There is something uniquely attractive about open space in a closet.
When was the last time you saw a staged photo of a closet stuffed to overflowing with clothes? Rarely, if ever. Instead, clothes hang neatly and are organized tidily–with room for air and energy and open spaces. This is attractive to most of us but many of us don’t bother with learning how to get rid of clothes for a minimalist closet.
Instead, our closets are stuffed full of shirts and pants and shoes and belts and jackets. We run out of hangers or shelf space, and then we shop for storage solutions so we can store even more clothes. Our closets become cluttered all too quickly.
Still, we are drawn to the idea of a thinned-out, minimalist closet.
Of course, they offer more benefits than simple beauty. It saves time in the morning (and sometimes, the evening). It reduces stress and frustration. It saves money. There is a special pleasure reserved for those who look in their closet and love everything they see.
If you are looking for help on how to get rid of clothes and form a more minimalist closet, here are nine simple tips to get you started:
1. Start easy. Begin by removing the clothes that are stained, ripped, or faded beyond recognition. Items that are no longer in wearable condition can still be donated.
2. Remove seasonal items. Remove off-season clothing from your closet to free up some needed space. If you didn’t wear an item at all last year, get rid of it. Then, store the remaining pieces in a separate closet where they will not be in your way cluttering up your closet.
3. Get rid of clothes that don’t fit once and for all. If you’re in-between sizes, certainly keep some clothing from both. But if you haven’t cleaned out your closet for quite some time, there are likely a number of ill-fitting items that can be removed entirely—whether you changed sizes, the item shrunk or stretched, or it never did fit quite right. Those ill-fitting items are weighing you down physically, mentally, and emotionally. Pass them on to someone who can use them.
4. Reduce your need for additional accessories. If you’re holding on to something until you find the “perfect accessory,” let it go. Clothes often multiply in our closets because of the Diderot effect (one purchase leads to another, which leads to another). In the future, look for pieces that compliment your existing accessory pile. After all, if you’re constantly adding things to your closet, you’ll never get ahead (not in your closet and not in your checkbook).
5. Consider the idea of one. If one can be enough, embrace it. Rather than owning an entire assortment, try owning just your favorite black dress, belt, handbag, or jacket (just to name a few ideas). A closet filled with only things you love and use will be a closet that you love to use.
6. Reassess current trend purchases. The fashion industry gets rich on one principle: constantly changing fashion trends. You see, the fashion industry cannot survive on people buying only the clothes they need. So the industry invents false need by boldly declaring new fashion trends and colors for every changing season. But you don’t to have fall for their tricks. Find your favorite timeless fashion and start playing by your own rules.
7. Physically handle every item. If you want to make significant progress thinning out your closet, remove every item entirely from the closet. Return only the pieces you truly love. If that task seems too overwhelming, complete the process in sections (i.e. shoes today, shirts tomorrow). However you seek to accomplish this project, it is important that you physically handle each item at some point. The physical touch forces decisions.
8. If all else fails, pick a number. To start, choose 10. Thumb through the clothes in your closet and remove 10 items—any 10 you want. Put them in a bag and drop off at your nearest donation center. Likely, you will find the task was not that difficult. In fact, once you get started, you may find 15 or 20 things to remove without even breaking a sweat.
9. Experiment with less. Test your assumptions about the optimal amount of clothing with a few, simple experiments. Try placing half of your clothing in a different room for two weeks. You will be surprised how much easier is to function and get ready with fewer clothes in your closet. Most of us wear 20% of our clothing 80% of the time and would live much happier with fewer wardrobe choices than we have now. But you’ll never realize that until you test it out.
There are many reasons the capsule wardrobe movement is growing so rapidly. A thinned out minimalist wardrobe is less stressful, less time-consuming, and more convenient. You’ll love it once you experience it yourself.
And there’s no time like the present to get started.
Anita says
I have survived on 23 items of clothing while teaching and working in Malaysia. I rotate my clothes on a 2 week cycle. ( including 2 short and 2 long dresses that I wear alternatively on a Tues and Thurs. Has definately helped having the same climate, but I am proof that it can be done!
MLK says
Love this. I sold 65 (SIXTY FIVE) Chico’s necklaces on ebay and about 40 pair of earrings – wore them on occasionally. Love having the burden of all this crap lifted from me.
I kept pieces I wear frequently and those with sentimental value.
Do it!
Elisabet says
I find myself hanging om to clothes. I have been pregnant twice these last three years and am not happy with my current figure, it means the suggestion to throw away thing I haven’t used in a year doesn’t apply/isn’t helpful, since most things I’m wearing now is for practical/nursing reasons… And the possibility of a third child, I might use it again, and I don’t want to have to buy all those pregnancy and nursing tops again. Anyway – that’s why I struggle with thinning out.
Lennice says
I found it easier to remove items from my closet and store them away for a few months. I did not miss them therefore I donated each bag without going through the items yet again. I have more peace when getting dressed and less confusion about what to wear…#lessismore
Salomon says
I have donated so many things to charity, i really have, i could cringe the waste of money all that i have bought and really brought me little pleasure, i seriously think about most purchases now,
krista O'Reilly-Davi-Digui says
I operate best with self imposed rules/boundaries. In the case of clothing I have a max number of items determined for tops, bottoms, footwear and accessories. This means If I purchase something new, another item must leave. It helps that I hate shopping I suppose. I also mostly wear black and grey which greatly simplifies my wardrobe and makes me happy:)
Annie says
As kids we used to have seasonal wardrobes and it was a pain to have to go up and down to the attic to pack and unpack stuff several times a year, especially when I didn’t wear a lot of what I did have. Then I evolved my clothing choices to items I could layer so as much of it as possible spans all the seasons. The very few out of season items I do have go to the back of the closet or bottom drawer until I need them front and center again.
Karen T. says
Yes, Annie, I do this too. Layering can actually be warmer than just wearing heavier, bulkier clothes, and it allows more clothes to be worn for more months of the year. Hence, a smaller wardrobe!
Jude Turnbull says
Joshua- I’d love to write some articles for you- Jude Turnbull
Jude Turnbull says
We live in a tiny house- we had to to be in the catchment area for the school. My husband and I share one small wardrobe and six drawers and the kids have three drawers each in their bedroom- we did have a wardrobe for them but it was largely empty. We manage just fine- if it starts to get a bit messy there are always things to throw out. genuinely has never been a bother- from Belfast
krista O'Reilly-Davi-Digui says
Love this:)
Liz says
Thanks got the article Josh. Every year I hang my clothes with the hangar head facing outward. As I wear the item I replace it with the hangar facing inward. At the end of year, those clothes with the hangar facing outward (indicating no use for a year) get donated. A good reflection of what needs to be changed as pertains my buying habits.