It’s almost time to wave goodbye to pseudo-winter and embrace spring with open arms”beautifully clad arms, that is. What’s that, you say? I have NOTHING to wear and I hate everything, you say? Fear not, you can spring-clean and declutter your closet with this handy manual. Because life should come with more manuals, for goodness’ sake.
Have you worn in the last year?
Ah, the ultimate test of time. We all have a few items in our closets that we just can’t bear to part with (leg warmers WILL come back, and you bet I’ll be ready for it), but realistically the majority of your duds on the hangers should be worn on a regular basis. Give yourself the one-year test: have you worn in at all in the past 365 days? Of course there will be some exceptions, usually in formal wear, but your pants, blouses and dresses should all get worn at least once in a year’s span. If not”do you even like them anymore? Donate it and make some room.
Does it match three tops or bottoms?
This guideline also comes in super handy when I pack for a trip. When I pick a top out of my closet, I want it to match at least three bottoms (and vice versa) so I have a few outfit options. My theory is, if I have a bunch of garments that only match one other piece, I won’t wear them very much. This way, you can create a huge array of combinations and your wardrobe always looks fresh. This also helps stifle the need to buy something new because you don’t have ANYTHING to go with that skirt.
Does it fit you properly?
Be honest here. Maybe your weight has fluctuated over the years, or simply you’ve worn the garment to death and it’s literally falling apart at the seams. No matter the case, when clothing doesn’t fit as it should, it just plain won’t feel good. It can be tough to part with something you once loved, but can be even more painful to hang onto something pretty in hopes that you’ll fit into it again. If you donate that dress that’s collecting dust in your closet, it could become someone else’s go-to number.
Is it versatile?
A versatile item of clothing can be a huge life-saver. Going out for drinks after work? No problem, that blouse is professional enough for the office but cute enough to wear to the bar. You want these items in your life like you need kale and cardio”maybe even more. This rings particularly true if: a) you have a tiny closet, and not much hanger real estate; b) you’re on a tight income and you don’t have a lot of free flowing cash to buy a lot of clothes; c) all of the above. If you have a few items you aren’t really wearing often and you only see yourself wearing them for one type of occasion, consider donating them or doing a clothing swap with some friends.
Does it make you feel confident?
When you don this magical number, are you all GODDAMN I FEEL FABULOUS or just ok, I guess this works? You don’t need to stop traffic or anything, but you should feel good about what you’re choosing to wear. We all have a few frumpy it’s my laundry day sweaters, but by and large, you want to like your clothes. Chances are if you don’t like it, you probably won’t wear it. So if it’s not for you, maybe it’s time for it to be someone else’s.
