3 Simple Ways to Clean Out Your Closet

I don’t know what it is about the sunshine finally peeking out and the chance to open the windows in spring, but it creates a sense of purge. So if you want to declutter your wardrobe quickly and easily, I have some tips for you below.

I’m not one to have a huge wardrobe. My weakness is home decor. But, I need to let go of the scarcity mindset, and boy, I have over the years. I finally decided to let go of the pajamas I’ve had for 15 years in my recent decluttering.

I know when we were scrambling to pay off debt and live week to week, I didn’t want to let any of my clothes go. I didn’t care that they were outdated and things I wore in college. They were still items, and I was still using them.

As time has gone on and our income has increased, I’m still not crazy about buying new clothes, except now I have a #BJsFashionFriday series going, but otherwise, I tend to keep the wardrobe minimal.

It also helps that our closets are tiny. I guess that’s the way it goes when you live in an old 1850s farmhouse.

So let’s get to cleaning!

Let Go Of The Scarcity Mindset

This was really the first step to really cleaning out my closet. I knew the shirts I’ve held onto for more than ten years needed to go. The scarcity mindset also frustrated me every Sunday morning for church when I knew I couldn’t just wear my jeans and a hoodie.

I wanted to wear something nice. But, every time I looked in my closet and saw half was from years ago, it would just create frustration and clutter my mind more.

Once I realized I didn’t need to hang on to these items, it was freeing. Not just more space in the wardrobe, space in my mind when I went to pick out an outfit.

I loved what the book “Uninvited” by Lysa Terkeurst showed about this level of scarcity thinking. Scarcity thinkers tend to view life as there is only so much available. So they need to grab hold of everything they can while they can before someone else does.

This mindset makes it hard to rejoice in the celebration of others’ success. I know it’s just clothing here, but how many times does holding on to stuff translate into deeper stuff in our mind?

Turn all Your Hangers the Opposite Way

I loved seeing this floating around on social media. If you honestly do not know how often you wear an item, turn all your hangers around. Then every time you wear something and put it back, face the hanger the opposite way. In a couple of months, you will see what a keeper is and what items need to go.

Don’t forget to clear out the plastic hangers or those that don’t hold your clothes right. If you’re a frugal person like me, I always keep the hangers from the store.

Yet sometimes, the hangers end up not working for other pieces of clothing. So if you continue to put a shirt on a hanger that slides off, pick a different hanger and get rid of that one. Again, it’s all about creating a space that creates calm in your mind.

 

Clear 14 inches of Space a Day

I’ve been a part of women’s bible study for over a year now, and we did a study where we were challenged to clear 14 inches of space a day and spend 14 minutes in prayer. You would be amazed at how long 14 minutes of silence can be and how refreshing it is when you have children.

It may sound like a lot, but I quickly realized that I could clear more than this. Yet I liked knowing that for 7 days, I was only to tackle 14 inches. If you feel overwhelmed by stuff and organization, I encourage you to try this challenge 7 days clear 14 inches of space. Take 14 minutes of quiet/prayer time to refuel your soul.

Don’t hesitate to get rid of something when it has a hole stretched out or is over five years old. I would hang onto something even with a small hole just because. The moment I would pull it out to wear it, all I could think about was the hole. I would end up taking the shirt off before I left the house! What a waste of space and my time and the mental exhaustion.

Here’s how my car looked after the 7 days!

Once you have your space cleared, make sure you have a place to put it. I always put soft items in plastic bags and harder items in totes. Pick a spot in your house or your room where the bags will be put. Then at the end of the week, gather up the bags and donate them.

If you have stained clothes and so faded, they wouldn’t live up to donation standards; cut those up into rags and place them in your garage/shed/barn. I know my husband, and I go through plenty of rags in the summer with all the different projects going on.

End the week with 14 minutes of reflection on the space you cleared in your closet and your mind.  You may feel inspired to do this challenge for each room of your home. In fact, I encourage you to do it.