Spring Cleaning: My 5 Best Tips For Cleaning Out Your Closet

Spring is right around the corner and you know what that means... time for some Spring cleaning! For me, the place that always needs it the most is the closet! I've been trying really hard to stay organized and to clean out my closet every couple of months. I used to have a big problem. I admit it... I was extremely attached to my clothes for no reason at all. It was always really difficult for me to get rid of things and I accumulated WAY too much. However, in the last year or so I've been setting guidelines for myself and following a set of rules to help keep my closet lighter and more organized. Plus, a couple months ago I finished building out my dream closet and the last thing I want is for it to look cluttered and disorganized! Since my closet also doubles as my organization room for the blog, it’s important to me to keep it clean and beautiful.  I've been really good about cleaning out my closet and have done 3 big clean outs in the last couple of months! I sell everything I clean out through At One Boutique on Poshmark. You can shop everything from my closet HERE!  

These are the rules I follow to keep my closet organized and to help get rid of things as new things come in.

1. The one-year rule
I am pretty sure at one point I had pieces in my closet that were 5 years old. Last year, I started using the one year rule. That is, if you haven't worn something in a year, it goes. Gone. Bye. No second guessing. No justification. The rule to apply is If you haven't worn it in a year, then chances are you’re not going to wear it again any time soon. 

2. Ask yourself, would you buy this piece today? If the answer is no, it goes. 
Things go in and out of style. Our tastes change. If this is the case, you will find that you are holding onto pieces that you just glaze over when you are looking for something to wear in the morning. If you would not buy the piece you're looking at if you were out shopping today, then say your goodbyes. 

3. As new things come in, old things go out.
Each time you buy something(s) new, you have to get rid of something similar. ie: I used to practically collect white t-shirts but I realized I only really wore a few. If you buy a new white t-shirt, it's time to get rid of an old one! 

4. Try things on! 
As the years pass, our perception of how we want to look and present ourself changes. Clothes that we thought looked amazing years back, sometimes don't look or feel the same.  If you don't like how it looks or feels anymore, it goes! Although trying things on can sometimes be time consuming, it really makes it easier to make your decision versus just looking at the item on a hanger.

5. Organization is key! 
My top organizational tips are: swap out any odd hangers... having all matching hangers creates more room and makes things look so much more organized. We all know figuring out what to wear in the morning is tough enough. A simple change can make you feel so much more relaxed when thumbing through your wardrobe. For folded items, fold everything with the fold facing out, it creates a much more seamless look and makes it easier to see what you have. Color coordinate. I like to go from light to dark and separate my clothes into sections, pants, tops, dresses, jackets etc.

Now, the most important part is stick up to yourself! This won't work if you look at something you haven't worn in a year and say, "but I still like it!" I still like 99% of things I get rid of but what matters is that you wear it, would still buy it if you were shopping today and if you still like the way you look and feel in it! Shop everything I've recently cleaned out of my closet HERE.

Have any other great tips for closet cleaning!? I'd love to hear them!

xx
Ali

Shop my look and my closet here:

Photos by: Ally Manzella