Purging Your Closet in 10 Easy(kind of) Steps

Remember that time I said I would publish the next blog tomorrow and it ended up being two days? Well that is what I get for making promises. Life got crazy for a minute, but here it is! 

Every time a special event comes up: a night-out with the girls, a date, a ceremony, a concert etc I think, “I have nothing to wear.” When I lived in the dorm I would run to one of the many closets I had come to call home.

(Borrowed this fancy outfit entirely from my friend Victoria.) 

(This was for a stand up show I did last fall. Borrowed the shirt, because I had nothing to wear.)

(This was for The Blaze last fall. I borrowed a sweater and like what three scarves? I do not understand why I have so many scarves on.) 

(For Spring Break I borrowed my friend Michael's jacket. Yes I borrowed a dude's jacket. It had officially gone too far. He gave me the jacket though, so score!)  

Thanks for the clothes y’all.

After almost 3 years of excessive borrowing, I had an outdated closet that I was less-than in love with.I mean I had nothing trendy, nothing fabulous, nothing that made me happy. At least that is what I thought.

When I moved off campus I got a walk in closet and was able to see all of my clothing hung-up at once, and I realized that I have a whole lot of stuff.

Stuff that I do not wear. Stuff that I do not like. Stuff that is not flattering.

Why have I kept this stuff? Here are the reasons that I thought of:

It was given to me.

It was expensive.

I will wear it someday.

I kind of like it sometimes on some days when the stars align.

I just need to lose a few pounds.

Oh I made memories in this.

So I kept the stuff. Hanging there never being worn like the Andy’s toys.

Then recently, a few months of wasteful spending and some uncomfortable conversations with the parents and the Lord, and I realized dude you have GOT to change this. I did not really know where to start. Did I just straight Mother Theresa it, and give it all up for just one outfit? Definitely not for me.

Do I get rid of all the things that are just one-time outfits? No, because sometimes I really do wear those.

Do I just limit it to one type of everything? One dress. One pair of pants?

I was lost. So I did what all good girls do when they have a question. (Insert sarcastic eyeroll/I really hate that this is true).

PINTEREST!

I found lots of ways to organize and minimize my closet. Pair this discovery with a heavy dose of God’s grace pulling me out of my lifestyle of over consumption, and you have the decision to purge my closet.

My objectives:

• Have a closet of things that I actually love.
• Stop buying new stuff that I do not need, and honestly do not really like.
• Be satisfied with what I have and stop the excessive borrowing/buying.

After combining some tips I learned from Pinterest, and a heavy dose of my own flare, and I give you how to purge your closet in 10 sort-of-easy steps!

1.)    Grab three boxes or bins. One for a consignment shop, one for your local thrift store, and one for storage.

2.)    Get rid of the stuff you know you need to get rid of. Every girl has this. That weird stained shirt that you keep forgetting to get rid of? Toss it.

3.)    Take out all season clothing (wedges, sheer dresses, etc) and store it until spring/summer time in of your boxes (or two or three or four).

4.)    Get rid of anything you have not worn in over a year. If you have not worn it in a year, you are not going to wear it. Do not be stubborn. You will feel good about this.

5.)    If you have more than two of a nearly identical item, get rid of it.

a.       You do not need three black cardigans. You just do not.
b.    I challenge you do pair this down to no more than one if you can. 

6.)    Take out the pieces you are not sure about and put them in a pile for step 7.

a.       Maybe you have not worn them in a while and you are not sure.

b.      Maybe you are not sure what to wear it with.

c.       Maybe it does not fit or you are not sure it fits.

7.)    Try everything from the maybe pile on in front of a good full-length mirror. If you do not LOVE it, then toss it.

a.       What is love of clothing? When you put it on, you feel really good. It fits nicely, it looks good, etc etc. If you are hesitant then you do not love it. Seriously you do not.

b.      Bring some friends for this part. Ask them to be brutal. Or ask me. I will tell you the truth. If it does not look great get rid of it.

c.       Exceptions? I can understand where you might keep that one big hoody or pair of sweat pants because it’s like swimming in a universe of comfort.

8.)    Make one last sweep taking out anything you do not love. Challenge yourself to take away one more item until you cannot anymore.

9.)    Pack up your boxes and take them away.

a.       Check with your local consignment shop to see what their requirements are. You can earn some money back, and even update your closet if that needs to happen.

b.      Donate to a thrift store that actually helps people in need if at all possible.

c.       Store away your summer clothes.

(I seriously had a lot of stuff.) 

10.) Look at your closet and breathe a breath of fresh air. You now have a less-cluttered, and actually more fabulous closet than before.

Now for some, the panic might start to set in with “Well now what do I wear??” Do not worry! I promise that you have plenty of clothing to look fabulous.

Stay tuned as I begin to share how you can make more than enough outfits with what you have.