Growing up I’ve always had a small closet. And by small, I mean TEENY TINY. It’s one of those closets where anything hanging to the far left and right sides isn’t visible when you open the door. And you know what that means . . .
Let’s take a moment of silence for all the clothes you forgot you had, only to find them months later [sometimes with the tags still attached].
So my closet setup wasn’t an actual problem until High School when I started experimenting with fashion and had the freedom to buy my own clothes. I started outgrowing the space I had. Under my bed, behind my door . . . you name it, I had it packed out to the MAX. It was insane. I hated not being able to see all of my stuff, and it became impossible to organize in a functional way.
I realized I was holding onto things that I was never actually going to wear again. Who else does this?! I’m sure most of us do, but why? Do you feel bad getting rid of things for strange reasons you’ve tried to validate in your head? Maybe your aunt got it for you on her trip to Mexico, or it was the dress you wore on your 25th birthday, because . . . #memories? I think not.
Well, this brings us to the first thing you need to ELIMINATE from your closet to give yourself [and wardrobe] some breathing room. Are you ready?! Let’s get into it!
#1: ALREADY WORN PARTY DRESSES
Why is this something we all seem to hold on to? Mark my words. You are NEVER going to wear that sparkly ensemble from last New Year’s Eve ever again. Hah! Pull out all the dresses you’ve worn for special events and simply say goodbye. Just be honest with yourself. You already got that fabulous picture up on the ‘gram, so it’s time to move on. If you keep pretty good care of your stuff, try selling it on an app like Poshmark! I’m sure someone out there is looking for a great deal on a dress that’s only been worn once!
#2: OLD COLLEGIATE + HIGH SCHOOL CRAP
If you are still in school, I’ll give you a pass on this one. For the rest of us, come ON! Do you really need a sweatshirt with your school mascot on it? It’s time to put that stuff in a box with your diploma and save it to never wear again. Yup! Just being honest here.
#3: UNCOMFORTABLE SHOES
We’ve all owned a pair of shoes that may be GORGEOUS, but after ten minutes in them you want to cry. Am I right? I’m sorry to be the person of reason here, but is it really worth it? I never end up choosing to wear the uncomfortable shoes anyway when it really comes down to it. Invest in a beautiful pair of shoes that you feel great in. Your feet [and closet] will thank you.
#4: ITEMS THAT YOU CAN’T CREATE AT LEAST TWO OUTFITS WITH OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD
This one may take a bit more time to figure out, but trust me it’s worth the exercise. This is most likely the bulk of your problem! Set aside some time to look at EVERY SINGLE article of clothing you own. If you can’t create at least TWO outfits using what you already own . . . BYE! Your closet should be filled with interchangeable pieces, not a bunch of one-offs that will rarely end up in your rotation.
#5: ANYTHING YOU HAVEN’T WORN IN THE PAST 4 MONTHS
I like to think anything that I haven’t worn in the past 4-5 months will never be featured in my outfits again. This is of course not including items from different seasons. For example, I’m currently using my fall/winter wardrobe, so anything from spring/summer won’t necessarily apply to this rule. I find it easiest to do this exercise near the end of the season. It’s a great way to consolidate what you own before switching out and packing up these pieces for next year! When it’s time to pull out my winter sweaters again next year, I’ll be happy knowing I’m only bringing back my favorites!
I hope you all enjoyed this post + became inspired to clean out your closets! It’s a great feeling having that extra wiggle room between the hangers to actually SEE what you own. I for one still have an extremely small closet, so I’m forced to make it work! If you need more advice on closet-cleanups, feel free to reach out and send me a message! I’d love to help you! As you already know, I’m a Type A neat-freak and truly enjoy organization. Until next time guys!
/ / As always, this is my personal blog. This blog post is not sponsored. Any views or opinions represented in this blog are my own and do not represent the views of any company or individual I may mention. This post may contain affiliate links where I make a small commission if you click and shop using my links. It won’t cost you a penny, but helps keep this blog running!
/ / As always, this is my personal blog. This blog post is not sponsored. Any views or opinions represented in this blog are my own and do not represent the views of any company or individual I may mention. This post may contain affiliate links where I make a small commission if you click and shop using my links. It won’t cost you a penny, but helps keep this blog running!
Karen says
I can so relate to a “tiny” closet. We live in a 1930’s home with closets from the 1930’s!! Great tips. THanks!
Michelle Russo says
It’s so hard to stay organized when you have little space to do so! Everything needs to have a place, and eliminating the things you really dont need has helped me tremendously!
Aurora says
I have too much stuff I haven’t worn and need to declutter! Most of those items I can’t even fit in anymore so they are just taking up space! Great post girl! #scsister
xo Aurora
Michelle Russo says
I’m so glad I could help! Trust me I know the feeling! It’s great when you finally get rid of all that nonsense you’ve been hanging on to! 🙂