Last weekend was a long weekend—woohoo! Normally I would have spent a day at the beach with friends, or maybe taken a train somewhere fun, but last weekend’s skimboarding adventure left me sunburned and hence unwilling to leave my apartment for long while the sun was out. So, instead of attending a barbecue or a party, I did some wardrobe maintenance.
Given my fixation with collecting fashionable items, particularly vintage clothing in perfect condition, I was a little overdue for a wardrobe pare-down. Luckily, one of my other fixations involves evaluating whether the possessions I own are actually bringing any value to my life, so my closet decluttering extravaganza occurs a couple times a year, typically when the seasons change from warm to cold and then back again. I’ve streamlined a cleaning process that works for me. Here are the steps I take, including some suggestions for modification.
[Do i need to change this to an ordered list?]
- Gather the right materials. You’re going to be trying on lots of clothing, so be prepared. I make sure I have seamless undies, a couple of different bras in different styles, a slip and a half-slip, and heels in a few different heights, but if you don’t wear any of these things in real life, you can alter this list to fit the underthings and shoes that you actually own and use). In addition, you’ll need a full-length mirror; a fashionable friend (or ten!); and a plastic storage box. (What size? It depends. Read on.)
- Take everything out of the closet that you haven’t worn in a year. This is the beginning of your “no” pile, as in, “No, I’m not keeping this” (or, more pointedly, “Hell, no, I’m not wearing sequins anytime in the foreseeable future!” or “Why in Bertrand Russell’s name did I ever buy those sparkly leggings in the first place?”). If you haven’t worn it in a year, you’re likely not ever going to wear it again, if you ever did in the first place. So why not get rid of it to make space for something else that you’ll wear more often? Some professional organizers say you should take out everything that hasn’t been worn in the past six months, but I like to give myself a year to account for climate variance. If I followed this rule, I’d clean out my closet every springtime and routinely give away all my sundresses that I hadn’t worn all winter. . . and then come summer, I’d be kicking myself in the ass for doing this.
- Let the fittings begin! Try on every piece in your closet. I like to try all my clothing exactly like I would wear it out—combined into outfits, and paired with reasonable underwear (if you’re trying to decide whether to keep that black sheer skirt, wearing pale pink granny undies doesn’t exactly make for an objective decisionmaking situation). This way, I get a better idea of how it will actually look when I wear it out. I check for four things: whether it fits; whether I like it or whether it fits in with my own style aesthetic; whether it’s in good repair; and whether it fits with my lifestyle. The fit is usually the easiest thing to determine; even though I’m done growing and my weight doesn’t really fluctuate, some of my clothing shrinks in the wash or stretches out as it gets old. This leads to skinny jeans that are way skinnier than I am and tees that don’t clear the waist of my pants, so those are easiest to put into the “no” pile. The question of whether it fits with my style aesthetic is usually pretty easy as well; if I find myself doing a lot of freelance work in offices where business attire is the norm, it would make sense that I’d want to get rid of more tees and keep more blouses. The question of lifestyle, however, is the hardest for me—mostly because I sometimes own things on the basis of their aesthetic merits, but never have anywhere to wear them. Vintage cocktail dresses are at fault here, as well as too many pairs of track pants (I don’t go running nearly often enough to own more that two athletic outfits total).
After you try each item on, you’re going to put it in one of three piles. You already have a “no” pile from above; the other piles are “yes” and “maybe.” - Get fixing. While you’re doing this, keep two running lists. The first is the items that you own and plan on keeping, but that aren’t in great repair or need alterations. When I did my cleanout last weekend, my list included sewing on buttons, replacing broken zippers, fixing torn seams, hemming some floor-length gowns up to cocktail length so I can wear them more often, shortening sleeves, and putting in darts to nip in the waists of some dresses I’d typically worn with belts to cinch them. I plan on doing the majority of these alterations myself, but if you’re not skilled in sewing, you can usually have a tailor do them for you for a reasonable price. The second list you’re going to keep is a list of things you need to purchase. I know it seems counterintuitive that the result of cleaning out your closet is going out and buying more stuff, but you’re not just going to buy crap. Maybe you have a dress that would look way better with a big patent leather belt over it. Maybe some of your summer sundresses can become four-season dresses with the help of some coordinated turtlenecks and solid tights. Maybe the only thing stopping you from wearing your amazing wool skirt three times weekly is the fact that you don’t have a blouse that goes with it. Or, maybe you’ve had your black tee since before you hit puberty, and it’s been through the wash more times than you’ve been on the Internet since birth. . . in this case, you should get rid of it, and buy a new one (or two, if you wear it more than once a week). Keep in mind, though, that this is not complete carte blanche to buy whatever you want; look for things that will add value to what you have already.
- Deal with the “maybe” pile. This is where your friend comes in. If it’s a particularly stylish friend or even a group of friends, all the better. You need opinions—harsh ones. So invite over all the fashionistas you know and start trying on your “maybes” with an audience. Your fashion-forward friends who know your style are your most indispensable asset. Because they’re familiar with your tastes and your lifestyle, they’ll be able to give you the most accurate suggestions about what looks good and what doesn’t. But what’s more, they’ll be able to make suggestions as to how you can possibly make it work. (Case in point: I never wear tube tops, but I have a couple of vintage wrap skirts in different colors and prints. My friend Leigh watched me complain about not wearing them enough because they don’t look good with any of my tops, and she suggested, “Why don’t you wear them with a tube top?”) Remember the shopping list from above? You’ll likely be adding to it here.
- Take the “no” pile and shove it. . . Seriously. Get rid of that stuff now. If you have trouble getting rid of your old things, just think: there’s a reason you don’t wear them anymore. You don’t need a prom dress more than a few times in your life, even if you’re Greek in college and attend formals on a near-monthly basis. Your pre-weight gain clothing that you may be hanging onto as an incentive to lose weight? It needs to go, because even if you lose weight, the first thing you’re going to want to do is go shopping. And there’s someone somewhere that will want what you’re giving way. . . even if you don’t. If you’ree having a really, truly difficult time parting with your pretties, put them in a plastic storage box and tuck them away somewhere safe. Then mark your calendar for exactly six months from now. If you haven’t gone looking for anything in that box by the time six months has passed, you likely never will. So get it out of your life!
[[[i need to touch on the repair question in this list item]]]
So, there you go. You’re ready to clean out your closet quickly and effectively. Did I miss anything? Do you guys have a different method you like for closet decluttering? Share in the comments!
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