How To Declutter Clothes with These Easy and Simple Steps
Have you wondered how to declutter clothes without it being such a chore? Here are some simple and easy tips to help you accomplish your decluttering process.
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How To Declutter Clothes Video
How To Declutter Clothes
1. Be in the right mindset
How do you be ruthless when decluttering clothes?
The first step is to be in the right mindset to get yourself started. You want to be ready to have an organized closet, motivated to make a change, and ready to get rid of things. If you aren’t in the right mindset, emotion can take over, and chances are you’ll get frustrated and experience decision fatigue. You may become too nostalgic over sentimental pieces and won’t be able to let go of items.
2. Set the Pace Right For You
Determine how much time you want to dedicate to your decluttering and be realistic. Do you want to clean out 1 drawer a day, 1 a week, or do you want to attack your whole dresser or closet in a day? Decide what you can realistically do so that you don’t get overwhelmed. This way you will make better decisions.
3. Gut the space
The next step is to start with a clean slate. The best way to do this is to remove every article of clothing. Whether you’re going through a drawer or your closet you’ll want to remove everything from the space so that you can start with a clean and empty space.
4. Go through the clothes
The next step of the process is to go through each piece of clothing from that space and do a quick sort. Assign each item of clothing to different categories. Decide which things you want to keep, which you want to donate, which things need to be tossed, and what you might be able to use in a different way. You can easily sort them into four trash bags.
How do you organize and declutter clothes?
My kids struggled with “keep or get rid of”, so I asked them a simple question, “like it or love it” for each item. Once we went through everything we looked at how many items were in the “love it” pile which was often just right and we then were able to donate the “like it “pile.
How do you get rid of clothes hoarding?
Sometimes you can use items in another way. If you are nostalgic about an item or have an emotional attachment, but not planning on wearing it, here are some things you can consider doing with the clothes:
- turn clothes into a blanket
- turn clothes into a rug
- turn clothes into decorative pillows
You can find examples of these types of projects in my posts:
If the clothes aren’t in good condition and can’t be donated, consider using them as reusable cleaning cloths, dryer sheets, etc.
One big thing to consider when you’re doing a wardrobe declutter, think about how many of each item do you need. There are 7 days in a week, so you’ll definitely need 7-10 of each clothing item, but do you need more than that? This will help you have a simplified wardrobe. These items include:
- blouses, t-shirts
- skirts, dresses
- pairs of jeans or pair of pants
More things to consider while sorting through clothes, you can get rid of:
- Clothing pieces that don’t fit you.
- Clothes you have several pieces of.
- Clothes and accessories that no longer suit your fashion style.
- Clothes you never or only wear once.
- Clothes you used to wear but now dislike.
- Clothes you want to get repaired but haven’t.
5. Clean the space
Before putting clothes back, clean the space. You can vacuum it out and or wipe it down.
6. Purchase clothing organizers
To help keep your clothes decluttered, invest in some organizers for your dresser drawers and closet.
My undergarment drawer has always been the hardest for me to keep decluttered. I used the Lifewit Drawer Underwear Organizer to whip this space into shape. It came in a 4 pack and I was able to organize my undergarments and socks.
If you have drawers that are hard to fit larger organizers in you might like using smaller containers that you can design and shape your space.
With this Lifewit 25 PCS drawer organizer set I was able to customize this smaller drawer at the top of my dresser to organize a few odds and ends, socks, belts, etc.
You can also purchase or make drawer dividers using cardboard.
7. Utilized your space
Try swapping out your seasonal clothes to utilize your space and maintain a decluttered closet.
My mom always had us swap our winter sweaters and our summer clothes to utilize our space better. We would swap them back and forth with a container that was placed on the top shelf of our closet. This is a great place to store clothes you won’t be wearing in the current season. Here I’m using Lifewit Large Capacity Clothes Storage Bag that comes in a 3 pack to hold my sweaters for the summer months and I’ll swap them out for the winter.
If you like some of the organizing items I used you can check them out at the Lifewit store.
8. Dispurse and donate
After decluttering your clothes, you can donate ‘like new’ or ones still in good condition to charity, or a donation center. You can donate clothes to help those with disabilities, veterans, disaster victims, and people who can’t afford clothes. This also helps you build a positive trait. Easy Donation Pickup explains that many non-profit organizations accept non-monetary donations, including clothes.
Ensure to also follow the best practices when donating clothes. Have the clothes dry-cleansed or washed. Get rid of any stains as well. If you’re sending one to a recipient who’s allergic to perfumes, ensure to use fragrance-free laundry detergent. Avoid using fabric softener to prevent aggravating the signs and symptoms of allergy. Moreover, don’t donate ripped, damaged, stained, or dirty clothes. After washing the clothes, neatly fold and place them in a box, bag, or container.
Place the clothing you’re donating in garbage bags or boxes and set up either a pick-up service or drop them off at a donation box, thrift store, charity shop, or consignment stores. Take the items you’ll be repurposing into things like cleaning rags and dryer cloths and place them with your cleaning supplies.
9. Forward Thinking
Now that the clutter is gone, you’ll have fewer clothes and a capsule wardrobe of interchangeable items. When thinking of purchasing new clothes or a new outfit, think about the one in and one out method. For every new item you purchase, something has to go.
How To Declutter Clothes Video
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More Decluttering Clothes Tips and Tricks
Place outfits together on a hanger to save space. You can find more tips and tricks regarding closet organization in my posts
- Easy DIY Closet Organization; Tips and Tricks For Maximizing Your Closet Space
- Declutter Closet – How to Clean and Organize In 4 Easy Steps
How To Declutter Clothes with These Easy and Simple Steps
Equipment
- None
Ingredients
- Large Storage Bags – https://amzn.to/3tvBOdX
- Clear Drawer Organizers – https://amzn.to/3JxY6RT
- Drawer Organizers – https://amzn.to/3IyiHnA
Instructions
- BE IN THE RIGHT MINDSET
- SET THE PACE RIGHT FOR YOU
- GUT THE SPACE
- GO THROUGH THE CLOTHES
- CLEAN THE SPACE
- PURCHASE CLOTHING ORGANIZERS
- UTILIZE YOUR SPACE
- DISPURSE AND DONATE
Video
Check out some of my other decluttering posts!
