5 Ways to De-Clutter Your Closet
Posted by AGroup in Homemaking on Friday, March 11, 2011 12:00 PM
Lent brings out the minimalist in me. Considering that we are a family of seven, this is a very good thing indeed. Though I abhor clutter, on any given busy day it’s much easier to create stacks, stuff closets and fill baskets then it is to take a hard look at our materials and rule on what must stay and what must go.
I suspect it will surprise exactly no one that there’s no corner of my home I find more difficult to declutter than my closet. I blame my local thrift store. You see, for all the blessings that thrift stores offer those of us on a budget, they can be dangerously tempting, too (especially for clotheshorses like me). Sure, maybe that adorable dress doesn’t quite fit but surely it will once I just lose a few more pounds, right? I suppose it’s true that I don’t need another pencil skirt but it’s only $3.00! I’d be a fool to pass up such a sweet deal! You get the idea.
Due to this weakness of mine, over the years I’ve been forced to come up with a few strategies to aid me in sorting through my clothes. It’s still not fun for me to part with my beloved pieces of fashion goodness but the following tips have definitely made it easier:
1. Enlist a friend to help. An honest friend. She will be able to give you feedback on your clothes that you may have trouble seeing due to sentimentality. You can veto her three times but no more! 
2. Try everything on. If it doesn’t fit, toss it. End of story. (The only exception to this rule is for those of you in the postpartum stage. Keeping those smaller sizes around is great motivation to lose that last bit of extra baby weight!)
3. If you haven’t worn it in a year, say goodbye. I can’t tell you how many things I’ve kept around because I convince myself that surely they’ll be useful again one day. If that day didn’t arrive sometime in the last 365 it’s unlikely it ever will.
4. Create outfits. You may have the cutest top ever created but if you don’t have bottoms to go with it, it’s (sadly) unusable…unless you’re Lady Gaga, that is. And if you are Lady Gaga, you’ve got bigger problems than an overstuffed closet!
5. Choose a charity that you’re excited about. You’ll be much more motivated to part with items if you donate them to a charity you’re passionate about.
Do you have any advice for those of us who struggle to identify which items of clothing should go and which should stay? I can use all the help I can get! Thanks, ladies!
(On a related note: Rachel recently discussed the 40 Bags in 40 Days movement. I haven’t been brave enough to tackle it yet myself, but I’ve heard nothing but good things from those who have!)
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