I started my journey of minimizing my life around a year ago. I found that I was drowning in stuff. My house was cluttered. Things were sitting unused, and worst of all: I was unhappy. Since I started simplifying my life, I’ve been a much calmer and happier person. I’ve also found that the closet full of stuff didn’t help me decide what to wear. It made it more stressful. Today I want to share with you how I simplified my cluttered closet.

How I Simplified My Cluttered Closet

BEFORE PHOTOS:

Why You Should Simplify Your Closet!

01. It’s less stressful to get dressed.

My closet was full of items that didn’t fit me. I’d pick something out and then try it on only to discover that it was too small. This made me feel horrible. It also truly made the getting-ready process frustrating. Now that I only keep items that fit me and that I know I like, I don’t have this problem anymore! Getting dressed in the morning is stress-free!

02. It will stay clean.

I know you don’t believe me, but really… it will! My closet has looked like this (in the photos below) since January. It hasn’t once been messy. There isn’t that much stuff and every item has a designated home. (Read more tips for keeping your closet small here.)

03. You probably don’t wear 80% of the things in there anyway.

Really. I only wore 20% of the items you see in those photos above. Everything else was either too small, too big, or being “saved” for when I wanted to wear it for a special occasion, or when I went back to my teaching job, or when I went out on a hot date. None of those things are happening anytime soon, so I kept what I really wanted to and purged the rest.

Steps I Used & How I Simplified My Cluttered Closet

Step 1: Take everything off of the shelves and out of the drawers.

It’s so important to see

Step 2: Sort through your items. (Make four sorting piles.)

It’s time to go through everything! I made four sorting piles.

01. Sell

As I was going through, I had name brand items, or items that were still in great condition that could definitely be sold. I use Poshmark, eBay, and local consignment shops for this!

02. Donate

These were items that wouldn’t sell in a consignment shop or online, but I knew could be donated. I always start with women’s shelters, or domestic violence programs, then branch out from there to Goodwill if you can’t find anywhere else.

03. Recycle or repurpose

If I found clothing with stains or holes in them that couldn’t be sold or donated, I would cut them up for cleaning rags, make-up remover rounds, or other purposes around the house. Finally, if I had too many, I would take them to a small clothing recycling center near me. We had one by our local grocery store. But this is a total last resort. I try to sell, donate, or repurpose first! This pile should be small.

04. Keep

The “Keep” pile is important. If you have time, make sure to try on each item you think you want to keep. These “Keep pile” items were ones I knew fit me perfectly. They were also ones I wear frequently. Within the keep pile, I made mini piles for PJ’s, t-shirts, and clothes I’d hang up on hangers. Then I put them back in specific “homes” in my closet!

Step 3: Put your items away in specific “homes” and try to keep them there. 

I shared a few products that allow me to organize my closet effectively below, but basically, when you’re putting everything away, put all your shirts in one spot. (I separate long-sleeve and short-sleeve shirts). All of your shoes get a specific home. Your scarves, your undergarments, and your PJ’s too! Make sure you have a spot for everything. Fold it up. Make sure it fits. Try to put these items away in their “home” every time you get undressed or after you finish washing/drying them!

Step 4: Keep it uncluttered! Reduce your consumption!

The key to keeping your closet small is reducing how much you consume. Do you have a white top with flutter sleeves? Great! You probably don’t need another one! If you’re interested, I do want to do a wardrobe staples post later on. This will be for those who are unsure of what to keep and what to get rid of when it comes to staple items. So look for that in a few weeks!

AFTER PHOTOS:

Shop Closet Organization Products:

I hope this post about how I simplified my cluttered closet is helpful to you! Let me know if you have any questions. Thank you so much for reading!