Clean Out Your Messy Closet for Good

Get the closet of your dreams in 3 easy steps. You can finally clean out your messy closet for good with this simple closet cleaning guide.

Benefits of a Clean Closet

• Your closet will actually help you FEEL better every day
• You save time because you can find things quickly
• You are prepared for any event
• Your clothes look better and last longer
• You save money because you don’t keep buying things
• You always “have something to wear!”

When you enter your closet, do you feel happy and excited to get dressed? Well, you should, even if you don’t have a fancy closet or the most expensive clothes.

By using the following closet cleaning guide, you can turn your own closet into a neat, organized, and useful place. From now on, you’ll always have something to wear!

I will walk you through closet chaos to closet bliss. To help I’m going to share my favorite closet organizing tips and a free printable to keep you on track.

It’s so worth it! You really can save time and money by cleaning your closet.

This is how to take your real closet and make it more functional and more enjoyable. It’s about giving your messy, crowded closet a makeover in only 3 steps!

And you don’t have to buy a bunch of storage containers or equipment.

Keeping my closet tidy and organized isn’t a new thing for me. My closet has been a source of pleasure to me for several years now.

Once I made a commitment to doing it and did it; I never looked back. My closet won’t make it to any magazine but it works for me, makes me happy, and definitely makes my life easier.

A Clean Closet Feels AMAZING

This is not about depriving yourself either! This is about having things in your closet that you love, that you wear, and that make you feel beautiful. Even if you end up with fewer clothes than you’ve ever had in your closet; it will still feel better. It truly does.

And the best part? It’s not that hard to do. Part of the problem is that most people just have way too much stuff.

It’s the thought of handling all that stuff that is overwhelming. When you have less stuff, it’s fun to arrange it. I promise you—it will feel great.

Why You Need to Clean Your Closet

You don’t wear most of what’s in your closet

Let’s get real here. Most people do not wear even a fourth of the clothes they own. Even someone like me who doesn’t keep a lot of clothes at one time—I still only wear about a fourth of the stuff I own on a regular basis. I’ll reach for favorites—those outfits that make me feel fabulous—over and over.

A messy closet makes you feel bad and you don’t even know it

When you look into your closet and see way too many clothes stuffed in, bent hangers, empty boxes, and clothes you don’t wear any more or maybe have never worn, you get a depressing poke to your psych.

If you dread going to your closet and trying to find something to wear that means you need to do this. Your closet it making you feel bad and that’s no way to start an awesome day.

An organized closet makes it easier to get ready for anything

With fewer items, you can see what you own and have it attractively and efficiently arranged. This makes it a cinch for you to get ready quickly and confidently.

For example, here’s what I have for casual wear, which is what I wear most of the time. I own three pairs of jeans. I had some other jeans but the three I kept were the ones I kept wearing over and over.

The other jeans weren’t bad; they just didn’t fit as well. I donated them with hopes they’ll be a better fit for someone else. I have a couple of cardigans, a few tee-shirts, a few blouses, and a few light wraps.

And by few, I mean three or four! Because the things I own are “favorites” that I enjoy wearing, I don’t get bored with my wardrobe. Everything I own makes me feel great because:

• it fits well
• it is a flattering color, and
• it is taken care of.

It’s easy for me to put together a quick outfit whether it’s for the office, working out, a date, or shopping with friends.

A clean closet saves you money

You get control of your wardrobe. Because you aren’t faced with endless clothing combinations or things that don’t fit or don’t look right, you won’t have to run out and buy stuff at the last minute.

From this time on, you will be mindfully building your wardrobe. Once all the junk is out, you’ll see what you have. If there are gaps you will know exactly what those are.

It’s less work

People with lots of clothes tend to let laundry pile up. (You know you do!) Then when it’s time to do laundry, you have a lot to do and it feels like a real chore.

If I’ve worn something lightly, I will often hang it up to get another wear out of it. Since I’m not doing tons of laundry, I take the time to do mine right. I follow care instructions and get clothes folded or hung right away.

As a bonus, you don’t have baskets and piles of clothes scattered around!

Your clothes look nicer

When you have fewer clothes and you really like what you own, you’re inclined to take better care of what you have. I tend to my clothes with loving care and they continue to look crisp and nice.

They are hung carefully and not jammed onto the rack. I don’t spend a crazy amount of time laundering but I try to do it right.

What is the Best Way to Clean Out Your Closet?

If you do nothing else, take a look at this list and get these things out of your closet. You have to get rid of stuff! This isn’t going to work if you just move some things around.

Seriously, you will thank me later. Having a great closet is good for the soul—it feels great. Plus, you will not miss anything you remove.

