Reader Submission: Clean Up Your Closet

Lorimer Living: Reader Submission

Today's post is our first ever reader submission! Katherine has some great tips to help you decide what items to keep and which to get rid of the next time you go through your closet. (Spring cleaning time is coming!) Take it away, Katherine!

Clean Up Your Closet: Top Things You Need to Get Rid of

Are you faced with a bulging closet every time you wonder what to wear? It's funny that you have so much clothing and not a thing to wear for that special occasion. True story.  The problem is, your closet is overcrowded and you need to do something about it. Because if you want to have storage space for your new garments, you have to make some room! I realize this might be sending shivers down your spine. I mean, clean out your closet – it means you have to actually get rid of some clothes. It's certainly a tough decision: what will go and what will stay. I have a few tips for you that may save the day. Start out by removing everything from your closet so you can easily sort & decide. Now, let's see what you can get rid of!

Source

1) Items You've Never Even Worn

Admit it, you'll hardly need that striped long-sleeved shirt that matches your eyes and which you never seemed to get around to wearing ever since you bought it. It's sitting there in your closet waiting for that special occasion or that get together with friends. Or how about that skirt you love so much on its own but which doesn't go with any of your blouses or tops?  If you've owned something for longer than a few weeks and can't pull off 3 outfits with it using only items you already have in your closet, you're probably never going to. 

Some of your clothes may never get the chance to be showcased; sad but true. So let me ask you something then: what's the point of keeping those items? They do nothing more than getting your closet overcrowded. It needs to stop. Now. Repeat after me: clothes don't have control over me; I'm the one that has the final say. Then, go to your closet, locate the items you've never worn, the ones you don't even remember buying, and get rid of them once and for all. Feeling relieved?

2) Items You Haven't Worn In A Long Time

This is pretty similar to the first point. If there are clothes (and there surely are!) which you haven't worn in a very long time, say a year or two, then it makes no sense to have them.  (Exceptions can be made for your wedding dress! But generally this is a good rule of thumb.) Focus only on the stuff you really want to keep. Think about which items you love wearing and would feel fine about wearing each and every day if you had to. Go through all the garments and decide which ones really serve no purpose anymore.

3) Items That Don't Fit/Are Damaged

There is really no need to explain why it's no use keeping clothes that you have grown out of. If they don't fit, they don't fit: it's time to face it. Many women hoard different sizes of clothes in their closets hoping that one day, not too far from now, there will come a time when they will be able to put those pieces of clothing on again. This doesn't usually happen and it can actually be discouraging to look at items every day that are a reminder that you're not where you want to be. 

Similarly, if you have clothes hanging around that are stained, ripped, or missing buttons that you've been "meaning to get to" for months or even years, just go ahead and bite the bullet: you're probably not going to fix it and you could better use that closet space to organize the items you do wear. 

4) Items That Don't Bring You Joy

We all have clothes that we don't feel great about. They're unflattering or not your style. You see them constantly in your closet but never put them on. Take my advice, dispose of those clothes. You are better off without them. You're not wearing them anyway and they're taking up valuable space. Instead of letting them pile up in your closet, set them aside and consider donating or selling them. That way other people can benefit from them. It's a win-win game!

Before you put back everything in the closet, PromptCleaning Cricklewood (where Katherine works!) suggests you to give it a good cleaning. It should take about half an hour to hoover the carpet or mop the floor, dust all the shelves, then finish up with wiping everything down with a clean cleaning cloth and some all-purpose spray. Dry with a towel or let it dry on its own. Now, you are ready to place all the garments back inside. It can seem so difficult to just roll up your sleeves and organize your garments. But you have to take the plunge. And remember: clothes don't have control over you; you are the one that has the final say. Keep reminding yourself of that every time you are having a hard time having to part with your stuff.

Some great tips from Katherine! Any readers in the London area, take a look at their website and see if you could benefit from her services, but we can all benefit from a good motivator to tackle our closets and get rid of some clothes. In fact, I think that just made the top of my to-do list. If you're interested in being our next reader submission, please contact me at lorimerliving@outlook.com.

What are your favorite tips for cleaning out your closet? Let me know in the comments below! 

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XOXO, 

Jaclyn