7 Questions To Ask Before You Purge Your Closet

Whether you’re spring cleaning, entering a new phase in life, or just getting organized, it’s a good idea to purge your closet every now and then. But it’s not always easy to decide which clothes and accessories to part with especially if you’re emotionally attached to certain things! Here are 7 questions to guide you through a thoughtful, efficient closet purge…

1. Does it Fit My Body?

The first question and possibly the most important one is whether something fits you. If it doesn’t fit, you probably won’t wear it, or you’ll wear it but feel uncomfortable.

So make a pile of clothes and accessories that are too tight, too loose, too long, or too short (or a combination of those issues). Keep in mind that clothes that are too tight or too loose, can actually make you look bigger.

Exception 1: If you know that you’re body shape is temporary, i.e. you’ve just gained or lost weight but will probably go back to your usual size within a year, you may want to hang on to that piece.

Exception 2: If you’re going to take it to a tailor within a couple of weeks (be honest) separate it from the rest of your closet. Once you have a few things, take them to your tailor for cost estimates. Tailoring can be expensive so you may decide that something isn’t worth the cost of tailoring.

2. Is It Comfortable?

Even if something is a great fit, it may not be comfortable. If the fabric is itchy or too rigid to allow movement, it probably will sit in your closet taking up valuable space!

Exception: for special occasion items, you may need to adjust your comfort level. Strapless bras, fitted dresses, and high heels will never feel like sweatpants and sneakers!

3. Does it Fit My Personal Style?

If you know your personal style, you won’t want to hang onto items that don’t fit your body, your lifestyle, or the way you want to look.

That fuchsia velvet jacket may be all the rage, but useless if you work in a conservative office and only wear loungewear at home.

Exception: If you are trying to change or expand your personal style and the item has the look that you want to adopt. (Again, be honest!)

If you don’t know how to define your personal style, complete the form below and I’ll send you a guide (you’ll also be signing up for my weekly-ish newsletter with lots of helpful tips and posts).

Related Post | How To Define Your Personal Style.

4. Does It Need To Be Cleaned Or Repaired?

If you have a pile of clothes in a corner of your closet waiting to be cleaned, repaired, or hemmed (ahem, guilty), it may be time to donate them or upcycle them into something useful.

Exception: You may want to save a few of your stained, ripped, or ill-fitting clothes for gardening, cleaning, and other messy chores.

5. Does The Color Flatter Me?

One of the keys to looking your best is wearing flattering colors. How do you know what colors are flattering to you? Depending on your skin undertone (cool or warm), eye color, natural hair color, and the contrast of your features (such as light skin with dark eyes) you’ll fall into one of 12 Color Seasons.

If this is a new concept, you may want to search for a color consultant in your area for an in-person analysis.

Prefer to figure it out for yourself? This post by Gabrielle Arruda has an in-depth but easy-to-understand explanation of how to figure out your seasonal color.

A shortcut? Think about the outfits that always get you compliments. What kinds of colors are they i.e. pastels, cool colors, warm colors, dark colors?

I always get compliments when I wear cool dark colors like navy, burgundy, and black or cool jewel tones like ruby, emerald, and sapphire. I am a Deep Winter.

Exception: You can still wear bottoms, prints, and accessories that are not in your colors. The rule of thumb is to wear the most flattering colors near your face.

6. Can I Create An Outfit With It Right Now?

If you can pick up a piece of clothing and immediately find several ways to wear it, it’s a winner, so keep it. (Exception: See question 7).

But, do you also have some items in your closet that you love but never wear? If you’ve asked questions 1-5 and you’re still unsure, it may be because you don’t have the right pieces to help you create an outfit with that item. This is one of the reasons, I don’t follow the rule to purge your closet of anything that you haven’t worn in a year. Sometimes it just means you have to do a little shopping to make sure you have coordinating pieces.

7. Is It Out Of Style?

I saved this question for last because it’s the most tricky to answer. I often find that one day, I’ll read something about, say, skinny jeans going out of style. And then the next, I’ll come across another resource that declares skinny jeans to be the hot new silhouette.

Not to mention, it all depends on how and where you wear it. Style is very personal and fashion is an art form, so you’ll have to use your best judgment (and recommendations from your favorite blogger of course) to determine what’s still in style.

Exceptions: Heirloom items, vintage finds, and designer pieces that have resale value.

What To Do When You’re Still Not Sure?

If you’re still hesitating about purging certain things in your closet, it’s probably because you’re emotionally attached to them. Here are some tips to help you let go:

1. Put it in a donation box or bag and let it sit for a month. If you forget you even had it, it’s probably time to let it go.
2. Don’t take it too seriously. You’ll probably have a few regrets. You’ll probably also wonder why you didn’t declutter your closet sooner.
3. Give it to someone (a daughter or friend perhaps) who might get more wear out of it. Or donate it if you don’t have anyone to pass it on to. (More on that below).
4. See if you can make money by selling it to a consignment store.
5. Figure out how long you’ve had it. Scrolling through your photo library might help. Sometimes, knowing that you’ve worn something for five or ten years helps you to see that it’s fulfilled its purpose. (Did you know that Banana Republic has a tag inside every item with the season and year it was made?)

What To Do With Clothing After You Purge Your Closet?

Donate

For items that are in great condition (perhaps you even have clothes that are new with tags) consider donating to Uncommon Threads. Uncommon Threads is a non-profit organization based in Massachusetts that helps low-income women find clothing that makes them look and feel their best. You’ll find details about what they currently need here and you can also email them for details.

Sell

I have to admit that I don’t know a lot about selling clothing as I always donate the items that I purge from my closet, but you can look into eBay and Poshmark if you’re interested in selling your clothes.

Repurpose

If you have clothing with holes, stains, or missing pieces (hello, piles of single socks), use them as rags. This Bustle article has several other options for repurposing clothes including some fashion brands that will take those things that you didn’t think you could give away.

Let me know if you have any other questions about deciding what to purge from your closet!