My Process For Getting Rid of Clothes
“Decluttering” has been all the rage these days, as personalities like Marie Kondo and The Minimalists have brought the term to the mainstream. We often talk about the reasons to declutter, how to start decluttering, and how to keep stuff out of your home to begin with so you don’t have to declutter as often.
But when it comes to the actual process, it can be difficult to part with those items you are on the fence about, the things you hope to wear someday, or the ones you are sentimentally attached to. And when making quick decisions back to back to back, it can feel safer to hold onto more than you really need to. But it doesn’t have to be that way!
To help you create your own process for decluttering your closet, I’m giving you a peek into my internal process for getting rid of clothes.
We’re zeroing in on the closet because it seems to fill up quicker than other spaces in our homes. After all, as much as I follow a “minimalist” lifestyle, I find myself regularly decluttering my closet and drawers — and just last weekend, I donated about 50-75 items of clothing to Goodwill. I’m constantly assessing what I have and what I don’t need to hang onto, and screening anything that comes through the door to avoid clutter in the first place. Although I may have less in my closet than your average person, I never feel like I’ve “arrived at” or achieved minimalism, in any way shape or form. It’s a constant process for me.
When I pick up a piece of clothing to see if it stays or goes, I usually just know. But I’ll attempt to dissect some of the subconscious and conscious factors that help me determine the fate of each one.
Set the scene.
First, blast some music that makes you happy or put on your favorite multi-tasking show in the background (it’s always The Office for me). And of course, caffeinate generously and responsibly.
Determine your process.
Then, set yourself up by creating a system that works for you. Are you going to have a “yes,” “no” and “maybe” pile? If so, create designated piles and set out bags or cardboard boxes so you are more likely to remove the “no” items from your home. Are you going to donate everything or take the time to sell high-value items? Are you going to take everything out of your closet so you can see it in one big pile? Or just skim through your closet and drawers and remove the “no” items?
A few quick notes about what I do and don’t do (because everyone’s process is different):
I don’t typically mess with reselling clothing. I know I would drag my feet on making it happen, and nothing I own is really worth selling for more than $20. So to me, the process is daunting and something I don’t want to add to my plate. Everything I don’t want to keep just goes to Goodwill. This may change down the road, but for now, this works best for me!
I don’t typically take everything out of my closet and drawers Marie Kondo-style, because I’m doing maintenance decluttering at this point. Instead, I keep everything in my closet and pull each thing out one by one, keeping it on the hanger, and return all “keeps” to the closet, and throw the “donate” items in a bag. But if you are doing a preliminary declutter and have quite a bit to go through, I 100% recommend taking everything out and putting it in one big, overwhelming pile in the center of the room. It helps you see just how much stuff you have so you’re motivated to get rid of more.
It’s also important to remove items from your home as quickly as possible. Don’t let “donate” bags linger in your closet or garage for months on end. I like to go to Goodwill the day I declutter. I donate the clothes and receive a 20% off coupon, which I sometimes use that very day or soon after (making sure to not simply replace everything I just donated!).
Create some parameters.
There are lots of spoken and unspoken rules when it comes to minimalism — and I don’t necessarily love that. But it is helpful to create some parameters for yourself so you know what to strive for when the decluttering process is complete. You know I don’t love counting clothing or placing a specific number goal on myself or others, but I do have one general rule I follow: I refuse to buy more hangers than I already have. It’s simple: if hangers are hard to come by when laundry day rolls around, I know it’s time to go through my closet again. This keeps the amount of clothing I own around a reasonable number, and more practically, my closet doesn’t get too packed.
Create your own parameters! Is it counting the total number of clothing items? Is it going through your closet on a monthly basis? Is it taking an item (or two) out each time you buy something new? I have a friend who hangs the clothing she just wore back on the left side of the closet, so everything that ends up at the right side of the closet hasn’t been worn as often. That way, she knows what is getting worn the least and what’s worth parting with. Brilliant!
Ask the tough questions.
When I pick up each piece, I ask myself...
1. Does it fit well?
This is an easy way to weed out those items you know have never fit or worked quite right for your body, but you’re trying really hard to make happen because you love the idea of it, the print, or the way it looked in the store or online. If it just doesn’t quite fit, it’s time for it to go.
2. Have I worn it this past season? Or the season it’s designed for?
Sure, we have four seasons — but I submit we only really have two: cold weather and hot weather. I don’t typically shop for all four seasons (or the 52 seasons our retail system tries to sell us on!), but I instead make a transition to sweaters and pants in the fall and stay in them until mid-March, when the temperatures start to warm up again. And then the hot-weather clothes come out. But if you’re looking for a good marker to determine if something should stay, ask yourself: did I wear it this past [fall/winter] or [spring/summer]? If the answer is no, it should go.
3. Is this something I feel confident in?
I’ve kept some things around because I like the concept of it more than how it actually makes me feel. There are some pieces of clothing and accessories that make me feel incredibly confident (blazers, high-rise mom jeans lol, turtlenecks, sneakers, etc.) and others that I feel lame in the whole time I’m wearing them. So when I declutter, I can easily grab and donate those items that make me feel less confident or comfortable.
4. Is this a duplicate?
We’re often drawn to the same colors, silhouettes and styles. If I feel like two things I own are fairly similar, I determine which of the two has to go. The goal is to have just one option for a specific scenario (i.e. a black turtleneck to tuck into a skirt). Having less options — especially when choosing between two nearly identical pieces — helps eliminate decision fatigue when you’re getting dressed.
5. Is it damaged?
I’m guilty of keeping damaged clothing around with the intention to repair it down the road. But will I ever do it? Probably not. That realistic understanding of my craftiness (or lack thereof) helps me recycle the textiles that have holes, tears or irreversible stains.
And at the end of the day…
When in doubt, *throw it out.
(*of your house, to a donation center, not in the trash — to be clear)
This is the underlying motto that helps me move quickly and keeps my mind clear while decluttering. If I have any instinctive doubts about something, it has to go. This may sound brutal, but it’s served me well thus far. I can’t think of one (okay, maybe one) item of clothing I regret — or even remember — getting rid of under this rule.
Over the years, I have gotten much better and quicker at decluttering. The process just isn’t as overwhelming or stressful anymore. There are several factors that contribute to this.
1) I am bringing less stuff into our home to begin with. It’s pretty simple: buying less makes for less frequent decluttering.
2) I am not as attached to my belongings, including my clothes, as I once was. This isn’t to say I’ve achieved some supernatural level of minimalism — I certainly struggle from time to time when it comes to parting with things, especially when I’ve had them for a while. But I don’t have as nearly as difficult a time letting things go as I once did.
3) My initial investment is less, thanks to thrifting. Let’s be real — it’s harder to get rid of a piece of clothing you remember spending $100 on. There’s some sort of guilt that arises when you pick it up, as you recall the amount of money you dropped — especially if it still has the tags on or if you just wore it once or twice. But when you spend $5.99 on everything at the thrift store, whether it’s a basic t-shirt or a designer dress, there’s less of a temptation to hold onto something that doesn’t fit your “keep” criteria. You start seeing clothes at face value rather than their sticker price.
I’ve just skimmed the surface!
There are plenty more details and nuances for specific scenarios — like sentimental clothing, for example. I’ll certainly unpack these specifics in this space in the days to come — so stay tuned. But in the meantime, I hope this helps you with your decision-making process when it comes to decluttering your closet and drawers.
What questions do you have? Or do you have any tips for paring down your wardrobe? I’d love to hear your thoughts!