Closet Declutter and Clean

Ever look at your closet and think to yourself “I have nothing to wear!” yet it is full of clothing. I think we have all had this exact moment in our lives. Not only that, but also having a closet so stuffed with clothing and items it’s a cluttered mess with things falling off hangers, crammed into corners and scattered along the floor. It’s not a pretty sight.

This can be caused from all sorts of life scenarios. Weight gain or loss, pregnancy and postpartum bodies, new jobs, new lifestyles, depression, shopping addictions, hand-me-downs, amongst many other reasons. This is nothing to be ashamed of, it is something to be recognized. Life has it’s ups and downs, as does our weight, and we just roll with it as we live on.

It can be intimidating to tackle such an eyesore, but once it is complete, the end result is more often than not, incredibly rewarding. Releasing items that are causing you more stress and frustration than excitement and joy is empowering. Cleaning up a space that is usually tucked away until explosion is a huge relief. All forms of a closet cleanout and declutter are truly satisfying.

Here is a list of cleaning and decluttering ideas to help you along the way.

• Set up four boxes – donate, repair, toss or keep.
• Take everything out of the closet. If you have an impressively large closet, work in sections.
• Wipe down all shelves.
• Clean out all of the drawers. Vacuum within and wipe them down.
• Vacuum or mop the closet floors.
• Toss or replace any damaged hangers. Matching sets are nice but can be costly upfront, so take your time and use the best ones you’ve got to start and slowly replace with matching ones.
• Decide how you want the flow of your closet to be and where things should be placed.
• Start with shoes, tossing anything you’re not in love with. If they are dusty, this is a sign.
• Give any shoes being kept a good clean.
• Start organizing your clothing using a system of your choosing. Example: colour-coding, by item, sleeve length, etc.
• Consider storing away off-season items and label boxes accordingly.
• Wash, steam, or iron any clothing that needs special attention. Take anything that requires dry cleaning to the dry cleaners.
• Sort through all accessories and decide what to keep, toss, donate or repair.
• Try some organizing accessories such as jewelry stands or hooks.
• Sort through all bags and purses, having a realistic approach as to what should be kept. Will you actually use what you keep?

Our closets should be a safe space where we look forward to getting dressed everyday based on the options we leave ourselves with. If we are waiting to fit back into something, do not allow yourself to see this everyday and dwell on the fact that we haven’t reached that goal yet. And only keep such items if they really mean a lot to you or they are a style staple for you. Tuck those items away for 6 months to a year, and re-evaluate. If we haven’t gotten there without situations such as pregnancy or postpartum or illness standing in our way, it may be time to part with these.

Overall, your closet is supposed to bring ease into dressing ourselves each day. It should be our own personal shopping space, where we feel ourselves and everything is something we gravitate towards. A place to behold and admire, no matter how large or small of a closet we may have. Getting dressed shouldn’t be so hard, and by removing all that cause us to question who we are based on styles that don’t work for our bodies or daily lives, we can breathe easier. We owe it to ourselves and our self confidence to create our closets to be a smooth transition.

Melanie xoxox