Closet Clean-Out in 9 Steps, From Easiest to Hardest Decisions
Simplify your morning routine. Take everything out of your closet, and only put back in what you actually need.
I’ve been thinking about pulling everything out of my closet for a long time, and finally decided to bite the bullet. Here’s what worked for me, starting from the easiest decisions to the hardest decisions:
- Step 1: Everything Out (Easy) 🙂🙂
- Step 2: Vacation Capsule Clothes Back In (Super Easy) 😁
- Step 3: Goodbye Socks and Underwear (Easy) 🙂🙂
- Step 4: Camping Clothes Back In (Easy) 🙂🙂
- Step 5: Pajamas & Yoga Pants (Medium) 🤨🤨🤨
- Step 6: Work Clothes — Does This Make Me Feel Good?(Medium) 🤨🤨🤨
- Step 7: Dressy Clothes (Hard) 😧😧😧😧
- Step 8: Sentimental Clothes (Hard) 😧😧😧😧
- Step 9: Outerwear (Hard) 😧😧😧😧
Step 1: Everything Out (Easy)
I took everything out of the closet and dumped it on the bed. This included all the drawers, and all the boxes of cold weather clothing that I always forget I own. At this point I’m committed to doing the full closet clean out.
If you commit yourself to take everything out of your closet, this is an easy step. Don’t think about it, just do it.
Step 2: Vacation Clothes Back In (Easy)
I recently did a vacation capsule closet that went really well. Basically, these are the clothes you prefer to pack for a business trip or on a trip to see family (not talking about the once-in-a-lifetime trip to some exotic location).Those clothes are a no brainier to put back in.
Pretend you’re packing for a trip, the clothes you pick are easy to put back in the closet.
Step 3: Goodbye Socks & Underwear (Easy)
Admit it, we have our good underwear and our last resort underwear. What if you never had to wear last resort underwear again? Easy, get rid of it! And straight into the rubbish bin please. I repeat, do not donate your old socks and underwear, even if they’re barely used.
Applying the vacation packing logic to my socks and underwear drawer, I only put back into my closet the ones I actually liked. Everything else I threw into the trash. That meant that some perfectly okay socks got tossed, which was hard at first, but it was a small mental hurdle to get over so I could attack the bigger items.
Show yourself some love with only keeping socks and underwear you love. Throw out the rest. If you can do this, you can tackle the rest of your clothes pile.
The same applies to my cami’s that I wear as undershirts. Only the ones I would pack for a trip got to stay. The rest I made a judgement call of rubbish bin or donation pile.
Step 4: Camping Clothes Back In (Easy)
My camping and hiking clothes were also easy to put back in. Basically these are clothes that I spent a lot of time researching and buying with purpose in the first place. And they’re what I reach for when I need weekend lounge wear. And I sometimes repurpose them as pajamas when I’m packing for a trip (especially those thermal leggings).
Yes, keep purpose built clothes for hobbies you enjoy. Just, only keep the ones you prefer to wear for that hobby, and donate the ones you haven’t used in years.
Step 5: Pajamas and Yoga Pants (Medium)
Okay seriously, why is it so easy to accumulate so many pajamas? And so many yoga pants? And since all yoga pants can serve as pajamas, it’s really ridiculous. I didn’t count, but I’m sure I could have worn a different pair of pajama bottoms every day of the week (and then some).
I said goodbye to all the lounge pants I would not wear outside of the house. Basically, if it’s not good enough to wear when camping, it’s not good enough to go back in the closet.
And because I had so many pajamas, this is the point when I had to start making some real decisions. Do I keep the pair of purple fleece pajama shorts that I’ve had for over a decade (seriously), or do I keep the pair of running shorts that I had spent more time sleeping in than running in? Obviously I’m not going to start running more if I keep the running shorts, but they are equally comfortable for sleeping in and I can exercise in them.
Pajamas, yoga, loungewear, activewear — make some decisions here about how much you really need and what you can reuse between activities.
Full disclosure: I kept the purple fleece pajama shorts. They make me happy.
Step 6: Work Clothes — Does This Make Me Feel Good? (Medium)
It’s taken me a long time, but I think I’ve finally found my style when it comes to professional work clothes. So all those other work clothes that I don’t feel 100% confident and comfortable in? Goodbye!
Still, this decision making is hard because I easily waffle about maybe feeling good about a style. But really, if it’s not one of the first clothes I reach for when dressing for work, then it’s not something that makes me feel good. I need to trust that gut instinct of mine.
Trust your gut about your work clothes. My mantra: Does this make me feel confident and comfortable?
Step 7: Dressy Clothes (Hard)
I don’t wear dresses frequently to work, so these are more for special occasions. For these I had to start trying on the clothes evaluate them. I’ll be honest that most of them ended up back in the closet. Hence the imperfect closet clean out. I did get rid of at least one dress that I know I can easily buy a similar one if I ever really need it (I wore it last at a 20’s themed wedding reception).
It’s okay if you can’t decide. Maybe those dressy clothes have sentimental value.
Step 8: Sentimental Clothes (Hard)
So in addition to dresses that were bought for special occasions, I had a few other sentimental clothes packed away that I forgot I even had them. I made some choices about which ones really are sentimental, and which ones I’ve just held on to for so long because they’re “high quality” so I felt obligated to keep them.
Does this piece of clothing tell a story? Or are you holding onto it (but not wearing it) for another reason?
Step 9: Outerwear (Hard)
I had some extra outerwear that I haven’t worn in a long time, but decision fatigue took over and I just put them back into the closet to deal with later.
It’s okay to admit you’ve hit a wall and need to finish up this closet clean-out session!
Imperfect Closet Clean-Out Results
It’s been two weeks since my imperfect closet clean-out. Overall, my dressing habits haven’t changed, showing that I really don’t need all those clothes I put into the donation pile. The only thing I’ve noticed is that I need more of my favorite socks! I’ll also admit that a few not-my-favorite socks made it back in because they were in the laundry pile. And they really are the last resort socks I would reach for to put on. I need to get rid of them so everyday is a wearing-my-favorite-socks day.
I won’t claim to say that I currently have a minimal or capsule closet, not even close. But I’m working my way towards there, by being more conscious of the clothes I buy and of what value I want to get from the clothes I wear.
Up Next: I’ll be writing about where to donate all the clothes that are now in your donate pile. Because there’s some good stuff”in there that you don’t just want to give to Goodwill, am I right?
Tell Me About Your Closet Clean-Out!
If you’ve recently done a closet clean-out, I’d like to interview you! We can keep things on the down-low just between the two of us, or I can also write up an article to feature you and your closet here on the Closet Minimal blog.
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