5 Tips to Declutter Your Closet in a Day

Streamline your wardrobe, and help others at the same time.

I recently had a closet collapse. I came home from a day at the office to find heaps of what had been neatly hung, color-coordinated clothes in one giant, messy mound on the floor. Worse than picking up the pieces of chipped drywall? Admitting that maybe it was time to get rid of that favorite shirt of mine — from college. In the ’90s.

So I sought the help of style experts on what they tell their clients. They insist there are easy ways to declutter that tangle of t-shirts or pile of old papers. And you can do it in as little as an hour.

A little goes a long way

Purge a little at a time. Most people think that purging a closet is a huge all-day endeavor, but it often makes more sense to do a little at a time. I encourage everyone to keep a Goodwill donation bag in their closet or bedroom, and add to it here and there as you discover items that don’t fit or have gotten worn out.

If it doesn’t fit, you can’t wear it

“It rarely makes sense to keep something that physically doesn’t fit you — even if you love it. Put it in a pile to donate, and imagine how much joy the next person will get from that item.

New season = new chances

When the weather warms up or cools down, it’s a great opportunity to think about what you’ve worn — and what you haven’t. If you didn’t wear it last winter, you probably won’t wear it next winter.

Use the “plus one, minus one” method

Fab new pants? Great! But only put them in the closet after removing a pair that’s collecting dust.

Subtract one old item for every new item you purchase. If you spend an afternoon shopping and come home with five new things, spend some time reviewing your closet. Remove five older things you’re no longer wearing.

Finally, donate!

Think of how much you can keep out of the landfill by gifting your giveaways to a good cause.

Believe it or not, your castaways are good enough for Goodwill. Will they really want a stained old t-shirt? Or this single sock? Yes!

Hearing from Goodwill gave tons of insight into what happens to donations. Your smelly socks and stained clothing provide jobs and can be recycled or reused. Never throw away clothing to a landfill.

Last year, a Goodwill in Seattle kept more than 53 million pounds of useful goods out of landfills. In addition to helping the planet, those donations also help fund job training and educational programs.

Happy cleaning!

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