7 Time Saving Tips to Declutter Every Closet in your Home

Clothing is a great place to start on your organization journey. We spend time in our closets every single day and so taking the time to know what you have and choosing to keep only the clothing that serves you well in this season of your life creates a sense of freedom and control! These clothing decluttering tips can be used in your children’s closets as well as your own.

1. Visualize how you want to feel when you get dressed each day

  • The first thing you do each day is choose what to wear. Set yourself up for success! 
  • By following these decluttering tips, you will feel empowered rather than frustrated when deciding what to wear.
  • Less is more when it comes to clothes: choose quality over quantity
  • Fun fact: most people only wear 20% of the clothes in their closet!

2. Organize By Family Member

  • Start the simplifying process with your own clothing and fully complete your own closet before starting in another person’s room: this tip reduces overwhelm!
  • Encourage your kids to get involved when simplifying their closet! (recommended for 6 years +)

3. Gather it all

  • Take ALL of your clothing out of the closet, dresser drawers and bins they may be stored in and sort them by type. This imperative step gives you a realistic look at how many items of clothing you own and having items sorted makes the editing process much easier!
  • Take it in, take a deep breath and move on! Many of us experience feelings of shame when we see how many items of clothing we own. Think back to your vision (step 1) as you move forward from here.

4. Simplify

Touch every item and examine its condition.

EDIT: Key questions to ask yourself when deciding if you will keep, donate, sell or discard clothing:

  • When was the last time you wore it? (General rule: if you haven’t worn it in the past 6 months-year, it’s time to release it!)
  • Is this a go to, favourite piece? Or is it something that you wear on special or specific occasions?
  • Does it have stains or rips?
  • How do you feel when you wear it?

KEEP: Favourites, necessary and best quality items

SELL: Good quality, stain free, rip free (name brand) items that still have value

DONATE: Good quality, stain free, rip free items that do not have monetary value

DISCARD: Stained, ripped and out of date items that have served their time!

  • Consider dropping off your donate & discard items at your local Value Village, they have an amazing RECYCLE program: RETHINK REUSE

5. Hang clothing by category & colour:

If budget allows, head out and buy hangers that match: this simple addition makes a big visual change in your closet! Look at the dramatic difference in this closet refresh project:

Here are few of my favourite hangers:

I suggest hanging the following items in your closet:

  • Tank tops
  • Short sleeved shirts
  • ¾ length shirts
  • Long sleeved shirts
  • Tunics
  • Sweaters
  • Dresses
  • Pants

6. “File Fold” clothing in drawers:

When you buy clothing in a store, items will often be folded and stacked one on top of the other. This makes sense in a clothing store because the items in each pile are the same! But, in your dresser, you want to be able to see everything you have, so this is where folding your clothes and stacking them vertically comes in handy. 

I suggest folding and sitting these items upright in your drawers:

  • T-shirts
  • Exercise clothing
  • Pyjamas
  • Socks
  • Underwear

7. Consider storing seasonal clothes

To reduce overwhelm, I recommend file folding and storing your Spring/Summer Wardrobe and your Fall/Winter wardrobe when they are out of season. This is a great way to save space in small closets.

  • Use clear bins so you can see what is inside 
  • Store your seasonal bins at the top of your closet or in a storage system in your basement
  • Consider hanging seasonal jackets on a portable hanging rack in storage

Enjoy the benefits of simplified closets & drawers!

When you are finished simplifying your clothing you will be left with seasonal appropriate items that fit you and that you feel fabulous wearing! Your favourite items will greet you each morning as you choose what to wear. Your spouse & children will have an easier time choosing their clothing for the day as well. Making our morning routines easier and happier is something we can all benefit from!

Sharing is caring! Be sure to pin this picture so you can refer back to this guide as often as needed!

Do you have any go to tricks that keep your clothing under control that weren’t mentioned in this post? I’d love to hear all about it in the comments section!

I hope these 7 simple tips will give you the confidence to banish clutter in your closets for good!

If you are looking for an encouraging organization coach to walk you through the process, virtually, I’m your girl! To be the first notified when the OWK Membership doors open, a go-to resource for moms of pre-K and elementary aged children to get and stay organized, join the waitlist HERE – and you’ll also receive a freebie from me, “How to Declutter Your Home – My Top 9 Tips!”