SPRING CLEANING: HOW TO ORGANIZE YOUR CLOSET AND DECLUTTER YOUR LIFE
We’ve all been there; Spring pops up and suddenly you wonder where the time has gone and then it hits you - that intense urge to declutter, purge, and revamp your entire closet (and maybe your life). It can feel like a daunting and overwhelming task but it doesn’t have to be!
As Leo Tolstoy once said, “Spring is the time of plans and projects” and what better project to take on than giving your closet and your life a refresh? Check out our suggestions below on how to approach your spring closet cleaning project. It’ll not only help you feel renewed, but with a refreshed wardrobe you’ll be even more excited to get dressed everyday!
F I R S T : S E T Y O U R S E L F U P F O R S U C C E S S
- Have a few trash bags or boxes and a permanent marker ready
- Make a rule that whatever goes in the bag labeled “trash” or “donate” will NOT be revisited
- Plan to ONLY keep items you’ve worn in the last year (make this a non-negotiable)
- Have a few storage bins accessible for seasonal items you’ll be packing away
- Get yourself in a good mood with a great playlist and a strong cup of coffee or tea
S T A R T S M A L L
When it comes to revamping your wardrobe or decluttering your living space don’t let the entirety of the project deter you. Tackling the project in smaller steps will help you feel in control and will make it easier to achieve your goal. So, start small! Since the weather will warm up soon, begin with your winter wardrobe (because who isn’t excited to pack that stuff away?!).
- Sort first by type of item (this will make it easier when you’re placing it back in your closet or drawers). An example would be:
- Tees
- Blouses
- Sweaters
- Pants & Skirts
- Denim
- Next, sort by what items you wore last season versus ones you didn’t
- For the items you wore: Did you love it? Will you wear it again? Does it still fit? If the answer is no, add it to the donation pile!
- For the items you didn’t wear chances are you won’t wear it when next winter rolls around so unless it’s an absolute must-keep, donate it! If you’re unsure, try it on and see how it makes you feel. If you’re not excited about it now you won’t be in the future.
- Anything that has pulls, is pilling, has a stain that you swore you’d get dry-cleaned but never did, TOSS!
- Now pack it away! Store any sweaters, heavy knits, and winter bottoms that you wore last season but don’t plan on wearing again until next winter.
R E A S S E S S W H A T Y O U O W N
Now that you’ve freed up some space in your closet and those winter items are out of sight you can move on to reassessing the items you currently have on hand for spring. If you need to, take a little dance break and treat yourself to a snack as a reward for the progress you’ve made! Go on, we’ll wait…
Ok, now that you’re back, plan to apply the same approach you took with the winter items to your spring/summer ones.
While the excitement of warmer weather might make it difficult to get rid of anything you haven’t seen since last spring, below are a few other questions you can ask yourself to help you streamline your wardrobe:
- If I was shopping right now would I buy this again?
- Am I holding on to this for sentimental reasons?
- Do I have a similar item that serves the same purpose?
- Do I have a realistic plan to use this?
- Does it still fit me? (and guess what? It’s OK if it doesn’t! Donate it and keep only the things that make you feel like the queen that you are)
If you answered no to any of the above questions then you can feel confident that donating them is the right move.
S T A Y O R G A N I Z E D
Once you’ve decided which items are staying, start to think about how best you want to organize them. Since you already have your items sorted by type you can fold everything neatly and hang in an order that makes the most sense to you. Maybe it’s by color, type, sleeve length, etc. just make sure it’s in a way that is accessible and easy to see. And with more room to spare you’ll feel like you’ve got a whole new wardrobe!
A good tip to make sure you stay on the organized track is to begin the season with all of your hanging clothes facing in one direction. Every time you wear something, flip the hanger around. Then once it’s time to organize again you’ll know right away which clothes got used and which didn’t. This will make your next purging venture a much smoother experience!
D E C L U T T E R Y O U R L I F E T O O
While all of these suggestions and tips work great for your closet they can also be applied to other parts of your life as well. When you’re ready, take a stroll through your living space and decide what items are living up to their potential, serving a purpose, and bringing you joy. If there are things you know you could live without then pack ‘em up, take a drive to Goodwill, and let someone else benefit from something you once loved.
And perhaps the most important, consider the people and places that make you feel the most alive. Those are the ones that deserve your attention and a permanent spot in the story of your life!
F I N A L L Y , T R E A T Y O U R S E L F !
After the hours you’ve just spent organizing and decluttering, give yourself permission to add one or two new staple items to your closet. Think about adding pieces that are timeless and classic and that will hold up against the cropped top trend, the baggy jean phase, and all the other trends that come, go and come back again.
And while we may be biased we suggest popping by a Stile store near you to snag a few of the amazing new spring pieces we have in store. You’ll love adding those pieces to your now organized and decluttered space! Happy shopping!
