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Great Closet Cleaning Tips

Updated on November 14, 2020
Cleaning out a closet isn't as scary as you might think.
Cleaning out a closet isn't as scary as you might think. | Source

If you're someone like me, cleaning is something that I try to avoid. Especially cleaning out my closet. The closet is something that I like to avoid at all costs. Not only is it filled with clothes that I yearn to fit in once again, but it's also filled with the things that I have tried to forget. Or the things I have stuck in there last minute before company comes over. Eventually, we all have to face the music and clean out that space that has us fearing for our lives.

I will allow you one look of terror before I force you to really crack down on cleaning your closet. I promise, it's not really that scary. Don't you close those doors and pretend it isn't there. It is. It needs to be cleaned. Pull EVERYTHING out. Got it? Good. Now, follow these tips to clean your closet. You (and your closet) will feel much better after following these tips.

Start Small

  • Do you have boxes in your room that you've just shoved in your closet? Pull out one box at a time and start there. Don't overwhelm yourself with huge tasks. Just like writing to-do lists, don't set yourself up for failure.

If you start small, when you accomplish big things, you'll motivate yourself!

  • Don't be afraid to throw things away or donate items! If you aren't sure if you need it or not, chances are, you don't need it. On the other hand, if you are attached to the item, don't feel obligated to throw it out. Only you can decide what you want to keep or toss.

Do you have a hard time getting rid of clothes?

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Condensing Your Clothes

This is something that I cannot do for the life of me! Condensing my clothes. Maybe it's the packrat borderline hoarder inside me, but it's super hard. Lately, it's been easier to let things go. This is what I have to go through to finally condense my clothes.

I start out by making two piles. One for clothes I want to keep and one for clothes I don't want to keep. Now, most of the time, our keep pile usually ends up being ten times bigger than our not keep pile. When you are having trouble deciding if you should keep something or not, ask yourself these questions:

  • Does it fit me? If it doesn't fit you, you probably want to put it in the not keep pile.
  • When was the last time I wore this? If it's been years since you've worn it, chances are you won't wear it again.
  • Is it damaged? If the damage is beyond repair, toss it.

After you have sorted through everything, it's time to put everything back. Hang everything nicely on hangers and put everything back in an orderly fashion. You've just finished probably the hardest part about cleaning out a closet.

What to do with your clothes you don't want

There are many options that you can explore to get rid of the clothes that you don't want anymore. Depending on the condition of the clothes, you can sell your clothes at a consignment shop or online (Poshmark or Mercari are apps that you can download on your phone and sell clothes there).

If you'd rather donate your clothes, look to see if there are any donation centers that are accepting your clothes or check out Facebook for groups such as Buy Nothing where you can post and choose who you give your clothes to.

If your clothes are damaged, you can turn them into rags for cleaning or scraps for art projects. If you don't have the space to store these, it is okay to throw them away.

Hanging Clothes in the Closet

When hanging clothes in your closet, it is a good idea to have a method to it. That way, when you go to find something later, you don't have to shuffle through the clothes and risk things falling on the floor (and let's face it, who stops to pick it up right away when you're in a hurry?)

  • Sort your clothes by color from light to dark!
  • Sort your clothes by type (work, dresses, button-ups, sweaters, etc.)

To minimize shuffling through your clothes when you are looking for hangers, put a box or container on the floor of your closet where you can toss hangers when you pull something off the rack. This makes hanging clothes faster and easier.

Putting a box on the floor of the closet for your hangers makes it easier to find hangers when you put away clothes.
Putting a box on the floor of the closet for your hangers makes it easier to find hangers when you put away clothes. | Source

Making Sure the Shoe Fits

I love shoes. I am very obsessed. Unfotunately, they don't all fit in my closet. When I'm trying to find ways to fit all my "babies" I usually make them stagger. That way, they form kind of a rectangle. And if you stagger all your shoes, you can double what you normally could fit in there. Tie them with a rubber band or ribbon to ensure they don't fall over.

Another thing you can do is get a shoe rack for your closet. If you get a shoe rack (with two shelves) and do the staggering trick, you can have nice and neat storage for your shoes.

Keeping Your Closet Clean

After you go through all your items, buying the right storage containers will help keep your closet organized and clean.

  • If you have a shelf on the top of your closet, buy small storage containers or decorate shoe boxes to keep your small knick knacks in.
  • Do you have bulky bed sets that you want to store in your closet? A great product I found to store those are vaccum bags. They take all the air out of the bag so you can easily stack them and they aren't too bulky.
  • I know this seems like it should be assumed, but we get so busy we either don't have time for it or forget. When you are done with something in your closet, put it back. Don't let your closet get messy and when it's time to clean out your closet, it won't be such a pain.

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