How To Be Ruthless When Decluttering Clothes Once And For All

How to be ruthless when decluttering clothes - Motivation to declutter clothes

Is your wardrobe filled to the brim with clothes, clothes, and more clothes? It’s time to learn how to be ruthless when decluttering clothes once and for all.

Do you find it difficult to declutter your clothes?

Maybe it’s because you feel guilty for decluttering something you’ve spent your hard-earned money on.

Or maybe you’re holding on to them because they remind you of a special occasion or memory.

Whatever your reason is, I get it.

Years ago, I faced the same problem. I was into fashion at a very young age and I became a shopaholic when I started working.

I didn’t want to wear my clothes more than once (how silly of me!) Plus, I always kept up with the latest trends, even when they didn’t look good on me.

It didn’t take long before my wardrobe was overflowing with clothes.

Despite that, I didn’t want to declutter my clothes because I genuinely loved each and every one of them.

Even when I gained weight and couldn’t fit into the majority of them, I didn’t care. I just liked looking at them and having them in my wardrobe.

Sounds familiar?

If you answered yes, then this blog post is for you.

Trust me, learning how to declutter my clothes ruthlessly has changed my life.

Not only do I have a clutter-free wardrobe, but I cherish my clothes even more now.

I didn’t think it was possible, but hey if I can do it, so can you!

Related:

HOW TO BE RUTHLESS WHEN DECLUTTERING CLOTHES ONCE AND FOR ALL

Table of Contents

How To Be Ruthless When Decluttering Clothes: 10 Practical Tips To Achieve Your Decluttering Goals

1. Ask yourself why

Don’t declutter because you feel like you have to.

Anything done out of obligation will only cause bitterness. We don’t want that! We want your decluttering journey to be stress-free and joyful.

Therefore, before you start decluttering anything at all, you should always ask yourself WHY.

Have you gained or lost weight and can’t fit into your old clothes? Has your personal style changed? Are you running out of space at home to store all of your clothes?

I wanted to declutter my clothes because I gained a lot of weight over the years and didn’t feel confident in my old clothes anymore.

Instead of making me happy, my clothes made me feel sad and unworthy.

Whatever your reason is, knowing why you want to declutter your clothes will give you motivation like no other.

2. Have the right mindset and attitude

When it comes to decluttering things you have an emotional attachment to, you need to have the right mindset and attitude.

You’ll need to be decisive and firm. That’s the only way you can be ruthless when decluttering clothes.

First, motivate yourself before you declutter your clothes. Knowing why you want to declutter your clothes and how decluttering will benefit you helps.

Next, find the right time to declutter your wardrobe. Don’t do it when you’re tired, hungry, rushing, or in a bad mood.

You’ll be much more productive if you are feeling well-rested and have set aside dedicated time to declutter.

Besides that, make decluttering a process you enjoy. Play your favorite music, light up a candle, and have your go-to beverages ready. These simple steps will give you something to look forward to.

Finally, reward yourself once everything is all done. Indulge in something that doesn’t require money – a nice long bath, a lazy afternoon reading or watching TV, or playing with your pet.

Rewarding yourself will motivate you to declutter again next time.

3. Set realistic decluttering goals

Before you declutter, don’t forget to set realistic decluttering goals.

What are you hoping to achieve after this session?

Some of you may not have time to declutter your wardrobe in a day. And, that’s OK!

But, if you did not set any goals before decluttering, this may cause you to feel like a failure.

Let’s avoid that by setting realistic decluttering goals like:

Get rid of all the clothes that no longer fit
Discard damaged, torn, stained, and worn clothes
Declutter at least 2 categories of clothing (e.g. T-shirts, coats, etc.)

4. Gather all of your clothes in one place

The best way to declutter your clothes ruthlessly is to declutter them at a go.

Gathering all of your clothes in one place is the best way to see everything you own at a glance.

More importantly, seeing all of your clothes in front of you means you have fewer excuses to make when it comes to making decisions.

Be warned: it may come across as a shock to you to see how many clothes you have! Don’t worry, you’ll be OK. After all, the whole point of this exercise is to declutter your clothes ruthlessly.

5. Start easy by getting rid of damaged items first

Like all decluttering projects, it’s always a good idea to start easy.

How? By getting rid of damaged items first.

In this case, remove any torn, stained, and worn clothing from your pile of clothes immediately. You won’t be wearing those anytime soon!

Put them inside a box or a bag first – these will go to recycling later.

Decluttering damaged clothing is something quick you can do without thinking twice.

As a result, this will build your decluttering momentum and encourage you to keep going!

6. Create a “Yes”, “No,” and “Maybe” box

Before you continue, make sure to create three boxes – Yes, No, and Maybe.

The “Yes” and “No” boxes are there for obvious reasons. But, many people forget to have a “Maybe” box.

The “Maybe” box is the most important box to have if you want to declutter your clothes ruthlessly.

Let’s be real. There will be some articles of clothing in your wardrobe you won’t be able to decide on.

If you don’t have a “Maybe” box, chances are you’ll put them in the “Yes” box and tell yourself you’ll think about it next time.

Before you know it, months will go by and your “Maybe” pile will still be sitting in your wardrobe!

If you want to be ruthless when decluttering clothes, put your “Maybe” pile in a “Maybe” box, seal it up, and write a future date on it.

It can be 1-6 months from now – that’s up to you. Just remember to add a reminder to your phone!

Once the box is sealed, put it out of sight. You’re going to live without those clothes for a while.

If you didn’t need, miss, or want any of the clothes throughout this period, it’s time to get rid of them once and for all.

7. Try clothes on

Did you know you can declutter your clothes ruthlessly by trying them on?

