Simple Steps to Declutter Your Wardrobe
I’ve spent the last few weeks going through my wardrobe with a fine-tooth comb, being more honest than usual about what I do and don’t want to wear again. The last year delivered more than a few outfit frustrations, and I’d like to avoid repeating them.
I don’t have a crystal-clear vision of how I want to dress in 2026, but I’m very clear about what I didn’t enjoy wearing in 2025. Since my personal style continues to evolve, staying on top of what no longer works has become part of the process.
Decluttering isn’t just about creating space. It’s a way to remove the distractions that make getting dressed harder than it needs to be and to take a closer look at what still aligns with how I want to live and dress now.
Before you declutter, be sure you don’t just need to reorganize what you own. If your closet is messy, it’s hard to find the right pieces to put together a cohesive look.
I’m updating this post from last year because this is not a one-and-done exercise. Our wardrobes change as we do, and a simple, thoughtful reset goes a long way.
How To Start
Many people like to attack their wardrobe, ala Marie Kondo, but that’s never appealed to me. It’s not realistic for me to take everything out of my closet at one time and toss it into a pile. That process creates a mountain of work, and it would depress me long before I finished it. If the job is overwhelming, decision fatigue can set in, so you end up rushing to finish and start making poor decisions.
I like to make this simple, so I start at one end of the rod or go through one drawer at a time.
Have four bags or boxes at the ready:
1- This box is for items you want to donate or send to consignment stores.
2- This bag is for things that are too worn to salvage or donate. Our landfills are clogged with discarded clothes, so you could also investigate non-profits that will accept textiles in any condition.
3- This bag is for garments you want to keep wearing but they’re in need of repair, cleaning, or alterations.
4- This not-sure box is for anything you’re on the fence about.
The not-sure box is super important! You can bravely place things into this box because you know it’s not leaving your house. The decision is temporary and allows you to revisit the pieces later, but they aren’t hanging in your closet to see each day. Tape the box closed and store it in a guest room closet or the garage to examine in 6+ months.
Questions To Ask as You Declutter Your Wardrobe
If your taste and style are evolving like mine, you may find it helpful to revisit the three-word method to find your personal style. I’m in the process of redefining my words this year, so I’m being extra careful about what I donate.
For each item you pick up, ask yourself:
- Does it fit you properly at your current weight?
- Do you have 5 or 6 multiples of the same type of garment?
- Is it expressing who you are now at this stage of life and with your current style goals?
- Is it still in good shape, or does it need repairing or altering?
- Does the color and style flatter your current hair color and body shape?
- Do you feel fabulous wearing it, or does it spark joy per the Konmari method?
- Is it still in style, or has the trend passed so you’ll look dated if you wear it?
- Have you reached for it in the last year or so? Some people recommend getting rid of things you haven’t worn in six months, but I disagree. There are several categories of clothes we need in our wardrobes that are rarely worn but invaluable to have on hand, such as formal wear or what to wear to a funeral.
Closet Cleanout Tips and Mistakes
Take Your Time
Listen to your intuition, and don’t be too hasty. If you’re unsure about an item, remember that it can go into your not-sure box #4 above.
Don’t Be Overly Emotional
Is this the scarf your friend gave you, but you dislike how it looks on you, and never wear it? Is this the suit you wore when you got that fabulous promotion, but you’ve retired and now live a casual lifestyle?
Decluttering Essentials
Have a notepad nearby to jot down items you need to add to your wardrobe. If you discover that your favorite black pants are looking a little worse for wear, make a note to keep an eye out for a new pair. Be sure to replace them before you donate your old ones.
Cost Does Not Equal Value
This is a slippery slope. Just because you paid a lot for something doesn’t mean you should keep it. And if you got a smokin’ hot deal on something that doesn’t look great on you, it’s not serving you well either. If you did pay a lot for something, sell it at a consignment shop to recoup some of your original investment.
Relying Solely On Joy
A functional wardrobe needs items that serve a purpose, and they don’t all have to spark joy…sorry, Marie Kondo. Wardrobes need functional basics that we may feel neutral about, but that are essential pieces for completing our outfits. That said, don’t keep anything you don’t like!
You Keep Too Many Duplicates.
My hand is raised on this one. It’s so easy to justify another great pair of black pants because I like and wear them so often. Keep a few of the best, and release the rest. Last year, I struggled to declutter my jeans collection. Surprise! I find myself in the same spot again this year, with multiple pairs in a donation bag!