Get Rid of the Stuff You Don’t Need

Get rid of the stuff you don’t need. You all have it— loads of junk that you don’t use and probably never will. One of the biggest challenges to cleaning your closet is tackling the mental part.

I’ve read most of the decluttering books out there and the parts I read over and over were the parts that helped with my mindset. I actually didn’t always read or follow the how-to parts but I sure needed the sections that helped me overcome my resistance to getting rid of stuff.

So, take my word for it. Cleaning out your closet will feel good in the end. You may have some resistance but if you’re still reading, then I know you’re ready to face the challenge.

A lot of these are really easy too. When you actually look closely at what you have in your closet, you will be amazed that you’ve kept some of it for so long. Once it’s gone though, you will only feel relief.

Here are some obvious things to start with. This list isn’t all-inclusive but will get you started. Chuck this junk!

List of Closet Items to Get Throw Away

Empty shoe boxes.

Wire hangers: I hate wire hangers. They are ugly, they get bent, and they aren’t good for your clothes. Recycle back to the dry cleaners or throw them away.

Anything that needs fixed. Unless you get it out and fix it right now, toss it. You won’t remember it in a week.

Anything stained.

Clothes that don’t fit. Everyone keeps a few items from a time they were skinny. Even if you do get to a place where they fit again, what you saved will be out of style or not fit the same.

More importantly, those items are a constant reminder of something that you think you need to do but haven’t been able to do it. That’s never helpful. You want your clothes to tell you that you are beautiful right now, just the way you are.

Mistake shoes. There are two kinds: either they hurt or you just don’t feel comfortable wearing them. Even though you’ve spent good money on them, it’s not worth keeping them.

Donate, trash, or sell them. A friend of mine takes hers to a clothing exchange and gets credit that she can spend later in the store. Whatever you decide to do, just get them out of your closet.

Old battered purses or ones that don’t fit your style. Dispose of them as you would shoes.

Clothes you bought on or for vacation that don’t work where you live and you probably won’t be going back there.

Clothes that are worn out. No matter how much you love a piece of clothing, eventually it wears out, loses its shape or color, or just looks tired. Let it go.

Clothing that isn’t “you” anymore. We change, we grow. Our clothing needs to reflect this. Maybe you loved a particular shirt a couple of years ago but now you just don’t feel your best in it. Again, let it go.

Clean the floor! No piles of clothes or shoes.

A final note. Don’t overthink these decisions. Trust you know what to do. Throw away the trash and don’t give it a second thought.

Box up the stuff you are going to donate, sell, or trade. This may seem hard to believe but once it’s out of sight, you will not miss it.

Ways to Organize Your Closet

The Best Hangers for Organizing Your Closet

I do recommend getting some new hangers—though don’t let not getting them stop you from doing this step. I think matching hangers are essential to a fully calming closet.

I’ve tried the plastic ones (too flimsy and clothes slip or fall off) and wooden ones (too big and noisy).

My favorites are Huggable Hangers (the generic name is non-slip velvet hangers–but I love the Joy Mangano brand). I like them because they are thin and help me make the most of my space.  They also hold my clothes in place without slipping.

No matter what kind of hanger you choose, matching hangers do make a difference. Choosing the same style and color will automatically upgrade the look of your closet. I’ve had mine six or seven years and still think they are great.

In fact, I just bought three more packs of these recently. They were impossible to find for a long time but they are BACK! (at Target and Amazon)

Okay, now you’ve got your hangers and you’ve got the junk out of your closet. It’s time to put together your clothes in a way that makes it easy to find items and easy to get dressed.

How to Organize the Clothes in Your Closet

I like to keep things simple. My system is “like goes with like.” I group clothes by category: dresses (sleeveless to longer sleeves)

• sleeveless tops
• short sleeve tops
• blouses
• cardigans
• light weight wraps
• jackets
• pants

Heavier sweaters I fold and stack neatly on a shelf in my closet.

In general, my clothing goes from sleeveless to ¾ sleeve to long sleeves, lighter to heavier. Depending on weather, I pick my top along with a jacket or sweater and then pants and then shoes. It’s really easier when you can see all your clothes neatly arranged.

3 Steps Clean and Organize Your Closet

1. Prepare your mind.
2. Get rid of the junk.
3. Buy good hangers and organize clothes in categories.

Done!

Closet Cleaning Checklist

Closet Cleaning Checklist

How to Finally Clean Out Your Closet for Good

Enjoy that great feeling every single time you open your closet! The best thing you can do is edit what you already own and take really good of your clothing.

Having a well organized closet makes life better for you every single day. It’s easier to get ready and you can always look great for any occasion! Let me know how it goes.

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