Tips to Help You De-Clutter Your Wardrobe (1)

by Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger

29 Nov 2007 11:40 AM

Are overstuffed closets a big problem in your home? If your clothes are constantly falling off of the hangers or migrating to other closets and other rooms, then you definitely have the tell tale signs of a wardrobe that needs some de-cluttering. The same is true if you constantly find yourself with nothing to wear despite a packed closet. It is time to organize and create a wardrobe that is attractive, functional and easy to use.

Here are some tips and ideas that will help you tackle the chaos.

If you live in a seasonal climate, the first thing you might want to do is to remove clothes that are not currently in season and pack them away. This will instantly give you room in your closet.

We tend to develop emotional attachments to our clothes. We are tend to only wear about 20 percent of our wardrobe. We reach for the same few items over and over again.

You can try the backwards hanger method to help you de-clutter items when you just can't make the decisions needed, or if you just don't have the time to tackle the closet all at once. Turn all of your hangers the opposite way. After wearing an item of clothing, place it back in the closet with the hanger facing the correct way. After a month or two, anything that hasn't been worn will be obvious, and you can donate or toss those items without even taking the time to go through them or agonizing over them.

You can also try this same trick using the line them up method. Every day, pretend it is laundry day and you only have one thing to wear. Pick the first item in the closet and wear it. Yes, you are allowed to reach into the closet again to add to your outfit and accessorize it, but you must somehow incorporate that first item. If you can't do it, resolve that it is hopeless and de-clutter the piece. If you successfully wear an item, hang it back up at the back of the line. Go through your entire closet this way. It will really force yourself to realize how awful some of the thing in your closet are. If you wouldn't wear it out and about, then there is no need to keep it.

Next up: Want to clear your closet item by item in one shot? Questions to ask yourself that will help you make the decisions to keep or to toss.

Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, technology in the Computing Blog, and creating a home in the Home Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here.

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Learn more about Mary Ann Romans

Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat.

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