You’re Overzealous
We often talk about finding your personal style here on AWSL. Our style evolves as we learn and grow, so getting rid of large portions of your wardrobe in one fell swoop can lead to remorse. I’d rather have three not-sure boxes than regret donating a piece prematurely. Packing things up and removing them from your daily wardrobe will help clear your mind so you can get a better idea of how you want to look going forward.
The one category I seldom declutter from my wardrobe is accessories. They take up very little space, and I often change my mind about them.
How To Organize Your Wardrobe
As you go through this process, begin to organize your wardrobe in a user-friendly way. Some people like to organize by color, and others use categories. I find that categories make the most sense, and then I further refine them by color within each category.
Hang all your shirts on the rod, facing in the same direction. Group all jeans together and all pants together. The same goes for skirts, jackets, sweaters, and knit tops. You can further categorize them by color (light to dark) or formality level (casual to dressy). This helps you see what you have, identify duplicates, and spot the things you’re missing from your wardrobe essentials.
Note – I no longer separate my items by formality because life is too short not to wear the good stuff. It’s fun to wear a silk blouse; add jeans, sneakers, some amazing earrings, and a faux fur vest. I firmly believe we should not save our best pieces. We deserve to enjoy them every chance we can get.
Get a good lint remover and fabric shaver to keep your clothes in good shape moving forward. My favorite is this Gleener and this shaver.
Wardrobe Storage Tools
Velvet hangers save a ton of room on your rods and virtually double your closet space. The flocked surface helps grip your tops so they don’t slip to the floor.
I like to hang my seasonal clothes, sweaters, and woolens in these clear wardrobe storage bags so I can see what I have while they keep the moths at bay. You can also use under-the-bed storage bins, but I fear I would forget what I own!
Hardest clothing to declutter
Some categories feel easier to declutter than others. The pieces you struggle with most will likely be your favorite types of garments. For me…it’s jeans because I wear them most days. Try not to justify keeping too many duplicates because it’ll make it harder to get dressed each morning.
The goal isn’t a perfect closet. It’s one that works better. A little space goes a long way, and you don’t have to be ruthless to get there. When something gives you pause, set it aside and move on.
What’s the category that’s hardest for you to declutter?
It sounds like you hang all your sweaters, even the cashmere. Do you turn them inside out so they don’t get bulges on the shoulders? Thanks. Appreciate blogs like this one!
No I hang them on flocked hangers right along the seam and have never had bulges. If they’re heavy I fold over the bar of a flocked hanger.
All our clothes and shoes are in boxes, totes, on the floor as we are waiting to have our master closet done (we just moved into our house a few weeks ago.) I want to be very diligent when the closet is done is a few weeks, and we put our clothes into our new closet. Thank you for your suggestions.
Good luck with your move, it sounds exciting.
This is a great post with declutterring tips I will actually use. I love all your post- you really understand how I feel as a 69 year old who is retired but still likes to look good!
Your blog itopic s perfectly timed, Jennifer. I’ve been looking at my closet for a couple weeks. This weekend may be when I get in there and do something about it😅
. It was a very useful article.
Can those velvet hangers be used to hang sweaters?
Yes, that’s what I hang mine on
I have 2 ( both colors) of the AYR denim shirt and I really like them. I also have their jeans in several cuts and washes. Good brand!
Thanks Susan, now I’m even more excited to get it.
I need to tackle mine this weekend. I’ve gained weight around my waist and many pants are too tight, and some tops show my muffin top. It causes me immense frustration when I put something on only to take it off again. Marking Sunday Closet purge on my calendar.
I hear you! The extra 7 pounds I’m carrying has made muffin top a reality more times than I like.
Such a much needed post! I struggle with jeans also. I have so many and every year I struggle with which ones to keep. I try them all on and decide from there. This year seems extremely hard as I love all my skinny jeans but they don’t seem to be in anymore. I need to be ruthless, lol.
Thanks for the motivation to finally tackle this job. My biggest problem is with weight. I have that extra yuck in the midsection and I keep “planning” to lose it.
One of the tricks I have used in the past is turning hangers backwards. If I haven’t reached for something in a year I have to be honest about whether it is serving me. Unfortunately, it’s harder to eliminate than one would think. As you pointed out, it’s more difficult when it was a gift or expensive.
