Cleaning Out Your Closet

Discussion in Fashion & Apparel started by prose • Jan 12, 2016.

  1. prose

    proseActive Member

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    Usually once or twice per year, I will go through all of my clothes and shoes in my closet and dresser, and attempt to get rid of items in order to have less wasted space from items that I do not use. I throw items that I know I want to get rid of in garbage bags, which will later be sold at a garage sale or donated to a thrift store. Items that I want to keep that are not in season, I store in plastic Totes in the basement.

    My method of actually going through and getting rid of stuff is not working, I need to get rid of more this time around. Do you have any suggestions for a massive closet overhaul? Is there a system that you use for getting rid of stuff?
     
  2. JosieP

    JosiePWell-Known Member

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    I just do the usual. If I haven't worn it in a year, out it goes. I have the HARDEST time getting rid of clothes, because I love them all (or think I WILL eventually lol), but I force myself now because I hate clutter and because there are others who could use them more. I just donated a few large garbage bags the other day and it totally washed away the anxiety of parting with so much clothing lol. Society is built to punish the poor.. I'm here to lift them up.
    I'm trying to get down to as little clothing as possible without wearing the same thing every day. I really hate excess now.
     
  3. thenextGeek

    thenextGeekActive Member

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    Well not really. What I do is that If I have clothes that I've already outgrown, I just place them in a specific part of my closet and wait till some of my relatives are in need of clothes, and I give them my old ones. Sometimes I also use my old clothes for cleaning my car and bike because they make great grease cleaners. Other than that, I don't really think that I have any more ways of disposing my old clothes. However, I might donate some of them to charity this year if I can't dispose of them during the first quarter of the year.
     
  4. jneanz

    jneanzActive Member

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    If your off-season clothes are piling up, the vacuum bags may be worth trying. Stackable storage boxes are another option, especially if you have wall or shelf space. Last year I bought some drawer dividers and it made an incredible difference.
     
  5. Corzhens

    CorzhensWell-Known Member

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    I used to that cleaning every new year although the clothes I segregate are those that do not fit me anymore. I have another closet for this. I'm not being selfish but I really don't like giving away my old clothes for reasons of sentimentality. And although I have no intention of wearing them again (when it fits) I just want to have it in the storage.
     
  6. Jasmine2015

    Jasmine2015Active Member

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    I know of some people that like to do swaps with clothes. Although in this case you are trying to get rid of them. If you haven't worn something in a year then give it away. Also, you can make it a practice to throw away some clothes every time you buy some. New clothes replace the old, and the old get thrown away.
     
  7. Krissttina Isobe

    Krissttina IsobeWell-Known Member

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    :oops:You know what some people do...they sell their old clothes on e-bay and make money. Some people have the deal of having a stamp machine in their home and wait for the mail to be picked up and have all their packages ready to give to the postal worker so they don't have to go to the post office to mail. You could make money or donate it to many places that have use for old clothing. Good luck in trimming your closet.
     
  8. Briannagodess

    BriannagodessActive Member

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    I just have one question for you actually:

    Look at that clothing item. Do you remember the last time you even wore it? If yes, when was it?

    If your answer is a few weeks ago or a few months ago, then you can still keep it. But if your answer is, "I can't remember, maybe a year ago." Then it's time to move on and let go of that clothing item. Generally, the rule of thumb is if you haven't worn it in a year, out it goes. I hope this helps you, good luck!
     
  9. knitmehere

    knitmehereMember

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    I agree with the first comment, if you haven't used it or worn it in a year, then it needs to go. A good way to go about doing this is that at the start of the year, have all of the hangers in your closet backwards from how they should be hung. Over the course of the year, they will get put up correctly if you wear them. At the end of the year, throw out anything that is still facing the wrong way.
     
  10. Denis Hard

    Denis HardWell-Known Member

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    I'm a minimalist so the clothes I always have are those which I actually wear. When, for some reason I need to replace the clothes I have then it's always easy to know which clothes have to be replaced and once that's done, I don't keep the old clothes around but when I can I always try to repurpose them though.
     
  11. SterlingJay0123

    SterlingJay0123New Member

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    I HIGHLY recommend reading Marie Kondo's "The Life Changing Magic of Tidying up"
    This book has changed my life, my house has never looked more organized and welcoming than it does now. She even has an entire section on clearing out your closet. The main consensus is that you only keep the things that smart joy in your heart. If you don't love it, get rid of it because it's not bringing you happiness, it's only bringing you guilt for keeping an item you don't really love.
     
  12. sidney

    sidneyWell-Known Member

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    I also do segregate my clothes once in a while, I divide them between the ones that I still wear and the ones that I don't wear anymore/the ones I don't like. Then I try to sell the ones that I have never worn because they were just given to me.
     
  13. purplepen88

    purplepen88Active Member

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    I would suggest going through your closet and finding pieces that go together that you can get maximum wear out of. If a top doesn't really go with anything else in your closet it could be turfed. I love the idea of getting rid of clothes you haven't worn in over a year, but then again if you take a look it and realize you could wear with a bunch of different pieces in your wardrobe it might we worth resurrecting. I have to do the same thing to my closet. I find it is overflowing with too many pieces.
     
  14. Pat

    PatWell-Known Member

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    If I have not worn it in a year it has to go. I send my clothes to the thrift store as a donation. My grandson's and daughter's clothes also get cleared out every season and are donated also. We have friends that give my daughter clothes for the boys, when there are none that fit the boys they are also donated. I have been told if you have a goal that you are having trouble accomplishing you need to clear out your closets so that new items have room to come in that applies to goals also.
     
  15. DrRipley

    DrRipleyExpert

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    I do this every Christmas and I try to be diligent with it because I do prefer getting the old clothes ready for the charities at this time as it gives me more of an incentive to throw out clothes when I know someone else can get some use out of them. However there have been some years where I've had to do it earlier because the wardrobe has been getting too cramped or sometimes I get too lazy or busy that I can only do so after Christmas. The good thing about it is that charities are available year round so I don't have to worry about it that much but they are certainly a lot more accessible during the holidays.