I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Learn more here.
If you feel like your closet needs a refresh and a bit of decluttering, here is how you can purge your closet all in one day! Purging your closet is a great way to kick start a capsule wardrobe with curated pieces you intentionally purchased and put together. This not only saves you time when you are getting ready, but it leaves you feeling confident every time you put on an outfit!
Every so often, I get a sudden urge to go through everything in my closet to re-evaluate my wardrobe. If you didn’t already know, I LOVE thrifting & reselling preloved clothing. However, often times I find things for myself that I end up loving! I have found that every 4 months or so, I’m going through my closet to see if there’s anything I need to replace or declutter. If I find anything that I no longer love or wear, I go ahead and sell it or donate it back to give it a new home.
Getting Started
I must admit, the very first time you purge your closet will be harder and more time consuming than any other times. This is especially true if you have a hard time letting go of things. You will have a lot of clothing to go through and a lot of decisions to make!
Here are some basic guidelines to consider when purging your closet and decided what to declutter.
1. Choose a Color Palette & Style
The first thing you want to keep in mind before you purge your closet is your color palette and style. If you are building a capsule wardrobe, you will want to decide on this first. Trust me, I know it might be difficult, especially if you love more than one style! Don’t get TOO hung up on this part, just try to narrow it down as much as possible.
Pinterest is a great tool to use when building a capsule wardrobe or trying to find your style. Create an inspo board and find what colors/styles suit you most.
Once you have decided what your color palette and style will be, it’s time to purge everything that doesn’t go with it!
2. Start With Clothes That Are Unwearable
Now that you are ready to start decluttering your closet, start by getting rid of anything that is no longer wearable. If you have anything that is torn, stained, damaged beyond repair, just toss it. It’s good to give clothes another life by donating or selling them, but sometimes they are just completely worn out!
3. Get Rid of Clothes that Don’t Fit
If something doesn’t fit you right or isn’t very flattering, you should get rid of it. I’m saying if something doesn’t fit you RIGHT NOW, just let it go. I know many of us say things like “when I lose weight” or “once I start going out more” then I’ll wear it. If you are really ready to purge your closet, LET THOSE CLOTHES GO.
If you ever do enter a different stage in your life where you would need those clothes, then you could just add/replace some items in he future. For now, let’s focus on what you will wear NOW.
There is nothing worse than having a closet full of clothes that don’t fit you or make you feel confident, so why not get rid of clothes or replace them?
4. Get Rid of Anything That Doesn’t Make You Feel Good
Do you every keep things that don’t make you feel good? Perhaps it isn’t your color or you simply don’t like it? I know I h have done this in the past for several reasons. Either I was trying to be practical by keeping it and wearing it, or I was trying to be someone I wasn’t. If you have been keeping something that doesn’t make you feel good, now is the time to let it go.
5. Allow Yourself 1-2 Sentimental Items
When it comes to minimalism, there is no right or wrong way of doing things. If you want to go all in and practice extreme minimalism, go for it! Keep only 10 pieces of clothing and 0 sentimental items. However, if you prefer balanced minimalism or are just making it work for you, you aren’t alone.
Minimalism is more about living with intention. When it comes to building a capsule wardrobe, these tips are just guidelines, not rules. If you have any sentimental items you want to keep, that’s totally fine! You should definitely keep the things that have meaning to you. For example, I still have my wedding dress and plan to keep it forever! I know of many brides who have donated or sold their dress, but never will I EVER!
6. Sell, Donate, Recycle
Once you have decided what you are keeping and what you are keeping and what you are getting rid of, it’s time to make separate piles. Separate the clothes according to where they will go:
- Sell
- Donate
- Recycle/Toss
If you are getting rid of anything that is in really good condition or a good brand, you could try reselling it on Poshmark. If you have things you just want to donate, take them to your local thrift shop, gift them to a friend, or women’s shelter. Finally, for the things that are completely worn out, you can use them as cleaning rags or just toss them.
8. Organize What You Kept
After you’re done with the hard work of decluttering, now comes the fun part! Or at least I think it’s fun haha. It’s time to organize whatever you are keeping back into your closet. I don’t know about you, but there is something so satisfying about a clean, organized closet. Also, if you ended up getting rid of most of your clothes, now you can have fun by intentionally adding new or new to you pieces!
Personally, I like to try to thrift most of my wardrobe (I’ll add something new here and there) because it’s more affordable and sustainable, but you can do whatever works best for you!
If you are interested in some thrifting tips for thrifting a capsule wardrobe, you can read all about that here.
Well, hope this gives you some inspiration to start purging your closet! Happy decluttering!
Sincerely,
Denise XOXO
