Summer vacation is my time for projects. I’ve been keeping a list on my phone of the things I’d like to get done around the house this month. Once school was out, I started with the biggest project – my master closet clean-out.
My goal with this clean-out was a leaner closet and one that would be more versatile between seasons. I have always kept specific pieces for each season, but I wanted to combine everything into one wardrobe, categorized by item and with an emphasis on keeping more neutral clothing. Living in the South where the weather has been unpredictable in recent years, this just makes sense – we’ve had 70-degree December days and 40-degree April days. Plus, I wanted to see where I had overlap.
My system for this clean-out was to go by category and take out every item that fell within that category. I placed everything on my bed, then went through each item one by one. For clothing from a name brand that was still in good condition, I placed it in my bag to mail to ThredUP, an online thrift store that sells your items, from which you can make cash. Snag a kit for your own closet here. If it didn’t meet ThredUP’s standards, I placed the item in a separate bag to be donated.
I started with outerwear – all of it, from jackets to coats to cardigans – and then grouped everything I was keeping on one side of my closet. I did the same with all my tops, then sweaters, pants, shorts, dresses, shoes, undergarments, and accessories. It helped to take out everything and lay it on my bed, to really see how much I had, regardless of season. I held each item one at a time and considered it before deciding where it would go. I kept pieces that I knew I loved and wore often, and I gave away anything that I felt a bit indifferent about or if it wasn’t really my style.
Once I decided what I was keeping, I grouped like items in my closet by category, and then organized each category by color. This helps me to clearly see everything I own. It also feels really satisfying to have all my tops, dresses, and pants grouped together, not separated by warm weather/cold weather as it used to be. I enjoy the aesthetic; it feels very clean and orderly.
I still feel as though I own a lot of clothes, but it is a huge improvement. I filled the entire ThredUP bag as well as two garbage bags to be donated. Going forward, I want to be much more intentional about my closet.
Hanging Closet Organizer | White Closet Shelves | Similar Hamper
Have you done a closet clean-out recently?
P.S. How I organized our small pantry space and how I keep my drawers organized.
