We’re in the middle of a transitional season right now and if you’re like me, and are swapping out your summer clothes for winter ones, this is also the perfect opportunity to reassess your current wardrobe and do some decluttering.

Having an organized and curated closet can make the process of getting dressed easier. A streamlined and intentional selection of garments can help you to more quickly get to the core of what you’re trying to express on that particular day.

Before going through and tossing half of your wardrobe, however, make sure to do a little research on the local shops taking donations. Because of COVID-19, a lot of thrift stores are being extra cautious with their donation policies so just double-check by making a quick phone call to get clarity on the guidelines that they’re actually sorting by. 

Once you have a game-plan on where all those unwanted clothes are going to go, let’s get to sorting. Here are 7 questions to ask yourself when you are decluttering your closet.

1. How many times have I worn this in the past year?

One thing that I’m trying to get better at is actually tracking the number of wears each garment gets. Not only is this useful for calculating cost-per-wear and inspiring you to make smarter clothing investments in the future, but this habit can also be a helpful clue when it comes to cleaning out your closet.

Reflecting on how frequently you’ve worn a garment and asking yourself why you haven’t worn a garment as frequently as you’d like (if that is the case) can help you to get a better understanding of whether or not it’s time to let a piece go. Taking the time to ask these questions and diving deeply into your motivation behind getting dressed can help you to better understand your style and prevent any mistake purchases in the future. 

If you’ve worn a garment frequently in the past year, it’s probably an indicator that you really love that piece and will continue to style it creatively. If not, maybe it’s time to consider letting that piece go.

2. Is it in style? Is it my style?

Having a better understanding of the style of a particular garment can help you predict the frequency of wear in the future. Fashion trends come and go, and while I’m a strong believer that staying true to your own style is at the core of conscious fashion, we are still (consciously or subconsciously) influenced by the media. 

Whether we like it or not, pop culture and mainstream fashion seep into our relationship with clothes so if a particular style that we love is slowly fading from the mainstream, it might impact how we feel about wearing it.

Skinny jeans, for example, are slowly fading from mainstream wear in favor of wide-legged cuts. This shift in trend presents us the opportunity to reflect on whether or not that particular style of clothing still suits you, and whether or not the change in public perception will impact your likelihood of actually wearing the piece. 

Understanding style trends and your personal style is an integral part when cleaning out your closet. 

3. Does it fit me?

Fit is undeniably important and while weight fluctuates for everyone according to life circumstances, if something hasn’t fit you for years, maybe it’s time to let it go. 

That being said, don’t forget the magic of alterations or upcycling! If there’s a particular part of the garment that doesn’t fit, can it be altered? Do you want to take the time to alter it? Would you wear it all the time or would it suit someone else better? These are all additional questions that you can ponder.

4. Is this stained, ripped, or faded beyond recognition?

Okay, this is a tricky one because if it’s damaged beyond repair, the thrift shop is probably not going to want it either. Again, double-check with the policy and ask yourself honestly if this garment would add value to someone else’s life.

On the other hand, if the defect is minor and you really love the piece, try your hand at mending it! There are plenty of ways to remove stains (though it gets harder with increased washes) and if that doesn’t work, strategic cropping can do wonders depending on where the stain is. With ripped garments, you can consider patching it up with a separate piece of cloth to make the garment truly unique to you. If the clothes are faded but still in good condition, you can re-dye it with natural dyes! 

5. How do I feel when I wear this?

Clothing should make you feel happy and empowered, not restricted, or depressed. If a garment makes you feel good when you’re wearing it, it’s an indicator that it should probably go in the “keep” pile.

6. How many of this type of item do I have?

Okay, I get it. As someone with a million black tops and tanks, I’ve been there. If you are limited on closet space though, it might be useful to consider letting a few of them go. 

Do a quick assessment of the wear-count. Do they all have an equal number of wears or do you prefer some over others? Can you donate or sell the less-worn pieces?

7. Would this make someone else happier than it makes me?

Sometimes we hang on to garments because it feels like a shame to let them go. Maybe they don’t look quite right on us but we have this belief that one day, they’ll come around to fitting on our bodies or within our style. We hold on to them because we want them so desperately to fit into our style, our closets, and our lives.

If we can reframe this experience of letting go as giving to make someone else happier, it might make the process easier. Instead of thinking about what you want to get rid of, think about what you want to keep in order to maximize your life and your style.

Bonus: 

This isn’t a question, but just a simple tip: have a special place for momentos! We all have those garments that bring back sentimental memories. Maybe they remind us of a special occasion or are hand-me-downs from someone who is no longer with us. It’s completely okay to hold on to those clothes but be mindful of where you’re putting them and set aside a special place to keep them.

Are you in the process of organizing your closet? Which of these questions was most useful for you? Is there another question that you ask throughout the process?

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