The Ultimate Guide to Closet Cleanouts: Intentional Fashion for Beginners
I’ve moved at least once a year for several years now, and I’ll probably continue to do so for at least a couple more. It’s made me realize what I care to put in the effort of taking with me and what I don’t need to keep hauling around. This is especially true with clothes, shoes, and accessories.
For a long time, I was the type of person who would scroll on fast fashion websites for hours, adding as much as I could afford to my cart. In most cases, the clothes I bought would get worn once or twice before being abandoned in a dark corner of my closet. Six years ago, I moved for the first time and I realized how impractical it was for me to keep consuming in that way.
The more I learned about the impact of overconsumption and textile waste, the clearer it became that it’s not only a pain to haul around all those clothes, it’s irresponsible. The fashion industry is teaching consumers that it’s okay, and even normal, to buy and throw out clothes at a greater rate than ever before. This had me in the habit of buying items with the expectation of getting rid of them soon after, without considering where they’d end up. The truth was I was buying cheap clothes, made of cheap, synthetic materials, that would end up sitting in landfills for centuries before decomposing.
In addition to the inconvenience and environmental repercussions, I deal with enough decision paralysis in every aspect of my life—why not make the first decision of the day a little easier? I’ve tried to be the type of person who picks their outfit the night before, but I’ve only managed to do that twice in my past two years working a 9 to 5. The fact of the matter is I’m not the type of person to do that, and I end up wearing the same five pieces every week. All of these factors are what lead me to start cleaning out my closet at least once a year. Overtime, I’ve finally started to understand what my ideal wardrobe looks like.
Here are some closet cleanout essentials for a wardrobe that is practical but has everything you’ve ever wanted:
Prepare
Determine the categories you’ll sort your pieces into. Mine are usually as follows:
- Donation – If you have clothes in good condition, consider donating them to a charity for people who need them!
- Resale – If you want to make some extra cash and have some brand-name items, sell them on a site like Depop, Poshmark, Mercari, etc.
- Upcycle/Repair – If you have anything that doesn’t fit quite right, fix it! If you have an item you don’t like but a fabric you love, turn it into something new!
- Keep – If you wear it and love it!
Assess what you have and determine if you want to put pieces in your closet as you decide what to keep, or take things out of your closet as you decide what to get rid of. This year, I kept everything in my closet and pulled things out one section at a time in hopes of making less of a mess. As I decided what to keep, I’d hang it back up and sort the rest into their respective piles.
Dig In!
Be strict with yourself about what you keep. If it’s not 100% a yes, it’s a no! Here are some essential questions to ask yourself:
- Does it fit right? Come on, try it on.
- If you’re thinking to yourself, “I’ll lose/gain some weight,” how long have you been telling yourself that? If it’s been over six months, let it go!
- Can you adjust it? Learning to sew is an underrated, revolutionary act! I highly recommend checking out some tutorials on Pinterest. You’ll be surprised how much you can do with just a needle and some thread.
- Do you already own something similar? Do you need both?
- If you have two similar items that you wear in the exact same situations, chances are you don’t need both!
- When was the last time you wore it? Are you ever going to wear it again?
- “But what if one day I need neon green leg warmers for an alien-themed birthday party?” You won’t, I promise.
- If you have something that you haven’t figured out how to style, take a moment to figure it out. If you can’t, consider how long you’ve had it… is it time to let it go?
Reorganize
In addition to having less items to sift through, there are some hacks I implemented to make sure nothing gets abandoned in a dark corner of my closet. Here’s how I organized after my recent clean-out:
- Athletic clothes (t-shirts, spandex, gym shorts) get rolled up and put in a drawer.
- Blouses and dress shirts get hung up and organized by color.
- Dresses and jumpsuits get hung up and organized by color.
- Jackets and coats get hung up in a coat closet and organized by color.
- Shoes get organized by style (boots, sneakers, heels, etc.).
I don’t know what it is, but I always find myself rushing to get dressed. That’s why I need the process to be as efficient as possible, and I find that organizing by color makes my life way easier. By having everything color coded, it’s super easy to find things that match!
Moving Forward...
Now that you’ve downsized, you should have a better idea of the types of things you actually wear and the types of things you probably won’t. Moving forward, ask yourself:
- What is your general aesthetic? Consider creating a capsule wardrobe or choosing a general color scheme. This will minimize the chance of you buying items you’ll only wear once and set a guideline so you can be more selective.
- Is it comfortable? Does it fit how you like? If it doesn’t fit “yet,” wait until it does to buy it!
- Do you have something to wear it with? If you need to buy more clothes for it to work with, consider getting something else that works with what you already have.
- Can you buy it second-hand? Can you make it?
- Do you already have something like it? Do you really need another one?
- Is it worth the cost (to you and the planet)? Is it made of good quality materials that will last?
- Is it an impulse buy? Are you only buying it because it’s on sale? Is it a temporary trend?
- Does it work with more than one outfit? Can you wear it in multiple different settings and situations?
- Is it from a reputable brand that uses ethical and sustainable practices? Are you proud to support them?
- What else could you use the money for? What value does it add to your life?
These are just a few of the questions I’ve started to ask myself to shop more intentionally. Every purchase we make has repercussions, so it’s crucial to assess whether they’re worth the cost—not only to us but also to the environment. By considering these factors, you can make more informed and responsible choices that simplify your life and contribute to a more sustainable world!