The thing with decluttering your wardrobe is that the longer you push it off, the harder it gets. Clothes just keep piling up, and the task of organizing them all starts to look incredibly difficult.
However, if you set aside an afternoon and dedicate yourself to the task, you could easily declutter your closet and end up with a beautifully organized wardrobe.
In this closet decluttering guide, I will give you some good wardrobe organization ideas to help you organize and declutter your closet. There are many benefits of decluttering your closet.
Besides being able to find the clothes you want quicker, an organized closet also gives you peace of mind. A messy closet makes you feel stressed, I’m sure you know what I’m talking about!
Preparing for Success: Essential Tools for Closet Organization
Let’s start by discussing the closet organization tools you will need. These essential decluttering supplies will help you organize your closet quickly and easily.
I recommend getting plastic storage bins or drawers to help you organize your wardrobe. Instead of just folding everything in the same closet, separate your shirts, pants, socks, etc. You could also separate your clothes based on the type of style they are, for example, you could put casual shirts into one bin and formal work attire in another.
You should also have labels on hand so you can properly label the storage bins, making it easy to find what you are looking for quickly. Finally, you should have a sufficient amount of hangers on hand for all of the clothes you will be hanging.
Master the Chaos: How to Effectively Sort Your Clothing
Tackling a messy wardrobe can certainly seem like a daunting task, especially if there is a lot of chaos in there. But don’t push it off, tackle it sooner rather than later, so that it doesn’t get worse.
First, take everything out of your wardrobe and I mean everything. Take each item out one by one, and put them in piles accordingly. For example, all shirts in one place, all pants in another, it all depends on the organization strategy you decided upon. It will take a few minutes, but that way, you can already start having some order in the chaos.
Once that is done, it’s time to move on to the next step, which is deciding which items from each pile you want to keep and which ones you want to throw away. Keep on reading for the details.
Keep or Toss: Smart Decisions for Your Wardrobe
Now it’s time for those tough wardrobe decluttering decisions. Which clothes should you keep, and which ones should you throw? Don’t worry, we’ve got some good clothing purge tips for you!
First, the obvious: Anything that no longer fits you should be put away. However, that wholly depends on why it no longer fits you. Did you get taller? Then, throw them. If you gained weight, don’t throw them if you plan on losing that weight. If you lost weight and they are too big, you may want to consider getting rid of them.
Another thing to consider is the frequency of how often you wear those clothes. Ask yourself: When was the last time you wore that item? If it was years ago, you probably don’t need to keep it “just in case.” It will just add clutter to your wardrobe, and our aim here is minimalism in our closet organization strategy.
If it’s something you only wear once in a while, like for weddings or special events, you should still keep it. However, put all of those items in a separate place, perhaps in a drawer or bin that you then place in the corner of your wardrobe, so that it doesn’t get in the way of your other clothes.
Another thing to consider is your personal fashion style. Perhaps it has changed over time, and you no longer wear the clothes that you used to. In that case, get rid of them. We’ll talk more about the best options for getting rid of them in a later section.
When decluttering your wardrobe, do it properly. Drawers, shelves, and storage boxes are often neglected areas that people don’t bother decluttering but you definitely should not neglect to organize these overlooked closet areas. The shelves up on top (if any) should also be cleaned and organized.
Do these separately from your clothes, though. You will likely find all sorts of knick-knacks in your drawers, so get a garbage bag on hand for those things that you will throw out. You may find that you can fit what previously fit into two drawers into one, maximizing space for other items like jewelry, accessories, underwater, or socks.
Innovative Closet Layouts and Storage Ideas
There are tons of cool hacks you can use to maximize your wardrobe storage space. Here are some innovative wardrobe storage hacks and creative closet layouts to try.
Space-saving hangers are some of my favorite ones. Some clothes can be hung instead of folded and just pushed to the side to create more space. To maximize your vertical space, though, use bins below the hangers.
If you can install double hanging bars to hang clothes, that will maximize space even more.
I recommend using transparent containers. They just make it easier to see what you are looking for, reducing the need to go through different clothes when getting dressed, which risks making things cluttered and messy again.
I also personally like using wooden or plastic dividers in between my folded clothes, even within bins. It just helps keep everything seem more organized and avoids different types of clothes getting mixed up with each other.
This is even more important when not using bins and just folding clothes and putting them directly in the wardrobe, as you may find that certain clothes tend to fall over and get mixed in the other piles.
Eco-Friendly Decluttering: Donate, Recycle, and Repurpose
I had mentioned getting rid of clothes, but that doesn’t mean you have to throw them out in the trash! There are many eco-friendly options for recycling clothes responsibly.
You can look up recycling companies in your area that recycle fabrics and textiles. If you really want to make a change in the world, though, I recommend donating items that you no longer use to charity. There are many people who could benefit from your hand-me-downs!
Another option is selling your old clothes on eBay. Finally, yet another option is repurposing your clothes. You can cut your pants to turn them into shorts, for example. You can cut up your shirts to turn them into head coverings. You can also use old clothes as rags or repurpose them as gym clothes.
Long-Term Strategies for Keeping Your Closet Clutter-Free
The job isn’t over once you have reorganized your closet. If you are not careful, clutter will accumulate rather quickly again.
That’s why I recommend using storage bins. It just makes it easier to keep everything tidy. However, it is also crucial that you make a commitment to keeping things tidy. When you go to bed at night or leave for work in the morning, don’t procrastinate. If you took out a few clothes from a pile to look for a specific item, put the clothes back.
If you have dirty clothes, put them in the hamper. Don’t throw them in the closet. Finally, set aside one day a month to go through your closet and declutter it again, in case any clutter gets in there. It won’t be as daunting as the first time and will take a lot quicker.
Style Capsule: Building a Streamlined Wardrobe
For a truly minimalistic style, try putting together a capsule wardrobe and then getting rid of all your other clothes. You might be wondering what a capsule wardrobe is, so let’s go over some capsule wardrobe basics.
A capsule wardrobe is essentially a very small collection of clothes that can be mixed and matched for any sort of occasion, for any style.
Here are some ideas for a capsule wardrobe:
- A few basic t-shirts of different colors, including white, black, and gray
- A couple of dress shirts, one blue and one white
- A few pairs of denim jeans of different colors or different shades of blue
- A few trousers or shorts
- A couple of overgarments, including a hoodie, a blazer, a leather jacket, and a winter jacket
- Three different styles of shoes for different occasions (for example, sandals, high-heeled shoes if you are a girl, dress shoes, and casual sports shoes)
For a streamlined wardrobe, stick to neutral colors. White and black are easy to pair with a lot of different colors. Denim jeans also typically go well with shirts of any color. Flashy t-shirts with slogans on them or dress shirts with patterns might be harder to match.
Your capsule wardrobe might need a few more items if you live in an area with extreme temperatures. Then, you’ll need some summer, autumn/spring, and winter clothes. However, you can pack away the winter clothes every year and put them in a separate bin to keep things clutter-free.
Seasonal Closet Refresh: Staying Organized Year-Round
With that in mind, let’s talk about seasonal closet rotation. Organizing seasonal clothes doesn’t have to be difficult. Get a few storage bins, put your off-season clothes there, and put them at the side of your wardrobe or on a top shelf. Or, put them in an extra closet, if you have one. Take them down and put the summer clothes there once winter rolls around.
I recommend keeping several spring and autumn clothes in your wardrobe at all times. That way, you will be prepared for fluctuations in weather patterns, such as an unusually warm day in February. A good way to approach it is to change out your wardrobe and rotate your clothes twice a year, each time they change the clocks. It just makes it easier to remember.
Conclusion: Enjoy a Clutter-Free, Organized Closet Every Day
The benefits of organizing your closet are a stress-free wardrobe and a stress-free mind. When there’s clutter in the house, it’s just hard to keep your mind at peace. If your house is messy, your mind and emotional state will feel messy, too. That’s why having an organized living space is so important. So, don’t delay and organize your closet today!
