Clean Out Your Closet in Five Simple Steps

Ah, spring is in the air. Flowers are blooming, snow is melting—it's finally warm enough to throw open all the windows and let the fresh spring air in. A time of renewed energy and new beginnings, throw out the old so you can bring in the new with some spring cleaning. Grab some new extra canvas storage bins and be inspired with some great organizing tips so your closet will be ready for spring. Here are five easy steps to organizing your closet this spring.

Pull Everything Out at Once

Set aside a specific area where you can empty the entire contents of your closet. This can be your clean, made-up bed or clear space on the floor. It's a good idea to clean your room first to reduce potential overwhelm. Make sure you set aside a couple of hours in your schedule to give yourself enough time to clean your closet.

Make yourself some coffee or tea, scrunchie your hair up, and throw on your comfy sweats (there’s no way you’re getting rid of those, right?). Time for the next step.

Organize the Contents Into Piles

Once everything is out of your closet, the next step is to organize. We recommend creating four distinct piles. Make a pile of clothing you mean to keep and put it back in your spring closet at the end of this day. Make another keep pile that doesn't belong in that particular closet (a winter coat that should be stored for the fall, or perhaps a pair of shoes for your closet by the front door). Make a third pile for things you mean to get rid of but that are still in good condition. These are things you can donate to charity, or maybe hand-me-downs for your baby sister or cousin. The fourth pile should be your “trash” pile. These are items that are not salvageable and should just be thrown away.

Remember this purging project is about getting rid of things that no longer serve you. Of course, you need your cashmere cardigan. It is great for almost any situation and you wear it all the time. But do you need ten other cardigans hanging in the back of your closet? Maybe put a couple of those sweaters on the “donate” pile.

The Purge

As mentioned before, try not to lose sight of the purging aspect of this cleaning process. It’s easy to fall back in love with clothing you have not worn in two years because it has been hiding in the back of your closet. But we think maybe there is a reason you forgot about it back there, don’t you?

Keep a couple of wardrobe staples, of course, even if you haven’t worn them in a while, such as a stand-by versatile little black dress and that one pair of jeans that always fit you just right. If an item immediately brings you positive feelings and there is no question in your mind as to whether or not you should keep it, then, by all means, keep it. Otherwise, if you have to think twice about whether an item is serving you or not, it is probably time to purge it.

Clean the Space

Vacuum, dust, and mop the inside of your closet. Spritz the inside with some clean-smelling fragrance or smudge with dry lavender or eucalyptus. Wash and dry any clothes you are keeping that have gotten stale-smelling from sitting in the closet too long.

Reorganize

After you have purged and cleaned, invest in some cute storage baskets and get to organizing. Hang up your clothes in an organized and logical manner, keeping work clothes with work clothes, dresses next to dresses, and pants with pants. Bonus organizing points if you can color-code your closet. It is also a good idea to get storage baskets for accessories such as scarves.