Closet Clean-Out: 5 Questions To Ask Yourself When Editing Your Wardrobe

Voila! Magic happens to our wardrobes in a year. It’s either we find ourselves leaning towards a certain fashion style, or we hoard more than what our closets can actually accommodate. While we make sure we stay in vogue season after season, we should also keep our wardrobes carefully curated and uncluttered. How else are you going to find the perfect #OOTD if your closet has turned into a landfill? And, until when are you going to reason, “I don’t have clothes!” when you can’t find that outfit of the day? It’s simple, you’re in need of a closet clean-out.

Don’t know where to begin? We’ve listed five questions to ask yourself when editing your wardrobe:

1 | Why Am I Doing This?

Ask yourself why you’re paring down your wardrobe. You should have a goal in mind to keep you inspired in downsizing your wardrobe. So, what do you want to achieve? Are you editing your closet because you need more space for your new clothes? Are you trying to practice a new, minimalist lifestyle? Or, you just want to because everyone else is doing it?

Here’s our take: Whatever your reason is, make sure that you want it for yourself, that you’re doing it to improve your lifestyle, and not simply to ride the trend. Instilling in yourself that you want or need a closet purge makes it easier to decide whether to keep or let go of your clothes.

2 | When Else If Not Now?

Schedule a purge day. It doesn’t have to be every end-of-year or new-year; any day you feel you’re in for a round of closet clean-out is a good day to start. Make sure, however, that you only do this in one day. Otherwise, you’ll lose the momentum or the will to sort out your wardrobe. Plus, there’s a risk of changing your mind when you’ve already decided to let go of that worn out pair of jeans from high school. You can do this once per quarter, twice a year, or annually. If you think you have downsized enough and have practiced mindful wardrobe shopping, you can edit your closet whenever it’s needed.

3 | Where Is This Going?

Take everything out of your closet and sort thrice by categories. We suggest three levels of sorting so you won’t be overwhelmed by the sudden changes in your number of clothing. The first level of categorizing your clothes is by type: Tops, Bottoms, Outerwear, Smalls (underwear, socks, ties, and other small articles), and so on. Doing so gives you a clearer view of how many clothes you own and how many of a certain type you actually have in your closet. Now that you’ve seen that you have too many shirts, ask yourself whether you’d still reach for one of them for the next year or the next two years. Make three piles for the second sorting: Yes, No, Maybe.

Lastly, sort them into Keep, Sell, and Donate piles. Those you put in the Yes pile can be put in your Keep pile, but you still have the option to Sell or Donate some. Those in No will automatically be put in either Sell or Donate. With your Maybe pile, ask yourself why you can’t decide to let go of this article of clothing: does it hold any sentimental value? Do you think that you’ll be needing it someday? If you answered Yes to the first question, you can keep it or take a picture of it before donating or selling it. If you answered Yes to the second one, dump it now. You don’t have to keep something you’re not sure you’re going to wear in your life. If you ever need to wear one, you can easily borrow from friends or family, or from rental boutiques.

4 | How Do I Get Ready?

Now that you’ve curated your clothes, it’s time to store them back in your closet. However, here’s another question to answer: How do you get ready? Your answer will be the basis of your new wardrobe setup. Arrange your clothes and miscellaneous items according to the order of your getting-ready routine. Fill your top drawer or the most accessible shelf in your closet with your underwear, which you obviously reach for first when dressing up. From there, work on your tops or bottoms, your outerwear, and so on. This way, it’s easier to find what you’re looking for; thus saves you time in the morning.

5 | Who Needs These?

Clothes in your Sell and Donate pile also need new homes. Items for sale can be sold through a garage sale or through an online store. Selling pre-owned or pre-loved items online has been a trend in recent years, so it’s easier now to find a new owner for your old clothes. Some even swap or trade items with other people, so you do have a lot of options if you ever decide on selling your old clothes. As for the clothes you want to donate, it’s best to research which charities or foundations accept old clothes as donations. You may ask around your community or simply search online. You could even pass your old clothes down to your younger siblings, or anyone who might need them at home.

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