Purging your closet for a fresh perspective
Spring is here! It’s getting warmer, the trees are showing life again and that urge to purge your apartment is slowly creeping in. With the minimalist trend in full swing, you may be considering getting rid of some of the things you haven't touched in a while.
Especially in an apartment where space is precious, having an overfilled closet can be overwhelming and create extra stress in your life. We’ve pulled together a few how-to’s for purging your clothes in your small space closet, to help give you a fresh perspective on what you need, what you love and what you can let go of.
Take a good look
We mean a good hard look at the items you have. How many pieces have you only worn once (or not at all)? Before you start bagging your clothes for donation, think about what you’re trying to achieve:
• Do I need more space?
• Am I tired of my old clothes and want a refresh?
• Do I have too many of the same or similar things?
• Is it time to simplify my lifestyle?
Whatever your reason, stick to it. This will help when you’re second-guessing old or sentimental pieces you’re not sure you’re ready to part with. Come to terms with what you’re doing first, and then you’ll be able to freely purge your closet.
Empty it
All of it. You can’t do a proper purge if things are hidden all the way in the back of your closet, so take it all out and go through piece by piece. Let’s be honest, this is a big task, so you’ll want to set aside a good amount of time to do this. Take breaks if you need to, so you don’t give up and find yourself in one big mess.
Once everything is out of your closet and you can see it all in front of you, ask yourself if you find it excessive, if you love everything you see and if you’re ready to start fresh. Hint: if there’s dust on anything you pull out, it’s time for it to go. Start dividing into groups: keep or give away and ask yourself:
• Will I wear this again?
• Does this look and feel good on me?
• Do I feel happy when I wear this?
• Will getting rid of this make me happy or sad?
• Could someone else enjoy this more than me?
• Do I need this in my life?
• Does this piece of clothing have sentimental value to me?
Sentimental value will come into play a bit during this process. Can you still have those memories without this piece? If not, keep it.
Some pieces will be easier than others, so take your time. You can always put a piece down and come back to it later.
Try it on
Now that you’ve decided what you’d like to keep or donate, it’s time to take a look at your “keep” pile and try it all on. The clothes you’ve been keeping on the back burner may not fit anymore, the cut may be out of style and your tastes may have changed.
When you’re trying things on, ask yourself:
• Do I like the way this fits me?
• Does it feel good to wear?
• Does it flatter me?
• Does it make me happy to have it on?
If you answered “no” to any of the above questions, it’s time to part with the piece.
• Tip: It may be helpful for you to have someone you trust help you with this part, they’ll be able to tell you what pieces are keepers and which ones you could do without.
o Also, trust your instincts and don’t second guess yourself. If you think you look great in something and it makes you happy, keep it and revisit it another time.
Put your closet back together
You did it! It was a lot of work, but you’ve gone through it all, tried everything on and now you have much more space in your closet. This is the part where you hang everything up nicely, pat yourself on the back and take a step back to admire your work. Are there any pieces that still stand out that you’re second guessing? Give yourself some time to figure out if they should stay there, and if they’re still bugging you in a few weeks, pack them up and send them off.
Now take a deep breath and say goodbye to the things that used to bring you joy and will now make someone else happy.
Cleaning and donating
Choose somewhere you’d like to donate your clothes to – and whatever you do, don’t just throw them away unless they’re damaged or can’t be repurposed. We all know fast fashion isn’t great for the planet, so when you add to your closet from now on try to choose quality pieces that will stand the test of time.
Don’t forget, for those pieces that are in great condition but you’re just over, check out local consignment shops in your area. Then you can use the money toward the aforementioned quality pieces.
It’s also courteous to wash or dry clean the items you’re donating before passing them on to someone else.
Once your closet is cleaned out and your donations are made, take one more look. Doesn’t it feel great to be organized and have all this extra space? It’ll be a huge relief, and as they say, a decluttered space helps declutter the mind, lowers anxiety and stress levels and overall gives you a fresh perspective with just a little work. Plus, look at all the space you’ve just made for your future favourites!