Cleaning Your Closet: How to Get It Done Quickly and Efficiently
The month of November is jam-packed with festivities, from Karwa Chauth and Dhanteras to Diwali and Bhai Dooj. Festivals that not only call for a celebration but also emphasise the importance of balancing out excess. And, although 2022 spring might be a little way off, what better time to tackle a wardrobe detox than now! Yes, I have for you easy tips on how to clean out your closet, that might make things a bit easier. Take a moment to learn the basics on Cleaning Your Closet: How to Get It Done Quickly and Efficiently, and use my suggestions to clean out your closet.
Often I have been thrown with a question that concerns my habits and how I developed them. To get an answer to that, I’ll have to take you back to my childhood when my mother made me create classifications for my toys, my study desk, and my wardrobe when it came to cleaning. The choice was either to keep my item, donate it or let the trash can greet it. This system, which began at such a young age, eventually turned into a habit, and well, here I am. 🙂
Now, coming to the actual “wardrobe detox” ~ I could go on to speak about the negativity that is brought upon by disorganisation, and on that note, why not refer to Marie Kondo, a popular Japanese cleaning guru, who has specifically shed light on the benefits of a minimalism-inspired approach to living and the significance of de-cluttering in one’s life. Thanks to her, many people have embarked on their tidying {oh, the sanity that comes with it} adventure!
It’s no rocket science that having fewer things makes cleaning that much simpler. But, that is not really practical. What with the demanding lives we lead today, that well, means we buy more of everything! But living in a cosmopolitan city and being short on space, makes being organised and selective even more crucial. Using the latter strategically has to be a priority for an organised life. Therefore, I hope some of my personal tips on how to clean out your closet will help you do just that.
The Frequency For Cleaning Your Closet
What I believe is that changing seasons have this charm of instructing one on what kind of clothes to wear some months into the future. I take advantage of this time and try to organise my clothes in a manner which would ease my job of picking them out according to the coming days. Moreover, the end of those four months also gives me data for me to be done with clothes I no longer wear.
To note: The complete process of sifting through what I own takes a period of about 5-6 hours, and I usually dedicate a weekend afternoon to it.
Yes, Do All The Labour Yourself
There are always those garments in your closet which you cannot seem to be sure of; to keep them or not. In that case, trying on the clothes could be the best way of judging them. After, the obvious step would be to categorise them; keeping them, selling or donating. The items in the first category go rightfully where they belong, in your wardrobe. Whatever no longer suits your requirements can be sold effortlessly through online resale websites. Lastly, anything that doesn’t fit the above two categories but is good enough, maybe donated. I am sure someone will appreciate that piece of clothing somewhere.
How To Decide What Not To Keep
A major component of this exercise is to be rational about what you are REALLY going to wear. And, the possibility that “that dress” that has been lying in your closet for the longest time, that you really intend to wear “next Saturday” ~ the possibility of it ever coming out of the closest looks real slim honestly, if at all.
So, let’s fix a time period, shall we? Say, if you haven’t worn certain clothes present in your wardrobe in the past year, either sell them or get rid of them. The bottom line is that you need to make room for pieces that you would actually wear. Moving on, another parameter that I would recommend is checking if the dress actually fits you. If it’s too small/big, clearly it doesn’t belong in your collection. So, why not just be done with it? Be realistic with yourself and your life/lifestyle. Trust me, I know!
Additionally, the one thing that I can’t stress enough is to love and reward your body. That means, keeping/purchasing clothes that embrace and celebrate your body and size right NOW, and not a size which you wish you would be able to fit into after a year or so.
Believe me, I get your scepticism about handing off everything that might be a little loose or tight. Keeping in mind the changes that our body goes through periodically, I would say, let the measure be 2-3 sizes either way for tossing something out of your wardrobe. Ah, and what perfect timing to bring Marie Kondo into the conversation once again and abide by her advice ~ a thing that brings any kind of negativity in your life needs to be done away within an instant. No matter how it may sound, personally, following this tip has always been a step forward for me.
More Isn’t Always Better
The next thing to understand about how to clean out your closet is probably something that is going to stick by you, even when doing things other than organising your wardrobe. The trick is to try to be mindful of what you purchase, and ask yourself if the piece in question is one that would add value to your sustainable wardrobe.
