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Do you have a closet full of clothes, but never know what to wear?

When choices are infinite, they become overwhelming. 

If you feel stressed by your closet, you likely need to simplify, not add more. 

Here are my best tips for decluttering your closet and enjoying getting dressed in the morning.

1. Only keep what fits your body now

There is no reason to keep clothes that make you feel negative, and clothes that don’t fit our bodies often have that effect. 

You want to feel confident, comfortable and nothing short of fabulous in your clothes.

If your weight tends to fluctuate (as mine does), keep clothes that have a looser fit, or a bit of stretch. Anything, that clings, scratches, pinches or is otherwise uncomfortable should be decluttered.

2. Declutter what doesn’t fit your lifestyle

We all go through seasons of life, and some clothes may not fit every season.

If you changed careers and no longer work in the medical field or at a corporate office, for example, you may not need the clothes that were best suited for that part of your life.

What about maternity clothes? Some may have transitioned well into your new season of having toddlers and teens in the house, and I would suggest you keep those. But if your years of growing humans are done, it’s time to let go of the maternity items you no longer wear. Keep the memories, get rid of the clothes.

3. Rotate your wardrobe seasonally

I cannot recommend this strategy enough! 

And here is why:

· It helps you to declutter

Changing your clothes from summer to winter and back again will help you, to “weed through“ your entire wardrobe. 

· It helps your clothes last longer and saves you money

Because there are some items you only wear in a specific season, like heavy knits in the winter, they don’t get used as much. For that reason, they tend to last longer and, in return, reduce your spending on clothes.

· It’s like getting new clothes every 6 months

Besides staples or favourites that you might wear all year long, switching your clothes lets you forget about pieces of clothing for months. When you bring your pieces back into rotation it’s a nice change, and you won’t get bored with your clothes.

· It lets you have more of what you need

You are most likely not going to wear shorts in winter, so storing them out of sight lets you have more space for warm sweaters.

I love using bins that go under the bed* for this. Vacuum Storage Bags* would also work wonderfully. But if you don’t have that kind of space, maybe a couple of bins in a spare room or linen closet can do the trick.

4. Set up a donation station

When you have a donation station available, it’s easy to set aside an item of clothing you no longer love. 

When you try on an item and realize you no longer love it, instead of putting it back in your wardrobe, deposit it straight into the donation bin. Just make sure you take the donations to your favourite second-hand store regularly.

5. Shop your closet first

When you get tired of your clothes or when you see a fresh look you like, instead of buying more clothes, try shopping your closet first. Don’t know how? Watch this video.

And if you decide to buy something new, consider these:

• · Invest in good quality clothing. Consider the cost per wear (how many times you will wear an item).

• · Only buy what you love, not what’s on sale

• · Only buy an item if it complements something else you already own.

How To Do The Challenge

It’s super simple. You only need to snap a picture of your outfit every day.

At the end of your set time (it could be more than 30 days), take a piece of paper and start writing down the pieces you wore and how many times.

Here are the steps:

1. Pick a start date and end date; 

2. It doesn’t have to start on the first of the month, but you can choose to if it’s going to help you track;

3. Track for at least 30 days, consider doing it longer;

4. Take one picture a day in a full-length mirror;

5. You don’t have to post this anywhere and it’s not to be scrutinized, just tracked;

6. Create a photo album on your phone where you can store all the pictures;

7. At the end of your challenge period, list your items as you see them in your pictures and tally up how many times you wore them;

8. Identify the items you didn’t wear and consider getting rid of them.

Reasons to get rid of items:

• They don’t fit well or are uncomfortable;

• The items fit but do nothing for your confidence;

• They are old and ratty, damaged or stained (beyond repair or extra care);

• They are new but you never reach for them (maybe they are just not for you);

• There is nothing wrong with them, but they don’t fit with anything you own or your present lifestyle;

• You bought them for your fantasy self.

My Own 45-Day Challenge

FUN FACT: Did you know I’ve been working from home since October 2008 and in all of my days at home, stayed in my PJs 3 times and ABSOLUTELY hated it?

Anywho … If choosing what to wear in the morning feels overwhelming most days, a challenge like this would be great. It may help you get rid of items you don’t wear, but keep holding onto for whatever reason.

If you decide to try this challenge, I’d love to know.