Living in Ontario in a snow belt, the seasons are quite extreme.
So I sort warm and cold clothes late sept/oct and march/april.
I find that a great time to go through things and sort.
I love your boxes of uncertainty – very helpful !
I think the hardest for me to sort are shoes. Until they wear out, I generally keep them all!
Thanks for all the great tips Jennifer!
I noticed a recurring theme of ladies worried about their waist line. I started Mayo Clinic diet in August with a goal of 15 lbs. It has been slow, down 10 lbs, but the surprising win was my waist has shrunk even without the weight loss. Appears it is the “white” things in my diet, white rice, white bread, white pasta etc. A simple swap. Happy New Year.
Happy New Year!
I order items online and then never wear them, missing the return window. I end up donating new clothing. I found a thrift store that helps women in need. That makes me feel better about my mistakes. My new years resolution is to stop online impulse shopping.
I self find impulse buys helpful, unless it’s unique accessories or beauty item.
I group mine in categories, but nothing more, then I wear whatever is first in that category. It’s amazing how many new combinations you can come up with that you wouldn’t think of before. If it’s a piece I don’t want to wear, doesn’t feel good or doesn’t look good, it goes in my permanent giveaway box. When it’s full, I donate it. I’ve done this for years and it works for me and keeps my closet uncluttered with things I don’t wear.
Great idea!
This post hits home, I have a lot ready to go to the consignment shop! One quick tip is to turn your hangers around so you know if you have worn something (obviously turning them the right way after you’ve worn that item). If it hasn’t been touch through a season, it’s time to re-look at it. I have too many “what was I thinking” clothes!
Such a difficult task. I keep 2 different sizes for weight fluctuation. The 3 word technique is 🫤 meh for me. My mood that day may not for one of my “style” words. Maybe the answer is less is more ? I think I may go to my grave struggling with a closet declutter 🤷♀️
I often wake up wanting to express something new and fun with my outfit. That’s where accessories work for me.
On NYE I decided I wasn’t going to be cold or uncomfortable. Wore comfy black velvet pants, black lacy cardigan, hot pink velvet comfy Sam E. loafers and a cozy dark blurple faux fur. Also vintage Weiss rhinestone necklace whose quality beats anything you can buy now! I have been eyeing AYR (those shirts and those one pants that are popular) can’t wait to hear hoe you like them. Happy New Year!
Love the sound of your fun NYE outfit!! I wore pjs and a cozy robe 😉. I’m excited to see the AYR quality! Happy New Year Shari.
Jennifer, I appreciate this article and think organizing one’s clothes closet is a great idea. I also appreciated that you said the Marie Kondo approach of anything that sparks joy keep and the rest let go is not good rule for all clothes. I have things in my wardrobe that are more formal that I wear infrequently but am glad I have them when I need them. To me they don’t have to spark joy and I keep those pieces in clear plastic dress bags in a second bedroom.
I think facing my closet means admitting to an always casual lifestyle and that I need to get rid of the clothes waiting for me to lose 20 pounds. I am 70 and retired and live in a warm climate. This year I vow to buy a pair of dress pants and a few nice blouses, because I’ve devolved into not going places when I have to dress up. Some of the better items I no longer wore I gave to my 2 cousins when they visited because they were too nice to donate. Now I will be culling Tshirts. I wear the same ones so I’ll avoid buying the styles from now on that I hardly wear. I’m a believer in having fewer clothes but spending more to get the item that fits well and flatters, so that will be my guideline. Jjill is my favorite place, so I guess I’ll be visiting when they get their warm weather clothes!
Good luck! You will feel so much better facing a closet with only things that fit you.
Good hangers are important. I’ve finally cleared out the last of the velvet hangers that I bought at a popular store. They kept breaking and gave me a bad impression of velvet hangers. So frustrating! Nobody else seemed to have this problem. Now I know that this was a bad batch.
I still use wooden hangers for my pants and jeans, but don’t intermingle them with velvet hangers.
I agree that taking all the clothes out of the closet at once makes the task overwhelming. I prefer to work in time blocks, one category at a time, or simply removing clothes that no longer work for me as I go. I’m learning that “clothes that don’t show dirt” is the category I love, as we’re in yet another water crisis. (◠‿◕)