A Comprehensive Guide on How to Declutter Clothes

This step-by-step guide walks you through how to declutter clothes easily.

I love buying new clothes, all the different styles, fads, fashions, and if I see something I really love, I get it in every color. Problem with that is, my closets, drawers, and every possible location I can store clothes, gets packed solid. Honestly, it builds up so much, sometimes I don't even remember what I have, let alone where it is. Sound familiar?

That's why I wrote this page on how to declutter all your clothes and not just the ones in your closet.

This page is for you if:

• You are overwhelmed by how much stuff you really have.
• You can't find anything to wear because your clothes are in multiple locations and nothing is jumping out at you.
• You forget what you do have and find yourself buying it again or something similar.
• Your clothes feel out-of-date, don't match your current style, or you no longer like them.
• Your closets and drawers are bursting at the seams that organizing them feels impossible.
• You start to feel anxiety or stress just thinking about your clothes, let alone looking at them.
• You can't shut drawers or closet doors properly because there's just too much stuff.
• You often can't find where you've put your out-of-season clothes so re-buy items.
• You have nowhere left to store new clothes.
• You want to start your journey to minimalism by reducing the clothes you own.
• You want to keep your clothes neat and tidy... wherever they are.

If any, or even many, of those statements ring true for you, I'm sure you'll benefit greatly from my tips on how to declutter your clothes here.

Setting Clear Goals

Before you start, think about your reasons why. What are your goals for decluttering your clothes? Using the points above, set some clear, realistic, goals. For instance, are you only keeping what you love and wear regularly? Do you want to fit it all into a certain space? Or are you simply getting rid of anything that no longer fits, is out of style (bye-bye low-rise jeans), or doesn't fit into your current lifestyle.

By setting realistic goals, it will keep you motivated and focused. It will also help you get through those moments when you wish you'd never started it at all. We've all been there! I've created this printable cheat sheet to help with setting some goals.

Identifying Clothing Locations

Now that you have some solid goals, it's time to create a plan. If, like me, you have clothes scattered in many places, make a list of all the places you'd like to include in your decluttering project. You don't need to do them all at once, in fact, I suggest you don't. But it would be a good idea to at least write down where you have everything. Don't forget the clothes you have stored in your guest room closets and in under-bed storage containers.

On the other hand, if you have everything contained in your closet, then you might find this page on "how to declutter a closet" more useful.

For those of us that have clothes in multiple places, I've created a simple printable you can use to help list everywhere. Complete the checklist as best you can giving yourself a timeframe and due date for each task. Below are estimations of how long each task will take. Obviously, it will depend on how much stuff you have, but it gives you a good starting point.

Five Steps to Follow for Decluttering Clothes

As you go through your list, you're going to work through the five steps below for each area. Keeping your goals for decluttering in mind, I suggest you start with the quickest and easiest place first, like an underwear drawer.

Slimming Down the Smalls - Decluttering the Underwear

Although the steps above say "empty completely", if you already have your underwear stored in multiple drawers, i.e. socks in one, panties in another etc., then instead sort through each drawer one-by-one. If you have it all mingled together, then empty it all out and categorize into appropriate groups.

Underwear is pretty easy to lay out on your bed to see exactly what you have. Be ruthless with your underwear purge. Get rid of anything that is worn out, lost elasticity, has holes, doesn't fit, is uncomfortable, or you simply don't like. As for the socks, ditch ones that don't have a partner, have holes, or are wearing thin.

Now, group and categorize your underwear into appropriate categories that work for you. For example:

• Everyday wear. You know, those favorites that we like to wear daily.
• Special occasions. The not so comfortable, yet pretty, or, the hold-it-in things we wear with our nice outfits.
• Sportwear. Keep together the hold-it-all-together stuff that gives us support and comfort when doing anything sporty.

When you put everything back, put the special occasion wear towards the back, or even in a separate location, and have your everyday wear at the front. To keep everything organized, I suggest you get some simple drawer organizers for underwear. These work wonders for keeping things neat and tidy, I love them.

Continue Decluttering All Areas

Work through all other areas on your list in a similar manner, categorizing items as you go e.g. t-shirts, sweaters, pants, etc. Be aggressive with your clear-out and throw anything that is stained, damaged, worn-out or, in the case of sweaters, has pilled! Having said that, if you love a sweater that has pilled (has fuzzy bobbles on it) a sweater comb or fabric shaver can help with this.

Don't forget to set aside items to be donated that are in good condition but no longer want. When I cleared out my clothes, I donated eight bags of clothes to Goodwill. Check with your local charity or donation center to see if they are accepting clothes - some don't. I found that Goodwill takes them with an easy drop-off center. Added bonus, most charities will have a form you can complete to obtain a tax deduction. Other alternatives are clothes drop-off bins that are scattered around.

How to Declutter a Closet

Decluttering an entire closet takes more time and effort and is much more involved. For that reason I created a separate page with specific instructions here.

Evaluation and Decluttering of Seasonal Clothes

Decluttering seasonal clothes can require a slightly different approach. It's more dependent on where you live and your individual needs. You may live somewhere that has very distinct seasons requiring frequent access to seasonal clothes.

Or, you may just need them when you're going on vacation. As an example, I used to live in Pennsylvania where we had very hot summers, freezing winters, and variable weather in between. In this situation, I had my seasonal clothes stored in plastic bins and stored in my basement. I needed them close by as there was always a change in weather coming.

Now, I live in Florida which is hot most of the time and warm in winter. I don't need access to my warm clothes regularly anymore. However, I may want to go home in the winter to see family or friends. For this reason, I keep a reduced stash of winter clothes and they're stored in plastic containers in our attic.

Sort out your seasonal clothes separately from everything else and decide what you need to wear and keep. Again, it's based on your actual needs as to where you store them. In either case, store them in plastic containers or vacuum-sealed bags to keep them in good condition. Don't forget to label the containers so you don't lose them!

Finally, clean each area as you go before putting everything back - neatly! Don't ruin all your hard work by throwing stuff back haphazardly.

I hope these steps help you to declutter your clothes and gain some much needed space in all the areas you store clothes.

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