Let me tell you about Mike. He dresses like the stereotypical tech guy most days of the week, doesn’t own a suit, and enjoys simple matching items. A t-shirt some shorts, track pants, or jeans, with sneakers. A warm stylish hoodie when it’s cold. Hardly a fashionista, yet his wardrobe was bulging with a mountain of stuff. He did the 30-day Decluttering Challenge and it fundamentally helped him take control of his wardrobe and own his space like a minimalist boss.
Just like you, Mike never realised he had so many items stashed away eating up space in his closet. He would grab the top shirt, nearest hoodie, or pair of pants while 10 more items close by were idly chilling having a clutter party. There just never seemed to be space, it was always full yet there was always nothing to wear.
How come there were so many items, yet he could never find what he wanted? The thought of tackling the pile just caused an overwhelming feeling of dread and instant fatigue. So the monster continued to grow and dominate his life.
One day after a conversation with his brother who happened to mention the concept of a capsule wardrobe, he spent some time on google looking it up. This seemed extreme, 100 items or less. He liked the concept of minimalism and living with less, of having order in his wardrobe, of making more informed purchases (less impact, no child labour, no cheap fashion etc), but could he really cut out the clutter and do the things required?
If this story sounds even vaguely familiar, you may be ready to do what Mike did to get control of his wardrobe and apply the principles of minimalist living without having to dress like a monk. In this article, we will provide you with functional decluttering tips and advice and introduce you to the 30-day decluttering challenge which we hope will help you to transform your wardrobe over a 30-day period.
Top Tips for Decluttering Your Wardrobe
Here are 7 rules to implement to help you declutter your wardrobe as part of the 30-day decluttering challenge. They are: empty your closet, now rule, the one-year rule, the too tight to mention rule, the damaged rule, the sentimental reasons rule, the duplicate items rule, and the shoe rule.
Take a deep breath, because it’s about to get interesting. Prepare to see things you haven’t seen in years, have your nostrils assaulted by musty odours of stale unworn garments, and get ready for the unexpected.
The first step is a radical one but one that definitely forces the process to start and sets in place the mentality that there is no turning. It will create a massive initial mess but it will also bring great satisfaction and structure to the process. Once you’ve used this method for your clothing, you will have set a base habit for decluttering, which you can and will apply to the rest of your home.
EMPTY your closet, NOW Rule!
Take everything out and dump it on your bed, and any other available space once that is full. Now your wardrobe is empty and you have nowhere to sleep until you are done (LOL).
Seriously, well done. You have emptied your closet for the first time in years and you should already feel lighter looking at the space that you have to work with.
Next, Create 3 piles, keep, donate/sell, and discard. We suggest the donate/sell and discard piles are boxes, laundry bins, or large receptacles that you cannot see the contents of. This way you won’t be tempted to sneak something back into your keep pile. If you don’t have much at your disposal, just place these piles in another room.
Now when deciding what goes into what pile, apply and consider the tips below to help make the process easier. Like we told Mike, don’t think too much or too long. Make a decision and trust your gut.
The One-Year Rule
The one-year rule is a simple yet effective way to declutter your wardrobe. If you haven’t worn an item of clothing in the past year, it’s time to get rid of it. Don’t even think about it, don’t let the one day I may wear or need it even enter your mind.
Start going through each item one by one. If you haven’t worn it in the past year, put it in a pile to donate/sell or discard. If you’re unsure about an item, try it on and ask yourself if you would buy it again today. If the answer is no, it’s time to let it go. BE RUTHLESS!
The Too Tight to Mention Rule
Anything that no longer fits you perfectly must instantly land on the donate/sell or discard piles. There is no point in keeping items that no longer fit, or simply do not flatter your body anymore. If you struggle to get into or out of it, then it has to go. If things start popping, bulging, or protruding then it’s definitely time to go. These items will only take up space in your wardrobe and make it harder to find the clothes you actually wear.
Ps: Underwear is no donate/sell item. Discard!
The Damaged Rule
Similarly, clothes that are torn, damaged, or out of shape should be discarded. Anything that is unwearable is a no-keep item. If someone else could not wear it, it must be discarded. Don’t be those disrespectful humans who donate items that are torn and full of holes. Just don’t!
Sentimental Reasons Rule
We all have clothes that we keep for sentimental reasons, whether it’s a t-shirt from a concert or a dress from a special occasion. While it can be hard to let go of these items, it’s important to ask yourself if they’re really adding value to your life. If you haven’t worn the item in years, consider taking a photo of it to keep as a memory and donate/sell or discard it. By doing so, you will free up space and give someone else the opportunity to enjoy the item.
Duplicate Items Rule
8You might have three black t-shirts that all look the same or five pairs of jeans that you never wear. To reduce duplicate items, try to identify which ones you wear the most and get rid of the rest. This will make it easier to find the clothes you actually wear and create a more streamlined wardrobe.
