Seasonal changes are a cue telling you it’s an excellent time for downsizing your clothing closet. Here are my top five tips to help you get on your way.
To get started, mark a date on your calendar to accomplish this task. Schedule at least a few hours (or more). Some folks like to work on a weekend afternoon. If you feel overwhelmed, consider asking your spouse, sibling, or good friend to help you – especially if they will be honest about which clothes suit you best.
The first step is to pull everything out of the closet – and I mean absolutely everything. As with any good organizing project, you will make a mess before you get to the beautifully organized space you envision, but this step is an absolute must.
Ask Yourself Tough Questions
When downsizing your clothing closet, you need to ask yourself the tough questions I list below.
- How does this piece make me feel?
- Does this piece add value to my life?
- When was the last time I wore this piece of clothing?
Letting Go
- Remove clothing that doesn’t fit or flatter you or that you just plain don’t like.
- If you feel any type of negative energy, including guilt over something you should be able to fit into, now is the time to purge those pieces.
- If you haven’t worn the garment in a year or more, you probably never will, so let it go!
These guidelines apply to most clothes, although there are a few exceptions. For example, you may need to keep uniforms or clothing for work or specific events. Other exceptions include maternity wear, sportswear, and formal wear.
If you own maternity wear and plan to have more children soon, feel free to keep the items you love.
Many people did not participate in sports or attend formal events during the COVID pandemic, and these garments sat quietly in their closets for years. If these items still fit and flatter you, and you plan on getting involved soon, keep them. However, if another season goes by and the clothes remain untouched, let them go.
Editing a Professional Wardrobe
Downsizing your clothing closet can be especially difficult if you are a recent retiree. After all, your professional wardrobe represents a part of your life you never return to, and that’s not easy. However, I recommend keeping one well-fitting, professional suit (including shoes and accessories). You never know when you might need to attend an event with a “professional” dress code.
- Donate items in your professional wardrobe to charities such as Dress for Success (women’s clothing) or Attire to Aspire (men’s clothing).
- Gift your clothing through online platforms such as Buy Nothing or neighbourhood groups on social media platforms.
Get Donations Out of the House
I suggest removing all items designated as garbage or give-away as soon as possible. It will prevent you from having second thoughts about returning clothing to your closets.
A client’s wardrobe after downsizing the clothing closet.Organizing Your Clothing
- Organize your wardrobe with all tops together, pants together, sweaters together, etc.
- If possible, hang your clothes instead of folding them. It’s quick and easy, and you can see everything you have.
- Please use matching hangers – preferably velvet or wood rather than plastic. If you have narrow shoulders, choose smaller hangers.
- Consider changing the design of your closets to give you more hanging space.
- If you fold your clothing, plan to maintain the folding.
- Buy bins to fit the shelves to better manage open shelving and avoid the need for perfect folding. Label them and simply toss items into the bin.
- Long open shelves require more upkeep than drawers. Adding drawers to your closet can be life-changing.
You can call your project finished once you deliver your unwanted items to a donation centre and put away everything you’re keeping. Remember, if you don’t get to that stage of completion, your closet may return to its messy state.
Here’s another helpful post about whether or not to rotate your wardrobe.
If you need assistance downsizing or redesigning your clothing closet, please reach out! I love a good closet project and would be thrilled to help you with yours. Whether you’re feeling overwhelmed or unsure where to begin, I can guide you through the entire process, from tough decisions on letting go to organizing your clothing closet to support your lifestyle. Contact me today to make downsizing stress-free and rewarding!