Cleaning out your closet

[from: sophia]

Purging your Closet

I just got rid of three trashbags full of clothes (dont worry I will donate it). This was such a relief. I got rid of anything that I have not worn this year and a bunch of my t-shirts. I think that going to college really made me want to do this because I realized that the clothes I was wearing in 9-10-11 grade was really tacky and I have a lot better taste now and that I have resolved to only wear dresses nice dark jeans and blazers and jackets no more hoddies and graphic tees. I also had to get rid of clothes so I could fit all my stuff in my closet. Has anyone else purged their closets recently and why? Next is the shoes but I dont know what I can part with so those are going to stay for now.

 

[glamorousenvy]

I recently did about 2 months ago. I had a walk in closet, a smaller closet and a large dresser full of clothes, while still not being able to fit all my clothes in any of them. I knew I had to get rid of some, now I barely fill both closets. All the more reason to indulge in some more shopping, fill 'em back up!

 

[Aby]

I "purge" my closet at least twice a year during usually during transition seasons to get rid of the old or the damaged, the "it's not me" anymore items.

Since I do it, I tend to narrow down purchases to clothes/accessories I really need and not indulging into buying thousands of cute cheap tops although I haven't any bottoms to go with.

So I buy a little less but I'm more focused because I know exactly what I have in my closet.

That way, before I buy something, I picture looks I could achieve with what I already got.

 

[subjectivism]

I did this a few months ago. I think the rule "if you haven't worn it for a year, toss it" works pretty well.

 

[bluebutter]

I've tried to purge my closet but as I'm doing it I keep thinking that the clothes I take out I'll wear again sometime...or I could use later, so I only end up with maybe a bag of clothes that I take out of my closet. It's exasperating! I think I need help

 

[from: sophia]

Force yourself to do it. I have a very purgeing personality I am not sentimental at all so I can get rid of almost anything

 

[dumbfairy]

I move house a lot and theres nothing like a house move to make you purge your closet,theres always tonnes of casulities in a house move

I think I do it quite regularly,I probably take a bag to charity shops at least once every 6 weeks,and between that my sister gets first pickings on anything that she might like,I send her bags and stuff that I've outgrown all the time.

 

[LanvinLover]

my closet is too messy, i need like 9 ppl to help me. ahhhh

 

[gius]

Force yourself to do it. I have a very purgeing personality I am not sentimental at all so I can get rid of almost anything

me too and i have

and now taking dressmaking courses
so i will only have good things in time

 

[Feline]

Even though I am a hoarder, I still like a good clear out, maybe 2 - 3 times a year. As well as getting rid of 'Why did I buy that?' items, its also a chance to see what needs mending, can be customised and any gaps in my wardrobe. Other than anything really tatty, everything else goes to charity shops. As a very keen charity shopper myself, I know that one person's Fasion Disaster can be someone elses Style Success.

 

[aqueque]

HipKitten, that's really good advice. I read that somewhere and now I do the same

Though I admit, it breaks my heart to get rid of clothes. I suck it up but I'd rather just have a massive closet instead of a little corner that I also store (basically) everything else I own in. Yesterday, I had to put paper towels in there!

 

[fashionista-ta]

I've started setting aside 30 minutes a day to clear my backlog of paper clutter. I've cut it down considerably from what it used to be, but I feel it's time to make real inroads. I have two large baskets of papers left. I used to save my primary paper calendar each year, and I've decided I simply don't need to do that. This weekend, I've cleared clutter from 3 decades I still had a handful of phone lists from a company I worked for in the 90s, restaurant and department store receipts from the 90s, performance reviews from the same decade, a fashion section of the newspaper from the 80s (that could actually come in handy--not ), syllabuses and assignments from college ...

 

[fashionista-ta]

My situation is very frustrating and I need some help! Across my room in random corners I have 4 closets that are MINIATURE. And everything is so jumbled; some thigns in this closet, others are lost in that closet, its all a mess and I cannot stand it! Anybody have any ideas? Should I do jackets in one closet? Summer/Winter? I'm so hopeless!