The Shoe Rule
Just like clothes, shoes can take up a lot of space in your wardrobe. If you have shoes that don’t fit properly or are in poor condition, it’s time to get rid of them. Shoes that hurt your feet or have holes should be discarded. Consider donating or selling shoes that are still in good condition but no longer serve a purpose in your wardrobe. Decide what you actually wear and what you actually need for your lifestyle. Don’t hoard footwear.
Other Critical Questions to Ask Yourself
When deciding which clothes to keep and which to get rid of, aside from the above, it’s important to ask yourself critical questions. For example, do you love the item or just like it? Does it fit properly and flatter your body? Have you worn it in the past year? By asking these additional questions, you can be more objective in your decision-making process and create a wardrobe that truly reflects your style.
More Tips for Decluttering your wardrobe:
- Be realistic about your lifestyle. If you work from home and rarely dress up, you don’t need a closet full of suits and dress shoes.
- Consider your personal style. If you never wear bright colors or bold patterns, there’s no need to keep items that don’t reflect your style.
- Take care of your remaining clothes. By properly caring for your clothes, you can extend their lifespan and reduce the need for frequent replacements.
- Consider the environmental impact. By donating or selling your unwanted clothes, you can reduce waste and promote sustainable fashion.
- Be patient with yourself. Decluttering your wardrobe can be a time-consuming process, so take your time and be patient with yourself.
If you are keen to take it to the next level of minimalism and take the closet purge one step further, then you may want to explore the Capsule wardrobe and how to go about it.
Perhaps in the process of the decluttering challenge, you realised that your storage space was not optimised for how it holds you content. Your shelf was too deep, the draw had too much space and you found that you needed to find something to organise your items more logically and neatly. There are some great space-saving organisers which you can consider and we have included a link below to some options.
Perhaps you would like to find some minimalist ideas that can be applied to various areas of your home. We suggest you take a look at the suggestions in the article below.
30-Day Decluttering Challenge
If you’re looking for a more structured yet leisurely approach to decluttering your wardrobe, consider taking on our 30-day decluttering challenge. You may not have the time to take the more radical approach mentioned above and so in just 30-60 minutes each day, you can achieve the same result.
Remember that you want to reduce your wardrobe to under 200 items and less than 150 if you really want to trim it down (accessories included). This closet purge is easy but it is also not that easy. Here’s how to do it over 30 days:
Day 1-5: Remove all the clothes from your wardrobe section by section and sort them into three piles as we did above: keep, donate/sell, and discard. Try on any items you’re unsure about and ask yourself the critical questions mentioned above. Break the number of shelves or drawers by the number of days and get cracking.
Day 6-10: Declutter your shoes, socks, and underwear using the same process as above. Try on each pair and determine whether they fit properly and are in good condition.
Day 11-15: Focus on your accessories, such as belts, scarves, and jewelry. Get rid of items you no longer wear or those that are damaged.
Day 16-20: Go through your workout clothes and pajamas. Get rid of any items that no longer serve a purpose or are in poor condition. If you don’t exercise, either commit to a regime and start or get rid of these items. Mike played cricket and for 15 years he had the clothes in case he one day play again. He never did. Get rid of, and don’t hold for what if’s.
Day 21-25: Declutter your seasonal items, such as winter coats and summer dresses. You do not need tons of items. Apply the above tips to help you get rid of any items you no longer wear or that are in poor condition or simply have in excess.
Day 26-30: Use these last few days to go through any remaining items and make your final decisions. Once you’ve completed the 30-day challenge, donate or sell the items you no longer need and enjoy your new minimalist wardrobe.
If you get to this point, congratulations, just like Mike you have completed the 30-day decluttering challenge for your wardrobe and should have the skills to now be able to apply it to the rest of your house. If you are wondering what to do with all the items from the decluttering challenge that is in your donate/sell box, check out the article below.
The Wardrobe Declutter After Effects – 5 Effective Ways to Donate or Sell Items
NOW WHAT?
Now that you have reduced the clutter and have your wardrobe under control again using the 30-day decluttering challenge, you can slowly begin to move on to other areas of the house. Section by section you can reduce the clutter and free your environment of clutter.
It is important that once you have completed this exercise, you conduct regular audits of your wardrobe as well as apply what we call the one in one out rule. This rule is simple, for every new item purchased something that you already own must be discarded.
Hopefully, after this decluttering your wardrobe will be less of a daunting task, and something that you will agree was well worth the effort. By getting rid of the clothes you no longer need or wear, you created a more minimalist wardrobe that makes it easier to get dressed and reduces clutter in your home.
A bonus of this process is that you have also reduced the decision-making process. Fewer items mean fewer choices and less stress. Use the tips and 30-day decluttering challenge outlined above to transform your wardrobe and enjoy a more streamlined and intentional wardrobe. Let us know how you are getting along.
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