As I began unpacking my suitcases

from school, I had a horrifying revelation. Between all of my new frat tanks and Goodwill finds, I could no longer jam all of my clothes into my decently sized closet! As I continued to trip over stacks of tee shirts piled on my bedroom floor, I realized that my mom may have been right when she repeatedly accused me of being a “hoarder”.

Eventually, I decided to do a closet clean out. Here are some tips that I discovered throughout my 3 day wardrobe purge.

-Pull out one section of clothing at a time to keep from getting overwhelmed. 

-Allow yourself a few days to complete your clean out. 

-Make sure to try on items if you are unsure of their fit. 

-Create areas for keeping, selling, donating and tossing. 

-Considering giving unwanted pieces away to friends or younger siblings (trust me, they'll love it). 

-Don’t limit yourself to clothing; sort through jewelry, shoes and accessories as well! 

-After pulling out all of your unwanted items, take a chance to vacuum and dust your empty closet.  

-Reorganize your remaining pieces in whatever way makes sense to you (ex. color, sleeve length, season). 

- Note which staples need to be replaced. 

-Don’t let your unwanted items collect dust. Get rid of pieces as soon as possible so they don’t end up back in your closet.     

While contemplating the future of your pieces, ask yourself the following questions:   

-Does it have sentimental value? Even though you may never wear some of your favorite items anymore, they may still provide special memories for years to come. While you probably won’t be able to sell your varsity letter jacket for much money at a consignment shop, you will be able to show it off to your future kids!   

-Does it fit your body? While it may be a disappointing realization that your favorite top from last summer no longer fits, it’s time to let go. No matter how cute your clothes look on the hanger, they won’t look so good if they don’t fit your body. Instead of starving yourself to fit into your favorite old jeans, trade them in for new ones that fit your current shape.   

-Does it suit your lifestyle? Be honest with yourself. If you wear Converse every day, what are you doing with so many pairs of unworn wedges? It may be smart to keep one basic pair just in case, but clear out the rest. If an item does not reflect your usual activities or personal style, get rid of it.   

-Does it get worn often? As a general rule of thumb, any item that has not been worn in the past year or two will probably not be worn in again in the future. You won’t even miss your once worn gladiators (or the blisters!), but you will welcome the extra closet space.     

Take it from me, a closet clean-out and organization will leave you feeling refreshed. Not only will it make finding things easier, but also you will be left with the items you really love. Depending on how much you get rid of, you may also be left with a feeling of emptiness. However, this will heighten your sense of creativity. Instead of going shopping immediately following your cleanout, try to think of new ways to wear your remaining items. Try to avoid shopping for a few weeks; this will give you a chance to save money from selling to a consignment shop, as well as ample time to note what you really need in your wardrobe!

Photo courtesy of 123rf.com/profile_furmananna.