If your current master closet was no longer hidden behind a door, and was a public facing room in your house, how would you feel? Exposed? Glamorous? Naked, or confident? For many of us, shutting the closet door is an act of self-protection. It allows you to hide away decisions that are waiting to be made.

Decluttering your closet puts you square in front of these unmade decisions. Don’t feel that it needs to be tackled all in one afternoon. It’s best to go section by section to lessen anxiety and overwhelm. You’ll need to reawaken your decision-making skills when you first get started, then allow momentum to take charge. 

The Past

Before you begin, remove any items from the closet that are not clothing or accessories. You know what I’m talking about: the gift wrap, the suitcases, unhung artwork, the box of old photos…any items that aren’t related to dressing need to be removed and set aside. They belong elsewhere in the house and will be dealt with after your closet project.

Next, take a few photos of your closet, including behind the door if applicable. Hold onto these until later.

Then, scan for things that are outdated and outgrown. You can easily identify these items because their either lumped together in the corner of the closet, or they’re casting a metaphoric shadow over the other items. Classic examples include suits from your time in corporate America, maternity clothes, clothes from a loved one, or clothing from when you were a different size or shape.

These items are weighing you down and holding you back. They’re full of negative energy and carry a story. These objects don’t earn their keep; you know this because you don’t use them and don’t plan to within the next year.

Each set of objects holds a story or a memory, and this is why they’re so difficult to get rid of. They sit there, tricking your mind into believing that they’re a necessary, integral part of your life.

These items of clothing want to:

·      Tie you to the past

·      Remind you of who you were, not who you are

·      Fool you into thinking that the past matters more than the future.

Take the time to recognize their role in your life, but don’t spend time wallowing. There’s a bright beautiful future, full of possibility, ahead. 

I get it. Perhaps one day you’ll return to wearing suits or have another baby. But not today. If and when that time comes, you’ll want to celebrate and live into the choices you’ve made with a fresh wardrobe that speaks to your current self.

The Present

Remember, realistically you can only wear one outfit at a time. 

Think about your weekly routine. Consider how many times per week you dress up or exercise. Make a mental note of how many times a day, on average, you change your clothes. Note how often you do your laundry. Weekly or bi-weekly?

Now, if you didn’t do laundry for two weeks, would you need more than 14 sets of clothes? I absolutely understand that many of us love variety. You love wearing different fabrics or colors depending on the season. However, take a moment to acknowledge that you currently have more than you could reasonably wear.

When you consider your weekly routine before you declutter, you’re creating a baseline of how little you actually need versus the abundance you have based on choice. This is the place where your decision-making will come from – the distance between need and want. The distance between items you love, wear, and use, and those that are just filler.

Select one category at a time about which to make decisions. 

·      Blouses

·      Tee shirts

·      Sweaters

·      Undergarments + socks + pajamas

·      Dresses

·      Athletic wear (for exercise)

·      Athleisure (for comfort)

·      Jeans + pants

·      Shorts + skirts

·      Work clothes

For example, start with just your tee shirts. Take them out of the closet and pile them together. Breathe in the total number of items you have. Remind yourself that you can only wear one at a time, and maybe two per day. 

Separate out those you truly love, cherish, and value. Then, separate those you could care less about: those that are stained, worn, a terrible color/fit, those that speak to another era of your life.

The remaining items – the middle, “not so sure” category – are the ones you have to decide upon. Try them on, if need be. Err on the side of donating or recycling.

The desire to buy more clothing will be ever present, so let go of more items than is comfortable. Allow yourself to notice how a dozen tee shirts doesn’t seem like a lot, but when added together with all the other tops you have, it’s plenty. 

You’ll never go naked. You’ll be able to express yourself, be comfortable, and have room to add to your tee shirt collection if you part with those items you don’t truly love. The worst that could happen is that you’ll have to do laundry.

Repeat with remaining categories and give yourself permission to break the decluttering into a series of sessions.

The Future

Don’t fret about the money you’ve invested in the pieces you’re letting go of. The money has long been spent. These items have served you well and no longer hold a strong financial value on the resale market. 

Choose to be open-hearted and donate them or sell them at a local consignment shop. Do so with the intention of serving someone who will love and value them in a way that you originally did. This process of releasing your negative energy and repurposing it into positive energy for another person ultimately will serve you more than keeping it stored in the corner of your closet.

Mindfully return only items that suit your current self into your closet. Leave room and space for your clothing to breathe. This extra space is for your future self: the person that you are becoming, no matter your age.

Your future is waiting. Holding onto the past, the overabundance, the story of who you were clutters and clouds this future. It’s your responsibility to let down your guard, open the door, make decisions, and allow the light back into your closet and heart.

PS: Don’t forget to revisit your “before” photos and notice all the amazing work you did. Celebrate!👏🏽

I’d love to hear about your closet goals. Leave me a comment below👇🏽.