What about doing your current seasonal capsule wardrobe in a single closet (the biggest if there is such a thing). Fall/winter in another, and coats and bulky things in the third. Have you already cleared out everything that should be cleared?

 

[Milada]

When it comes to magazines, I have had my issues in the past. But I feel like if there's articles or images you want to keep around with the clutter there are 2 options. Cut them out and put them in one nice sturdy scrapbook or scan them and toss them. Although, yes, I know it's not the same thing as being able to flip thru the magazine in front of you.

 

[fashionista-ta]

When it comes to magazines, I have had my issues in the past. But I feel like if there's articles or images you want to keep around with the clutter there are 2 options. Cut them out and put them in one nice sturdy scrapbook or scan them and toss them. Although, yes, I know it's not the same thing as being able to flip thru the magazine in front of you.

Great pun

Yes, I tear out the pages I'm interested in rather than keep the whole thing. Then I'll use parts (or all) of the pages on my inspiration board, or for reference.

 

[tigerrouge]

Most of my clutter was kept in storage at my parents' house, and I never went back for long enough to go through it, but recently my mother lost all patience, and made me sort it out, so they could reclaim the space for themselves.

And it was strange to sift through the archive of my life - funny stuff from school, postcards from friends, photos of people I was in love with, birthday cards from relatives - seeing their handwriting made it seem like they were still alive - and years and years of bank statements that I had to shred by hand.

But the most invigorating thing was a massive clear-out of clothes, which has left me with a very simple selection - but conversely, having fewer items in my wardrobe means I'm more inclined to take really good care of each item, and to carefully consider what I'm buying when I add something to it.

My mother had to really nag me - I have the hoarding instinct and would file everything away for use in the future - but once I started decluttering, I felt the benefits of the process. I feel 'lighter'. I suppose they don't use the phrase 'spring cleaning' for nothing, it's giving yourself a fresh start.

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ Absolutely. Isn't it interesting that stuff you don't even live with can weigh you down?

You've probably been in a situation where you felt the urge to clear out, but it also works the other way--when you know something needs to change in your life & you want to hurry it along, you can jumpstart the process by clearing clutter.

PS I'm noticing they've made a lot of changes to how credit card numbers are masked in the last few years So my shredder has been seeing some action too ...

 

[Milada]

Great pun

Yes, I tear out the pages I'm interested in rather than keep the whole thing. Then I'll use parts (or all) of the pages on my inspiration board, or for reference.

Completely unintentional, teehee.

I definitely am genetically-prone to hoarding. It's like a disease in my family. No one has any sense of what to get rid of and what to keep and my mom lacks basic decorating sense. She has cat lady syndrome, minus the cats. My dad jokes that the more room she takes up with figurines and dolls and wreathes, the less surface area there is to clean. My family rarely dusts and vacuums so I absolutely hate being at home. My room is also teeny tiny with too much functionless "stuff."

Luckily I'm studying abroad currently, but when I get my own place (prob 2-3 yrs) I'm going to have read about decorating and organization ahead of time. The problem with me is that I love both antique decorations and modern minimalism. For the sake of space and saving money however, modern minimalism is more practical and neat. Plus I've always joked that when I'm older, I want a 3-room place. 1 big closet, a kitchen, and 1 room for everything else. Clothes shall be my only vice and I shall avoid the clutter. Unfortunately I'm currently a poor college student with massive loans and I am only accumulating bill statements and class notes instead of YSL Tributes and leather jackets. Siiigh.

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ I hear you, it's a big problem. Btw, it's possible to do minimalism with antique or vintage stuff.

IMO there is likely to be clutter in a huge closet

 

[MissMagAddict]

When it comes to magazines, I have had my issues in the past. But I feel like if there's articles or images you want to keep around with the clutter there are 2 options. Cut them out and put them in one nice sturdy scrapbook or scan them and toss them. Although, yes, I know it's not the same thing as being able to flip thru the magazine in front of you.

Scan & toss. That's what I've been doing with so many of mine. At first I thought I never could do it... but the more I do it the easier it gets & the better I feel about it. Just be sure to back up your image files. I keep a separate hard drive with organized folders so I can find images easily.