5 Tips to Keep in Mind When Purging Your Closet

Being a wardrobe stylist, I’m often helping others clean out their closets in between seasons, and if you follow me on IG stories, you know that I recently just purged my own closet! I’ve been loooong over due for my own closet clean out, and so far I’ve only made it through about 3/4 of all of my clothes (geeeez) so I still have to purge my shoes, accessories, etc etc etc. As I was cleaning out some of the pieces that I no longer wear, I got to thinking about how so many other people also do this same thing in between seasons, so I should share my own tips and tricks to make the process a little less dreadful for y’all! I know it can sometimes be overwhelming, but I’m here to help! I usually only share these tips with my family, friends, and clients, but now YOU also get to take advantage!

white ruffle sleeve top | blush shorts | blush velvet heels (on sale!) | sunglasses

1. Get your mind right. You may laugh at this, but this is truly an important step in the beginning of the closet clean out process. If you’re anything like me, you get extremely attached to your clothes because each piece holds a special memory from the past. Many of us even want to keep (or hoard) things that we know we’ll never wear again, but we can’t let go of it because the meaning or story behind it. Now ladies, your wedding dress – for example – doesn’t count. (I will NEVER get rid of mine. I’m saving it in case my future daughter wants to use certain pieces of it some day – that’s a totally different story.) However, if it’s an outfit that you wore on your very first date ever but you’re not even married to the man, let it go. Chances are, you’ll never wear it again and it’s just going to take up space in your closet. When it becomes hard for me to let go of something in my wardrobe, I just remind myself that if I donate or sell that piece to someone else, I can then treat myself to something new. Always keep in mind that your ‘trash’ is another man’s treasure!

2. Grab a full length mirror & start your try on haul. Having a full length mirror close by makes it easy for you to try on the ‘iffy’ pieces in your wardrobe if you are unsure if they still fit or how they look off the hanger. Unless it’s something that you wear almost every month, I highly recommend trying it on to see if it’s really worth keeping.

3. The 1-year rule. Maybe you’re confused about what to keep and what to get rid of in your closet… But really, it is more simple than you think. An easy way to start separating the unnecessary items that you should probably part with is to follow what I like to call the ‘1-year rule’. If you haven’t worn that piece of clothing or those pair of shoes in a year or more, put it in the sale/donate pile immediately. If you haven’t worn that piece in over a year, then chances are you’re not going to wear it going forward. It’s also important to keep in mind that trends come and go – just because you loved that Juicy Couture tracksuit back in the fall of 2006 doesn’t mean that you should hang on to it (or be wearing it) now. Let go of it and go find something that will be more on-trend right now so that you’ll actually be able to wear it.

4. Make piles. While clearing out certain pieces, separate them into piles: Sell, Donate, Keep. If it’s something you think would sell, you can set up an account on Poshmark or eBay or even take those items to a consignment store. Personally, I love shopping and selling at consignment shops – I’ve shopped/sold many of my pieces at StateMint Upscale Consignment here in Knoxville, and I also found a consignment gem in Nashville called Flip. It’s ahhh-mazing and I literally want like everything in there! (Chanel, LV, Louboutins, Rebecca Minkoff, and Wildfox are just a few brands carried at Flip.) These are always some great options if you are looking to make a little extra cash from your gently used items, however, donations are a fantastic idea as well. Our family has always been a huge supporter of donating when we can, and I highly encourage everyone to do this every once in awhile. There’s no greater blessing (for you and for the recipient) when you make donations to those in need. Separating everything into specific piles will help the process flow more smoothly, and the clean up will be a lot quicker once you’re done going through your entire wardrobe (which you’ll be super thankful for because you’ll be exhausted)!

5. Organize & restock. Once you have gone through everything in your closet and decided what to keep and what to toss, it’s time to start organizing. I highly suggest color coordinating your clothes. I started doing this about a year ago, and it has made the biggest difference in how easy it is to find certain pieces and coordinate outfits on the fly. (If you wanna get real crazy, you can even organize by color AND sleeve/dress/pant length. My sister does this, ha!) Now on to the fun part – if you have missing pieces or want to go shopping to fill some of the gaps in your new and improved wardrobe, then start restocking the necessities and treat yourself to a few new pieces!

As I mentioned earlier, I’m in the process of purging my own closet at the moment, but as soon as it’s completed and I return back from my travels over the next couple of months, I will be selling so many items from my personal wardrobe for you all to shop if you’re interested. I’ve gotten a lot of questions from y’all about this, so I will be sure to make a post about it before the sale starts so that no one misses out! 🙂

If you have any questions regarding your closet clean out or want some personal help on this with a stylist of your own, feel free to contact me here or comment below!

Thanks so much for stopping in, y’all!

xo, P