How to Declutter Your Closet: 10 Helpful Tips for Spring Cleaning

1. Get all your clothes out

First, get all of your clothes where you can see them. I keep the old season in the attic in boxes, so I’ve just been getting those down.

Then, you want to get your rail of winter clothes ready to pack away for another season.

2. Make a list

Make sure you’ve got boxes to hand so you can put things away.

I also find it helpful to have a piece of paper and a pen to hand to write down any gaps in my wardrobe as and when I see them. Or perhaps if I’m thinking about a particular trend and I haven’t already got it, I can write it down.

This becomes a really good reference next time I’m shopping because I can see very clearly what I need.

3. Put away old season pieces

If all seasons are mixed together in your wardrobe, the easiest place to start is to separate those "height of winter" pieces. You’re not going to be reaching for them in spring, let alone in summer, so start by packing away those heavy winter coats.

4. Make different piles

Now you can look for those pieces you want to donate or sell so that they can have a new lease of life with somebody else.

My chuck pile is those pieces that are too worn or tatty to be given to anyone else.

I also have a maybe pile for those pieces that I’m not sure what to do with; I haven’t worn them very much, but they’re still pulling at my heart.

5. Ask yourself some questions

Do you feel good in it? That is one of the biggest questions you should be asking yourself, and it’s easily forgotten.

Does it flatter your shape? Or perhaps even more appropriate - does it flatter the shape that you are now? I am guilty of this as well, keeping things in my wardrobe that are 10 years old and no longer fit me because my body shape has changed.

Is it in a nice condition, or could it be easily fixed if it's not? And as an extension of that: will you realistically get around to doing that? If the answer is no, you know what to do.

6. Think about current fashion trends 

Keep in mind the fashion trends you want to join in with for this spring/summer 2022.

Blazers, of course, I will definitely be joining in with, so I’m keeping all of mine for spring; I’ve only put away some of the really heavy wool ones.

7. Iron your maybes

When I’ve gone through this whole process, I go back to my maybe pile. I take each item and give it a good iron because when it’s all crumpled, it’s very hard to see what the item actually looks like.

Then, I start styling it with items I have decided to keep, so I can figure out whether it works with my existing wardrobe or perhaps it’s just not for me anymore.

8. Group into categories

The next step is to group things into categories. This will make your life so much easier on a day-to-day basis when you’re trying to get dressed. Put jeans together, pants together, dresses, etc.

Once everything is more organized, outfit ideas will pop out at you.

When you see two pieces that work well together, take a photo. If you get into the habit of doing that, it becomes a really easy reference for you.

It’s a bit like having your own Pinterest mood board right there on your phone. You can reach for the photos in moments when you don’t know what to wear.

9. Learn from your mistakes

Another style tip for your closet declutter would be to try and learn from your mistakes. For example, this dress is pretty but it's bright blue and has a busy print, which is not my typical style. I haven’t got my use out of it at all.

Bright prints are not my cup of tea, so it’s not an area that I should invest in when I next go shopping.

10. Discover your natural uniform

In this organizing stage, it will become very obvious what your natural uniform is. For me, what is glaringly obvious is I like jeans and pretty tops, and I like to pair them with a blazer.

When you realize what those key pieces are for you, you can feel safe investing in pieces like that in the future because it’s obviously your natural uniform that you go to.

How to declutter your closet

The feeling of having everything clear and organized makes me feel calm inside, but it’s also so much better for putting outfits together on a daily basis.

Decluttering your closet really makes your life so much easier. Let me know how you get on with this process yourself!