Do you stand in front of your wardrobe, doors open, frowning at the contents?
You do? Well, take heart. You’re not the only one.
Over the last six months or so, I’ve been working on reducing the clutter in my life. My closet is just one area in which it seems I have a problem letting go.
I often wonder if this resistance is rooted in a fear of lack or becoming too sentimental about objects that no longer serve me.
I’ve spoken about this before and the fact I’m back here again speaks volumes about the real challenge of minimalising your belongings. It’s definitely a process you need to work through and, it takes time.
I had another run at my closet on the weekend and managed to throw out a heap of stuff. I’m definitely getting closer to the ideal of a 10 item wardrobe.
Plus, I also repaired a couple of pairs of pants that have been collecting dust for a while. I’m kind of amazed I still remember how to thread the sewing machine!
Table of Contents
10 wardrobe items you can immediately get rid of (painlessly and guilt-free)
1. Any item damaged beyond repair
This one really should be a no-brainer but… I had several T-shirts that were worn to the point of no return. They were super comfy but had to go.
2. Any broken item that won’t get fixed any time soon
It might not be damaged beyond repair but it’s time for a reality check. If it’s broken and you haven’t repaired it by now, and you’re not going to repair it today… it’s time for it to go.
3. Any item of clothing that’s too tight
When I started the process of clearing out my closet a few months ago, I created a Limbo Box. This is where I’ve put the clothes I still love and are in excellent condition but don’t fit (stress and sleeplessness can wreak havoc on your waistline). I’ll revisit the Limbo Box after 12 months. If I can’t fit into that gear by then, I’ll have to either try to sell the contents or donate it.
This time around, I didn’t add anything to the Limbo Box.
4. Surplus shoes
I have very small feet so I don’t tend to have an over-supply of shoes in my closet however, I still found a couple of pairs that have outlived their fashion value and general usefulness. They were still in good condition so rather than throw them out, I put them into the bag for donating to one of the local charity stores.
5. Empty shoe boxes
Like shopping bags, shoe boxes have a way of hanging around long after their usefulness has ended. If you don’t store your shoes in the box they came in, then they’ve served their purpose and need to go.
6. Store shopping bags
Do you hang onto shopping bags? They might come in handy one day, right? Wrong. They’re just clutter. They might be beautiful (Laura Ashley comes to mind) but they are still clutter. Off to the bin…
7. Expired make-up and skin care products
Yes. Cosmetics have expiry dates, too. Check them out here. Even if your make-up hasn’t expired, if it causes an adverse reaction on your skin or makes your eyes irritated, throw it out.
8. Out of fashion
I know, if you hang onto clothing long enough, it’ll come back into fashion. Flares and – the bane of short waisted girls everywhere – high waisted jeans and pants.
Unless you plan on using your wardrobe to open a fashion museum one day, it’s time to get rid of the jackets with huge shoulder pads and any outfit inspired by Clueless.
9. Gym and exercise clothes
I don’t know the actual statistics, but my guess is that half the gym clothes ever purchased end up stuffed into a dark corner of a wardrobe, worn once, maybe twice, and never seen again.
If you’ve got sad, ignored gym clothes in your wardrobe, drag them into the light of day and be honest with yourself. Will you use them for their intended purpose? Can you wear them around the house? Hello, yoga pants! If not, and they’re in good condition, throw them in the ‘donate’ bag. If not, throw them out.
10. Sentimental school or college gear
I’m guilty of this. I still can’t quite part with my school blazer.
I’m not sure why, but it’s something I’m working on. It’s the only sentimental item of clothing left in my wardrobe so I’m not doing too badly. Having said that, I finished high school a long, long time ago.
If your old school or college gear is taking up space in your wardrobe, now is a good time to deal with it.
Related Posts
- The Benefits of the 10 Item Wardrobe
- 10 Things You’ll Be Happy To Ditch From Your Life Immediately
- The Ultimate “How To Save†on your Work Outfits
- Kick-Ass Ways to Declutter Like a Ninja!
- Clearing the Clutter
- 4 Reasons to Own Less Stuff
- What Matters Most? Figure that out and everything else falls into place
- In Search of Simplicity: How to Start Living a Simple Lifestyle
Now Admire Your Clutter Free Wardrobe
And then, promise yourself you’ll never let it get out of control again.
Easier said than done, maybe, but the more you cull from your wardrobe the easier it will be to maintain.
The simpler you keep your style, the less clothing you’ll need. The less clothing you need the better quality items you’ll be able to afford. The more care you take in choosing your wardrobe items, the less likelihood there is there’ll be pieces hanging around that never get worn.
There are no downsides to getting rid of stuff you don’t need!
P.S. Remember to follow Clearing the Clutter on Pinterest for a library full of awesome de-cluttering ideas.
Suggested Reading
Build a Life you Love
The absolute driving force behind my online endeavours is to establish and maintain a life I love. A life that allows me to spend my days the way I want to spend them.
After a short stint back in the corporate world, I’m more committed than ever to spend my days doing things that bring me joy and add real value to others’ lives.
Blogging – Learn how to start your own blog or business web site. Once you get started, there’s almost no limit to what you can achieve for yourself. But, the first step is establishing your foundation and that has to be a self-hosted site. If you’re just testing the waters, I recommend Bluehost as a cost-effective way to get started.
Online Store / eCommerce – Along with this and some of my other blogs, I have another business that includes an Etsy store and a Shopify store. Whether you’re selling stock you’ve purchased, dropshipping or selling your own handmade products, eCommerce is a great way to start an online business in your spare time. Shopify is a great platform to use as it’s intuitive and has lots of help available if you get stuck, and they have a ton of plugins to make it easy to get all of the features you want.
Managing your Money – The framework for everything in life and business is good money management. Keep coming back to our site for more helpful tips, but if you are doing some shopping and want cash back, check out Rakuten (formerly eBates).
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