The Surprising Way to Declutter The Closet for Good!

You’ve tried countless times to ween down your clothes into a small wardrobe, but each attempt to declutter the closet has been fruitless.

You just can’t seem to part with any of your clothing.

It’s not the clothes… it’s you.  Here’s how to finally beat it.

You can tell yourself they are only clothes.  And they are to a certain extent.

However, you also have a strong emotional attachment to everything you wear and own.  It’s why decluttering and getting rid of stuff is so hard.

You feel regret, guilt and anxiety while decluttering.  Sometimes these feelings get so strong that you may quit the process altogether.

Don’t!  DON’T QUIT! Know that you can conquer this.

[clickToTweet tweet=”Here’s WHY you haven’t been able to declutter your closet.” quote=”Here’s WHY you haven’t been able to declutter your closet.”]

And here’s how.

These phrases are the seven most common lies we tell ourselves while decluttering.  This is how to beat them.

If you find yourself saying,

Declutter the Closet Roadblock #1: “It’s a good shirt.  I shouldn’t get rid of it.”

Yes!  Yes, it is a good shirt!  Now for some hard truth.

You don’t LOVE the shirt, else you wouldn’t be questioning whether you should get rid of it or not.

Your goal is to create a wardrobe you love.  One that you can look at in the morning and you have no trouble deciding what to wear because you like it all!  EVERYTHING!

Donate that “good” shirt. Know that when you donate, someone who loves your shirt will use it.  It will no longer sit hidden in the back of your closet.

If it’s still in like new condition, you can take it to a consignment store and get a little extra cash in your pocket.

Declutter the Closet Roadblock #2: “I really hate this color, but it’s good material”

If you say “hate” about any aspect of your clothes, that’s a clue to get rid of it.  Every piece of clothing you own, save for a required uniform, should make you feel spectacular.  If there is just one thing that you question about the item, it means that it isn’t for you.

Every piece of clothing you own, save for a required uniform, should make you feel spectacular. Every time you leave the house, you will end up feeling self-conscious.  You’ll feel the need to apologize for your clothing and that’s not a happy place to be.

Get rid of it 🙂

Declutter the Closet Roadblock #3: “I might need it one day”

Yes, you might need it.  I get this.  I’m currently packing for a conference which has night time parties.  Immediately, I thought of this black sequin shirt that I bought for the holidays three years ago.

Oh wait, I got rid of it.  Darn.

I had my reasons though.  The shirt constantly scratched me under my arms.  While sparkly, it constantly snagged at every little thing.  I never wore it because it was so uncomfortable.

So yes, there was a slight bit of remorse.  But, I have another shirt I can wear and my plan now is to sparkle up with some jewelry.

There will always be something else you can wear that you will feel much more confident in.

Declutter the Closet Roadblock #4: “I’ve never worn this but I spent a lot of money on it.”

This thought is one of the hardest to dispell.  No one likes to feel like they wasted money.  I’ve bought items of clothing thinking that they would be the perfect complement to a pair of jeans or skirt.  When I brought it home, it just didn’t work with what I already owned.  The shade was wrong or maybe it didn’t match the rest of my style.   Either way, I didn’t wear it.

And that is super disappointing.  The good news is that since you have never worn it, its perfect for taking to a consignment or resale store and getting some money out of it.  Then, you can buy something you love!

The next reasons are my most difficult to deal with.

Declutter the Closet Roadblock #5: “I forgot I had this.  I’m going to wear it more.”

That is awesome!  I loved it when I was cleaning out my closet and actually found a piece I loved but I forgot I have.  That is the best part about decluttering: finding what you have easily!

But make sure you love it. If you are following my plan for a smaller wardrobe, put the piece in your “Like” pile.  Try it on.  Match it with a few other pieces of clothing to make sure it works with a variety of items.

If it does, “Yay!”  If not, get rid of it.

Declutter the Closet Roadblock #6: “I like these jeans and I like these jeans and I like these jeans”

Are they all the “same pair of jeans”?  Or are they different enough in terms of color and style that the average person would notice that you’re wearing a different pair of pants on each day?

If they are, totally fine.  If they all look like the same pair of jeans, you only need one.

Here’s a secret.  I re-wear jeans before washing them. Totally ok!!

As long as there are no stains and there is no odor,  I simply hang up my jeans at the end of the day instead of putting them in the laundry pile.  It saves me time on laundry, it saves water and it saves room in my closet.  Seriously, a win all around!

Declutter the Closet Roadblock #7: “I never wear this except for when I go __________ once or twice a year”

Awesome to have these pieces of clothing!  However, you don’t need them in your closet.

Use a separate drawer or storage bin to pack these items out of the way.  I have a drawer full of my biking clothes, my tri-suit (someday again!) and my hiking boots.  I only need these items once in a while so I need to keep them. However, I don’t need to see them every day.

Decluttering your closet is hard!  Now go do it!  Here’s how I transitioned my closet to a small wardrobe: