Is your closet stuffed full of clothes, half of which you don’t wear? If you said yes, then this post is for you! Come along, and let me show you how to purge, organize, and store your clothes!
Our Summer Home Organization Challenge continues, and today I’m focusing on purging our clothes!
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When we moved to Florida just over two years ago, we donated the majority of our winter clothes.
I brought our favorite sweaters, sweatshirts, and lighter coats.
The truth is, we’re not wearing a lot of what we brought.
So, it’s time for a major purge!
But getting rid of clothes is easier said than done!
So before we get into the details of how to purge, let’s discuss why we tend to hold on to clothes we don’t need!
Hopefully, this will make it easier to let go!
Why do we keep clothes we do not wear?
1) I liked it in the store but not at home
Has this ever happened to you?
You try something on in the store and think it looks great, but when you put it on at home, it’s just not right.
I bet some of you have items in your closet that still have the price tag attached!
But because you paid your hard-earned money for it, you can’t let it go!
Letting it sit in your closet won’t bring the money back.
Instead, sell it! If you don’t want to make the effort to sell it, donate it!
2) I’m looking for a match
Are you saving items you like but do not wear because they don’t match anything you have? Or you can’t wear it because it needs a special bra you don’t currently own?
If that’s the case, the item probably does not fit your style.
Donate or sell it and purchase items in the future that can be mixed and matched with your wardrobe!
3) I might need it for a special event
Do you have dresses or suits that you’re keeping in case of a special dressy occasion?
By the time that day comes, it will be out of date, not fit, or too musty to wear!!
Keep one dressy item and donate the rest.
4) It might fit someday
We’ve all had to deal with gaining or losing a few pounds.
That means you probably have clothes in your closet that don’t fit.
Try only to keep clothes that fit you right now.
There’s no reason to have clothes you don’t wear taking up space in your closet or drawers.
If you’re planning to change your weight, keep the excess clothes in a tub. If your weight doesn’t change, the clothes are packed and ready to be donated.
Getting rid of clothes can be very emotional.
Now that you know why you’re hanging on to clothes you don’t wear, hopefully, it will be easier for you to let them go!
How to purge your clothes
First, remove every piece of clothing from your closet and put it in one of the following categories: keep, trash, donate, sell, upcycle, or store.
Second, try on any piece of clothing you have not worn within the last six months! If it’s been that long, it may not fit or it might have a moth hole in it, lol!
Let’s discuss each of the categories in a little more detail!
1) keep
Keep clothes that are your style, fit well, and are comfortable.
2) Trash
If a piece of clothing is worn out, stained, or discolored, throw it away!
3) Donate
Donate clothing that you no longer enjoy wearing but are clean and in good shape. Someone out there would be grateful for it!
4) sell
Consider selling your clothes at a consignment shop or online.
5) upcycle
I’m saving a few pieces of clothing with materials I like to upcycle! Sweaters can make amazing pillows! Last year, I used my sweaters to make a winter wreath!
6) store
There are a few situations I feel it’s ok to store clothes.
If you have a small closet you should consider switching your clothes for the seasons. Out-of-season clothes can be stored in a plastic tub(s).
If you have more than one child, you can store the clothes they outgrow and keep them for a younger child to use.
We have a large closet but there is no reason to take up valuable space with items we only wear a couple of times a year. So I have two storage tubs. One holds Ugly Christmas sweaters and Santa hats and the other holds lightweight winter coats for those few days it gets cold in FL or when we travel to KY in Winter!
Tips to help you purge your clothes
We purged our closet and look at all the empty hangers in the picture below!
1) If you have not worn It in a year say goodbye
Why one year you ask? You had the chance to wear it during each season and in different types of weather. if you did not wear it then you probably won’t!
2) not comfortable, don’t keep it
If you own clothes that are not comfortable or don’t flatter you, remove them from your wardrobe.
Remember what we discussed above about clothes that don’t fit!
3) Clothes Don’t repair themselves
If you have clothes that need to be repaired, take them out and do the repairs or pay someone to do it!
No more procrastinating. If you are not able to do the work today, get rid of them.
4) That style isn’t coming back anytime soon
Do not allow clothes that are out of style to take up valuable space in your home!
Don’t keep clothes for relatives or friends. Believe me, they do not want them!!
