balanced wardrobe.
6. Ignore the Influencers (but still follow for inspo!)
I’ve bought items influenced by my favourite Instagram minimalists, only to find they don’t suit my life. And it’s not that there’s anything wrong with the item, I just realised I don’t have as much of a need for it as I thought (or hoped). Take that lovely trench I bought from my beloved H&M. Ok, it’s maybe not the right length for me, but fit aside – exactly how often have I encountered a situation where I thought “I could use a trench!” Revisit point one and trust your judgement over your favourite influencer’s must-haves.
7. Think Interchangeably
Resist buying standalone pieces – my second biggest epiphany. I’ve improved over the years, yet sometimes the urge to buy a piece that demands additional purchases still tempts me. This only results in a closet full of clothes that you struggle to wear. So my best advice to creating a wardrobe you love is to consider how new items will integrate with your existing clothing in your wardrobe to avoid adding to the ‘I never wear this’ pile.
8. Embrace Your Favourites (unapologetically)
Many of my treasured items aren’t top quality or the most expensive. Yet, they hold a special place in my heart. I love a $2 shirt I got from Kmart a few years ago. I wear it often, so there was never a doubt it was staying. It’s about what you love and wear, not the price tag or brand. Some of my most loved items may not be the best quality and certainly weren’t the highest priced, but I love them nonetheless. My advice? Keep clothes that you know you love and wear often, regardless of how much they cost or how old they are. Don’t give into the pressure to get rid of a certain item of clothing just because of how much you paid for it.
9. This is a Marathon, Not a Sprint
Treat your wardrobe decluttering as a marathon, not a sprint. There is no set amount of time that is the universally “right” period for this journey. We evolve as people, so your wardrobe will evolve with you. I am not the same person I was 10 years ago, nor am I the same person who was living nomadically 5 years ago. My life right now is different and I should dress for reality – not the dream (or memories). Make decluttering an ongoing journey.
These tips are your starting point, but remember, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. What matters is creating a closet that fits your current life, not the life you had or wish to have (or used to have). It’s about comfort, practicality, and a bit of fun. The whole reason why I wanted to declutter my closet was to have fewer clothes to make my daily choices easier. So, I keep tweaking and getting rid of what doesn’t suit my life now. It’s been a process and one that I am looking forward to continuing.
Have you got other helpful tips and tricks you’ve used to make it easier to declutter your closet? I’d love to hear them! Find me on the ‘gram and let’s connect. @girlseeksbeach