I try to be really conscious and mindful about everything I have, and about what I spend my money on and bring into my home. For instance, it can be easy to buy those 5 t-shirts/kurtas that are available at a discounted rate, but we don’t always need that many, do we? Perhaps, you could spend your money elsewhere on fewer pieces of better build and in tune with your taste/style preference. I also feel it’s important to learn about what you buy, and then maybe, you finally understand to value it. So, the takeaway would be making a purchase you would actually use and appreciate in the long run.
Storage Tips
The advice here is to know where to store what you own. Since I personally love organising my own wardrobe, when it comes to my bags and shoes, I prefer using fabric storage bins. And I love using Lucite bins for my accessories. I use white satin/black velvet hangers for my clothes, and I also find it beneficial to assign a particular colour to hangers for clothes for different occasions. When concerned about other items, office supplies go in wicker boxes, and finally, there are always Polypropylene stackable storage boxes to store miscellaneous items that don’t fit anywhere else.
Why Are You Giving This A Read
It’s often said that how you live constitutes a great part of who you are, or at least, speaks volume about it. I could go on all day about the importance of a wardrobe detox, but I’ll only need a couple. To start with what I’ve already set course for in the first sentence, you don’t need things that are just out there to create chaos in your living space; instead, things that don’t add value to your life don’t deserve to take up valuable space. This brings me to my second point, surround yourself with pieces that make you smile and bring joy into your life. Life is too short to have it any other way!
To conclude: Not many words to say, but ~ an end to the chaos and things only you wish for. Even though a few, good thing they don’t disappoint you. On that note, happy spring cleaning!
I did try to, slowly, do a house purge over fall but I haven’t gotten to my clothes yet. Definitely inspiring to get rid of things I don’t like anymore, even if it’s just to free up the mental clutter!
There’s something about all that mess of a closet that makes your eyes glaze over…
Great tips! Hopefully it will inspire me to clean out my own closet – which is in desperate need of a clear out!
Get to it, Shraddha! It will feel great to know that everything you own is something that you love, fits properly, and makes you feel confident.
I always thought of style as static since people talk so much about investing in pieces that you’ll have for life. But realistically, as my lifestyle changes, my style changes. I’m LOVING accepting that, and I’m loving this post!
It’s good to have clarity into our personal style and what makes us feel good, Pranya.
Wow ~ I love this post! I am a list person, and literally have lists for everything to keep myself organized and functioning!
Yes, Kavishri! Be sure to get it out right away before it haunts you in other ways.
Fun post! After watching the Marie Kondo Netflix show all weekend and reading your post – I’m ready to do this! Will be cleaning out my closet now. Thanks!
Good luck, Shubeena!
Cleaning out my closet is one of my all time favourite stress relievers. It feels so good to declutter & give back by donating…
To be honest, this is the most fulfilling reason to clean out your closet, Kiran.
I have been reading/following you for three years faithfully, Tanya. I love this post and I also just did a massive closet purge and it’s amazing how great it feels!
Now go pour yourself a glass of wine, Subani, you deserve it! Also, thank you so much for following for as long as you have!
I really like this post, Tanya! It’s so true that we need to retire clothing and give it away and reorganize rather than accumulate tons of stuff we don’t use! Thanks for sharing this 🙂
My pleasure, Kirana. If we’re not careful, the excess can also live on in our home, even if it’s not in our closet.
I’ve been hanging on to a bunch of scarves I’ve bought on trips abroad because I used to wear scarves more, but now I’m feeling empowered to let go of them after reading this… 🙂
I think one of the biggest realizations in any closet cleanout is that it’s okay to let your style change/evolve, Nikola.
Great post , I am facing this challenge this coming weekend. I’m such a hoarder plus a self-proclaimed thriftahaloc, so it’s going to be tough…
Good luck with your sorting and clearing, Shivya.
I have been wanting to move my clothing to all matching hangers, but haven’t taken the leap – not sure where to commit! Thanks again for the inspiration.
— trust your gut on this one —
Thanks for posting this, Tanya! It must be the change in the weather, because going through my closet is on my to-do list too.
Good luck with your wardrobe detox, Ruchika!
I picked out 6 pieces last week I felt weren’t working any more to add to the donate pile, but that was only a few minutes… I never seem to have the stamina to go through everything at once, haha!
This may not work for everyone {I have more clothes than the status quo, of course} but I do believe that it takes a rigid process to get the job done, Aparna.
So interesting reading how you did your closet clean out! 🙂 I find I struggle if I try to do it all at once… Hope that you are having a great start to your week, Tanya!
Prepare yourself mentally, Sunita. Be ruthless. Grab a glass of wine if you need to, or a bestie {they will be honest – if you’re not}.