Sometimes you just need to see how you look and feel before you can decide.

When you’re trying on your clothes, ask yourself these questions:

Does it fit?
Do you like the way you look?
Do I feel comfortable and good wearing it?
When was the last time you wore it?
Where do you see yourself wearing it?
Does it go with other pieces in your wardrobe?
Does it hold sentimental significance? E.g. inherited from a loved one

If you answered no to the first three questions, toss the clothing in question into the “No” box.

You should also get rid of it if you…

haven’t worn it in the past 6 months (in a normal year)
can’t mix and match it with other pieces in your wardrobe
can’t picture yourself wearing it anymore

8. Dedicate ONE wardrobe to your clothes

Another great way to be ruthless when decluttering clothes is to have limited space for your clothes.

It’s common to find a dresser for casual clothes, a wardrobe for formal clothes, and a coat closet for outerwear in a home.

But, the more areas you dedicate to clothing, the more clothes you’ll have!

Stick to ONE wardrobe for your clothes after decluttering. Not only will it help you to maintain a clutter-free wardrobe, but you will also be able to locate things easily!

9. Get a second opinion

Remember that Sex & The City scene where Carrie enlists the help of Miranda, Charlotte, and Samantha when she was decluttering before a move?

This tip works – but only if you have brutally honest family members or friends who can help.

Decluttering quickly and efficiently takes time and practice. So, if this is your first time decluttering your clothes, I strongly recommend recruiting help you can trust!

10. Get inspired by a minimalist wardrobe

Sometimes all you need is the right inspiration to be ruthless when decluttering clothes.

If you want to look polished and effortlessly chic, looking at minimalist wardrobe ideas is a great motivation to declutter your clothes.

Look out for these minimalist wardrobe essentials when paring down your wardrobe and be ruthless with everything else.

Dos And Donts Of Decluttering Your Clothes

Do…

Know why you want to declutter your clothes in the first place
Have the right mindset and attitude
Make time to declutter your clothes
Be honest with yourself when answering decluttering questions
Be ruthless when it comes to decluttering clothes you don’t need
Give yourself grace if you can’t accomplish all of your decluttering goals

Don’t…

Establish unrealistic decluttering goals
Feel guilty about decluttering your clothes
Keep damaged/worn/dirty/stained clothes
Hold onto clothes that don’t make you look or feel good in
Declutter clothes alone if you’re indecisive or easily overwhelmed
Discard clothes. Sell/recycle/donate them instead!
Shop to replace clothes you’ve already decluttered unless you need them

What to do with clothes you want to declutter

Give your old clothes a new life by selling, donating, or recycling them.

Sell

List luxury items online on eBay, Depop, Poshmark, and The RealReal.
Sell clothes online on Facebook Marketplace or on your social media platforms
Bring them to local thrift stores.
Have a yard sale in your neighborhood.

Donate

Donate old clothes to your local:
- Charities
- Homeless shelters
- Animal shelters
- Churches and other religious places
- Local thrift stores like Goodwill and Salvation Army

Recycle

Find the closest recycling center to you via Earth 911
Drop them off at an American Textile Recycling Service donation bin (Call their 24-Hour Hotline with your zip code, city, or neighborhood location, and a representative from your city will call you directly with a list of locations near you)
Participate in various brands’ recycling/buyback campaigns

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know when it’s time to declutter my clothes?

The first telltale sign is when you feel like you have nothing to wear despite having a wardrobe full of clothes!

You should also declutter your clothes when your clothes are making you feel sad, insecure, and overwhelmed.

If you shop regularly, I recommend decluttering your clothes once every six months.

Why is decluttering clothes so hard?

We may not realize it, but clothes make up a huge part of our sentimental clutter!

We have an emotional attachment to clothes because they remind us of our memories. For instance, the dress you wore on your first date. Your old college sweatshirt. The blazer you wore on the first day of your job.

Besides that, we feel guilty when we get rid of things we spent money on, especially if they’re in good condition.

Decluttering clothes can feel difficult, but the benefits of decluttering outweigh the negative emotions!

Why is decluttering clothes important?

Decluttering your clothes has so many benefits. A well-curated wardrobe means:

Never worry about having nothing to wear
Feeling good in everything you own
Having less stress deciding what to wear
Finding things easily

Besides that, decluttering your clothes also creates more space in your home and makes the entire space easier to clean! Now, who wouldn’t want that?

How do you declutter clothes quickly?

I don’t usually recommend shortcuts when decluttering because I believe in doing it once and doing it right.

But, not everyone has the time to declutter thoroughly!

To start, you can declutter quickly by getting rid of damaged/worn items and clothes that don’t fit anymore.

Want more quick decluttering tips? Here are 12 steps to declutter your home in 30 minutes.

How do I maintain a clutter-free wardrobe?

Start by creating a clothing inventory to keep track of your clothes.

This helps you to see what is missing (and what you have too much of) in your wardrobe.

Plus, you can easily plan your outfits when you know exactly what you have.

Whenever possible, you should avoid purchasing more clothes! If you need to shop for a new piece of clothing, ask yourself these questions:

Why do I need it?
Do I already have it in my wardrobe?
Can I borrow it from a family member or friend?
Can I wear this more than once? If yes, where?

Answering these questions will help you to shop with intention. This way, you won’t end up with impulse purchases you might regret.

And, if you do purchase something, practice the “One In, One Out” rule where you must declutter one piece of clothing to make room for a new one.

Conclusion

Now that you’ve learned how to be ruthless when decluttering clothes, it’s time to go forth and get started!

These 10 practical tips will help you to achieve a clutter-free wardrobe in no time.

All the best!

Like this post? Don’t miss these other helpful decluttering posts:

4 Comments