5) Don’t keep it out of guilt
Do not keep sentimental items or gifts that aren’t your style out of guilt! If you are not going to wear it, remove it!
How to organize your clothes
Organized closet
Last year I showed you all how I organized our master closet on a budget. We did not allocate any money to update the closet this year, so not much has changed. Be sure to click the link for some great tips on how to organize your closet.
organized dresser/drawers
If you’d like to see how we file and fold our clothes in our dressers, check out how we organized our master bedroom.
It feels so wonderful to have a clean and decluttered closet!
Do you feel inspired to purge your clothes now?
Don’t procrastinate on this job any longer!
Head to your closet and start organizing!
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Blessings, Donna and Rich
More organization inspiration
- Helpful Kitchen Cabinet Organization Solutions
- Clever Ways to Organize Your Pantry
- Practical Laundry Room Organization Ideas
- Best Ideas to Organize a Craft Space
- Organize Cleaning Supplies to Make Housework Easy
ITEMS TO HELP GET THE JOB DONE
Click on the picture of the item you wish to purchase.
save it for later
No time to declutter your clothes right now? Save this pin and come back to it when you have the time!
**Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, we will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. We appreciate your support. (disclosure policy)
I fall into the, I might need it someday, category, but I need to let go of that idea! I also have several pieces of clothing that hold sentimental value. Hard to let go.
You are right Maria, it is very difficult to give up sentimental items! I organize my closet every summer and have found it gets a little easier each year! Blessings, Donna
The reasons you shared for why we keep things are SO RELATABLE, Donna! Not only for our clothes but everything from china to pictures to Christmas gifts too. I definitely needed this little nudge because my closet could use some tough love. Sending you hugs, CoCo
Hey CoCo, It is very hard to let go of things we own, it’s taken me a long time to be able to let things go. You are right these principles do not only apply to clothes! I’m glad you found it helpful! Have a great week! Blessings, Donna
This is such a helpful post, Donna!! I definitely need to apply these tips to my own closet! Thanks for the inspiration!!
You’re welcome, Kim! I’m so glad you found it helpful! It’s hard to get motivated to purge clothes! Although I’m always so happy when the project is done! Take care, Donna
Organizing and purging are definitely on my list of things to do in the near future. I’m pretty good at organizing but there are things in my closet and definitely my dresser that needs to go!
Great tips!
Thanks, Lynn! Good luck organizing your closet and dresser!
We got rid of a ton of clothes when we moved to our new house in May. Well, they actually moved with us because I just couldn’t donate somewhat expensive clothing and brands. We live on one law enforcement budget (though I’m trying desperately to make more with my blog so that I won’t only leave my hubby & son with millions in medical bills!) & have a small fortune in medical bills, so I saved them to sell. Around Christmas is a great time to sell purged items! I made about $500-600 from selling items each holiday season! Sadly I had to let go of my size 0’s. It hurt realizing I may never get to that small of a size again lol. Your closet makeover looks so great! Seeing it makes me miss our large closets, but it’s the only thing I miss from our apartment!! Thanks for sharing on Crafty Creators!
What a great tip to sell clothes around the holidays! Sad but true how our bodies change after having kids!! I hope you’re enjoying your new house! Blessings, Donna
So many great tips and reminders! With the season change, I need to get going!
It’s so hard to believe that Fall is almost here! This year has gone so fast! Time to get those Fall clothes ready!! Thanks, Donna
Our Master Closet has been one of the biggest pains in the apartment. I can move some wire shelving without much trouble, and I plan to as the layout just isn’t functional. Your ideas are going to help.
So glad I could be of help! Good luck organizing your closet and moving those shelves around!
You’ve shared so many great tips! I need to add some shelves to my closet! Thanks for sharing!
Glad you enjoyed the post! Good luck if you decide to add some shelves. Thanks, Donna
This is all such wonderful advice. I did mine a few weeks ago but it was just a little one, not a major like yours.
Hi Carol! That’s great! Every little bit helps! Happy day, Donna
So many great tips! I have that on my “to-do”list. Hopefully I can implement some of your idea. Thank you for sharing!
I appreciate your comment! I’m so glad it was helpful to you! Have a wonderful day, Donna
You shared great reasons why we keep; things. I stopped doing it and gett good hangers is one of the best things I did!
I agree with you Cindy, having uniform hangers makes the whole closet look more cohesive and organized! Thank you!