The enemy of a Budget Fashionista is the overstuffed closet. As soon as you can’t see something you don’t think to wear it and when you don’t wear it, it’s a waste. The first step for anyone looking to overhaul their wardrobe is to clean out their closet. We all know HOW to clean out our closet but knowing doesn’t mean doing.
There’s usually one little thing that gets in the way at least once. The emotional attachment to something you own. Maybe you wore it while doing something for the first time, maybe it reminds you of a certain friend or loved one, maybe you’ve had it for 15 years now in the hope of fitting back into it. Whatever the emotional hold it has over you it’s time to cut the cord.
Gulp. Don’t freak out. Hang in there with me.
I’m not saying throw away your Mum’s wedding dress or the t-shirt you picked up from your first concert. Nope, I’m not saying that at all. I love a good treasure as much as the next person. But be realistic with how many of those you are keeping. Separate them aside and move onto phase two.
Physically go into your closet {or stand at the door if it’s not walk in, it will be rather cramped otherwise} and work out how many items you are keeping for that one perfect occasion, until it fits better or until you body magically changes to make it work for you. Separate these things out in some way. They are going. Short version. But not today.
Leave only the clothes that you wear in your closet. The rest is sentimental. Maybe the clothes you REALLY wear are already in the washing/folding pile. That’s a good start. If they are in rotation, they can stay. I have too many knits and t-shirts that I never wear. I keep them for some far away day where I may be too hot or too cold and have nothing to wear.
Then bundle everything that it not being worn or is not a timeless family heirloom up {don’t make eye contact!} and put them into boxes or containers labelled tops, bottoms, dresses, jackets, miscellaneous. They are not going yet, so breathe a little easier. We are going to see if you REALLY don’t wear them.
Put the unused {and unwanted, are you there yet?} in your garage or storage area for a set amount of time. I recommend 3 months, but Hubby says I’m a hoarder. Forget about them unless you find yourself looking for something to wear and you find that you need something. Then go to the box and look for it there first. Don’t remove anything but that item, seal the box up and return them to storage.
After the time has lapsed give those boxes to your local charity shop or give them to a friend. You could sell them, but watch out that they don’t make their way back into your closet. Weasel their way back in. You don’t love them. You don’t need them. It’s time to break up with them. I’m asking you to quit them cold turkey.
You REALLY don’t need them.
They are weighing you down.
Holding you back.
Let them go.
Say goodbye, thanks for the memories and walk away.
It’s time. It’s not you, it’s THEM. Ha.
…
You know what else could totally help!? MY EBOOK. Smooth transition Suger, nice one. Click on the image below for more information {or cough cough, to buy!}. If you want to get serious about a closet clean out to start the new year, it starts here. You’ll never look at that bursting at the seams closet the same way again.
Hi! I’m Melissa Walker Horn. Around here, they call me Suger. I’m the Chief Blogger and doer of all the things here at Suger Coat It. Blogging since 1901; I love a casual ootd, taking photos, and writing about things that irk or inspire me. I love wine and cheese, long days at the beach and spending time with my family. I make stuff for the internet over at Chalkboard Digital. You know, living the sweet life.
I ended up having my wardrobe cleanup thanks to your help and also my teenage daughter
lol and sold 32 items for $200 in which I put towards buying myself a Pandora bracelet for Xmas 😃 PS are you selling any item ATM?
Thank you. Much needed inspiration for a job I dread and avoid.
You’re welcome! Good luck to you.
Oh awesome!! Nice job. Merry Christmas to you. And no, not at the moment, but I’ll be putting some more items up in the new year {via the Facebook page, that seems to work best for me}.
And Merry Christmas to you too. Ha. Sure thing. Consider it done.
Merry Christmas 😃 put me 1st inline for your torrid floral jeans please lol
What perfect timing to read this post. The closest clean up was scheduled for this weekend and I really have no idea where to start. So I saw this post, downloaded your e-book and plan to have a sparkly clean walk-in-closest by Sunday nite. Thanks Sugar 🙂
And how did you go Susan!? Thanks for buying the eBook. YAY. Keep me posted. x
Of course I love a clean and organise session. The best thing I ever did was to rope in a friend to go through my wardrobe with me. Someone whose personal style I respect. It’s much harder to hang onto something that you’re not sure about when there is someone else there saying ‘definitely doesn’t work for you!’
Ha! Me tooooo. Oooo, that is SUCH a great tip. I have a few friends in mind that would be helpful, and a few who certainly wouldn’t be! haha.
Excellent post, I have these lovely clothes that one day I plan to fit them, sitting in the spare room still brand new, the fact that they are 5 years old or older, somehow I don’t think that is going to happen, might wash them first just to make sure the moths have not had a good feed, nothing worse than sending something to a charity and the person goes to wash it and it falls apart in the washing machine. Maybe I might make this my New Year Eve mission, clean out for 2014 :).
Sounds like a great idea. I’m sure they will make someone’s new year a happy one. Great job Jackie!