If you consider yourself to be a mini hoarder don’t worry, you’re not alone. While I myself have the opposite problem (I throw out everything, even things I end up needing later), so many people have a hard time letting go of material items, especially clothing.
Whether you’re afraid you’ll end up needing that ratty sweater you wore once or you just can’t part with a dress that fit you when you were 16, we’re here for you.
We get it, you don’t want to regret giving away something later on, but trust us when we say cleaning doesn’t have to lead to regret. In fact, getting rid of stuff that you don’t need or wear anymore will make you feel 10 pounds lighter and will free up space for more fun stuff. It’s a win, win!
Here are some easy tips to help you clean out your closet that won’t leave you anxious and panicked.
Don’t Give Stuff Away Immediately
If you’re panicked about giving items away that you feel you might need down the road, give yourself an extra step. Rather than grabbing clothes from your closet, throwing them in bags, and taking them down to your local Goodwill, put them in boxes first.
Pack up those boxes and leave them in a room in your house for one month, two months, whatever amount of time you see fit. If, after that amount of time passes, you haven’t thought about the clothes in the boxes or needed them, get them out of the house. This will help prove that you won’t miss what’s not in front of your face.
Get Rid of Duplicates
Trust me when I say you don’t need two pairs of the same jeans or nearly identical black dresses. You just don’t! Search your closet for any duplicates and get rid of them. It’s OK to have more than one basic white t-shirt or more than one pair of black leggings (we wear those all the time), but you don’t need more than one leather skirt.
Get Rid of Clothes That Don’t Fit You
Most of us have clothes in our closet that used to fit, whether they be too big or too small, that we keep around in case our weight changes. No matter if you’ve just lost a bunch of weight and are worried about gaining it back or vice versa, you need to let go of those clothes.
Sure, you may gain a little bit of weight or lose a little bit of weight over time, but you should only hold on to clothes that make you feel good about yourself. While the idea of holding on to a pair of jeans that’s two sizes too small sounds like it’d be an inspiration, the reality is they’re just making you feel bad about yourself.
Wear Your Trendy Pieces
Trendy clothes are fun to buy in the moment, but they often end up just sitting in our closets collecting dust. Rather than giving them away immediately, force yourself to try and wear some of your trendy pieces first. You’ll either realize how much you love a piece of clothing you’ve never worn before or it’ll be the proof you need to get it out of your closet for good.
