Clothes, closet organization, decluttering, mindfulness

Maximize Your Closet for Today’s Clothing Realities

Times change, bodies change, and attitudes change. Therefore, your closet should also change with the times! If you’ve been accumulating clothes but feel like it’s a struggle to find something to wear, it’s a sure sign that it’s time to overhaul your wardrobe.

Tackling your closet doesn’t have to be a nightmare. Streamlining your wardrobe makes it easier and more enjoyable to get up and begin each day.

Here are some guidelines to help you decide what stays and what goes:

1. It Doesn’t Fit

Your wardrobe should enhance your life, not detract from it. If something doesn’t fit well, you don’t need to hang onto it.

Be kind to yourself and let go of the idea that you’ll wear something later after you’ve dropped some weight. The reality is that you’ll probably want to celebrate your accomplishment with a new outfit instead of wearing old and possibly outdated clothes.

2. It Doesn’t Flatter

You don’t need to keep clothes that make you look (and feel) bad. If, for instance, you have slipped on one of your blouses on three separate occasions, only to take it off thinking “not today,” there will probably never be a day when it’s the right choice.

Some articles of clothing look better on the hanger than they do on our bodies. That’s okay. But they don’t get to live in your closet rent-free. You need that space for attractive, flattering clothes that you actually wear.

3. It’s Too Much Effort

Do you avoid wearing some of your clothes because they need to be hand-washed, dry cleaned, or pressed after they’re washed? There’s a good chance these items are collecting dust instead of being worn. So pack them up and remove them!

What about items that need mending or have stains that need to be removed? Set a deadline. Make a pact with yourself that you will take care of these tasks within the next week or toss these items. If you’ve already postponed the repairs for months, skip the deadline and ditch those clothes immediately.

4. It’s Too Dressy for Work

Thanks to the upswing in remote jobs, most work-related wear has become more casual. So if you’re still holding onto formal business attire, it may be time to let those items go.

Consider what’s deemed appropriate now—not what was suitable in 2019—and cull accordingly.

5. Upgrade the Grunge

Consider ditching outfits that are dedicated to doing chores around the house. Just because you are working at home doesn’t mean you have to look like you dug your clothes out of a rag-bag.

It’s okay to enjoy wearing a decent pair of jeans and a properly fitting t-shirt to work in the yard or clean the house instead of sweats that have seen better days.

6. Revisit the Apron

Yes, seriously. If you are concerned about ruining your “good” clothes while cooking or cleaning, take a page from the past and get a hard-working apron to protect your clothes. You might want two—a bib version for summer months and a long-sleeve style for the winter.

When you’ve finished working, simply remove the apron. Then, you won’t have to change clothes to shop for groceries or tackle whatever else is on your to-do list.

Another bonus? Wearing an apron reduces your laundry chores since you won’t need to treat as many stains and because an apron requires less washer space than an entire outfit. As a result, you’ll use less water, less detergent, and create less wear and tear on your clothes.

7. Be Mindful About Filling Gaps

If you clean out your closet and find that you only have a few articles of clothing left, you may decide you have enough to meet your needs.

If, however, you need to purchase a few additional items to round out what you have, be diligent about your shopping decisions:

  • Purchase items that fit, are flattering in color and style, and are easy to maintain.
  • If shopping in a retail store, try the item on before buying it.
  • Check the return policy before making any online purchases.

The goal is to prevent another cycle of having “a closet full of clothes and nothing to wear.” Instead, create a wardrobe that’s tailored to you and your life. It will help you start each day with joy instead of dread!