Editing Your Closet, Part 2: Five Questions to Ask When Cleaning Your Closet

Yesterday I shared with you 3 helpful tips for organizing your closet, and today let's continue to dig deeper. So you're on a quest to create a fully functional wardrobe. Just saying it scares some people, but really, organizing your closet is not as difficult a task as it seems.

I think it's safe to say that the closets of most men and women contain more than a few items that are rarely worn. Which begs the question, when organizing one's closet, how do you decide what stays and what goes? Do you throw out everything and start from scratch, or how do you determine what to keep?

 

Here are five questions that I ask myself before putting items in the "giveaway" bag.

 

1. Why am I keeping this item? Be it shoes or a sweater, what is the reason you want to keep this item? Chances are, because you're afraid to get rid of it, or you think that the very second you throw it out, you'll have a need for it. Either way, put it in the giveaway bag.
2. What kind of shape is the item in? If the item has visible piles or pulls, is ripped or torn, or if it's missing buttons or beads, put it in the giveaway bag. Some things just can't be salvaged.
3. Is this item worth anything? If it's investment piece that needs repair, look into that option. But make sure you act; don't just put it back on the hanger and save it for later.
4. Can I easily replace this item? If the answer is yes, say in the case of a faded cottton crewneck, worn out denim jeans, or other wardrobe essential, then put it in the giveaway bag and go out and buy new.
5. Will I wear this in the next six months? Hard to predict the future, I get it, but a good way to measure is this. After wearing an item, hang it up in your closet with the hanger facing the opposite direction. After six months, take an inventory of what items you've worn, and what you haven't. It's an easy way to determine what stays in your closet, and what should go.

 

So you've narrowed it down, and I hope now you feel that editing your closet is easier than you first imagined. Any items in the giveaway bag, take to the Salvation Army, Goodwill, or even your local consignment store. There's someone out there with a need for your gently worn items.