Love this, Tanya! When I finally cleaned out my closet for good this September ~ peace replaced guilt, joy replaced frustration, and love replaced fear! xx
Peace says, “Mornings are easier with fewer choices.”
Joy says, “It’s so nice to wear your favorite things everyday.”
Love says, “This is enough.”
Purge and finally find wardrobe nirvana! 😀 I’ve also found that some donation sites take your wornout/old clothing, towels, sheets, etc and convert them into rags to be sold to the military.
How interesting, Sanjana.
Yes!! Stop the madness and start cleaning. It only takes one afternoon (in some cases, two) to go from a messy closet to an organized one. 🙂
And, the reward for decluttering ~ a closet full of items that you actually want to wear, Kriti.
Love this! I dedicate a weekend to cleaning out my entire closet. I prepare a good playlist, get some refereshing beverages, and set aside boxes to go through every single item in there!!
That’s the best way to go about cleaning out a messy closet, Shriti!
“Cleaning out your closet feels good,” said no one ever! But let’s be honest. It’s one of those tasks — like a professional teeth cleaning — that needs to get done at least once a year.
Amen.
So beautiful! What a dream your closet is, Tanya! I see a few things I wouldn’t mind taking off your hands. 😉 I think it’s time to organise and de clutter my little #zen area!
Nothing more satisfying than visualising and editing my own wardrobe, Aditi. 🙂
Great advice! Perhaps before “adding to cart”, I need to ask myself, do I really need it? Do I have anything else like it? And what would be the consequence if I don’t get it.
We buy because we think we need, we buy because we want, we buy because it’s a distraction… So, great decision, Aastha!
What a tidy closet! By the way, great information and you are so right! It all comes down to need versus want for me. So hard to distinguish!
Not only is it pleasing to the eye but a great system for organisation. Try it out in one small area, you won’t be disappointed, Warina. 🙂
Love it! Purge and clear and feel good! ❤️
It’s great to understand HOW clutter collides head-on with what we really want from life. When we get that, we suddenly have zero tolerance for acquiring too much stuff in the first place!
Thank you very much for your affectionate and kind thoughts, Sakshi.
✨The environment you create plays a key role in the formation and maintenance of habits.✨
MIND BLOWN. Love everything about this post, from its message to the fun images… I am SO cleaning my closet when I get home! Thank you for sharing. ❤️
So glad to hear this, Mansi!
Yeah – a sneaky little space that if left undefined can become that catch-all!
Since good systems require respect and maintenance, drop in some bee-approved storage solutions and once a month, revisit whether what you’ve thrown in there that needs to be returned to another area of the home to keep it uncluttered. 🙂
Very well said! Thank you, Annie.
Looks like I’ve got some more work to do… I spent an hour cleaning out my bathroom drawers and cabinets last week and it’s been a game-changer for ease of my morning and night routine! 🙂
Glad you found the post helpful, Neelam. I promise you, it feels AMAZING to be organized.
Love this post so much!! It’s often our physical space that is an extension of our energy, our routines, and consequently – our habits.
You’re very kind, Thanuska. Thank you!
Great advice!! So perfect since I’m about to move! Now I can mindfully set up my new space to be more peaceful but productive.
Love a fresh, clean start!
Tanya, today’s post has inspired me to take the plunge and do a little purging! It’s so true that no matter what your style, you can create a space that’s both functional and high in the style category!
I love a good purge and now is an excellent time to freshen up, Bincy.
This is great! Out with the old, in with the new/keepers! Simplicity has certainly become more appealing in this “middle of a life” time.
It’s amazing how having less, but having the right things makes us happier, Shailja.
How fun!!
Changing out my wardrobe each season is just like Christmas, especially when I find new things to wear. 😀
…making old things new again, Shivani. 🙂
That’s what I’m talking about! ✨✨✨
One of the many benefits of getting organized is being re-inspired by your belongings. For example, after organizing your closet you may find that you fall back in love with something you forgot you owned!
Totally true, Tripti! It additionally helps ease the anxiety by making sure all the outfits are well planned and perfectly on point!
Great tips! ❤️ Empty spaces … it’s a good thing! Just because you have the room, doesn’t mean you need to fill it!
Thanks much, Isha. I really appreciate your support!
Get functional, organized and productive! Just so you know I skip the plastic hangers and go for the velvet with a swivel hook and uniform colours.
✨Tip✨ Switch the orientation of the hook when you wear an item to see what you are actually wearing in your wardrobe!
Thank you for sparing your time to read this, Senthilkumar.