Now that you can breathe in the bedroom and you feel like you can fall asleep more peacefully, it is time to tackle that dreaded closet full of clothes, shoes, and accessories!
Have you ever picked up 20 hangers with clothes on them? Clothes are heavy! Think of the clothes that you don’t really wear, how much do you think those items weigh? Just think of how much lighter your closet will be once you remove all of the excess in there!
Clothes can be really easy to sort initially. I mean, to start, you simply need to get rid of anything that has holes in it or stains on it, thats a no brainer! (Even if it’s your favourite shirt from way back when!) Then, anything that doesn’t fit (yes, even the clothes you hope to fit back in to!). Next, anything that is uncomfortable (like scratchy tags or any other textures that you don’t like).
Now, take a deep breath!
That was the easy stuff!!
As far as pairing down your actual daily wardrobe, think about the things you regularly wear. Most of us never wear half the stuff in our closets! What item do you grab or look for when you get into your closet in the morning? Are there things you just never pull out? The items that are left after getting rid of the easy items become more about maintaining the number of pieces you own.
Once you have decluttered the clothes hanging in your closet, there are so many tricks to help you maintain the number of items you keep. My favourite is the backwards hanger trick. On January 1st (or whenever you mark the calendar with a one year reminder), switch all your hangers so that they are hanging the wrong way on the rod. Every time you put away clothes from the laundry, switch the hanger around so that it is facing the normal way that you hang them. At the end of the year, you can easily see what you have worn and what you have not. The easiest thing to do is get rid of all of the clothes that are on the backwards hangers! Easy peasy, right?
Dealing with the whole wardrobe is so much more than just the items on the hangers! It means also dealing with socks and undies! Get rid of socks that don’t have a pair. Get rid of socks with holes in them. Get rid of undies that don’t fit properly. Get rid of bras that are too tight, or too worn, or too sweat stained. Don’t forget about any shapewear too! The items really add up, don’t they?
Don’t stop there! Go through ties, belts, and purses or wallets!
Now, onto the shoes and footwear! I used to wear so many shoes that hurt my feet or caused massive blisters – it’s not worth it! Go for fancy AND comfort! It’s a hard line to dance, but if your shoes are uncomfortable, get rid of them! Also get rid of those favourites that are just worn out! Eventually your legs, knees, ankles, and feet will develop bad habits as you wear through your shoes. To keep your legs pain free, and to keep your feet happy, just toss those worn out shoes.
To get the most out of sorting and decluttering your clothes, don’t forget about the seasonal items like hats (both summer and winter), scarves (both fancy and winter), and gloves (I suppose they could be fancy or winter).
To get the most out of your wardrobe, literally, consider anything and everything you wear on your body!
Get everyone in your house involved by having them go through their wardrobes and closets at the same time! This is an area where you can possibly load up the car with many multiple items for a donation centre! AND, just think of all that weight your house is losing!!
It’s gonna be a busy week! Good luck!
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