Are your closets and drawers stuffed, yet you have trouble finding good outfits to wear? Go through your clothes and ask yourself the four questions below. Set up two boxes or bags to 1: hold clothes you will donate; and 2: those that need tailoring or cleaning.
This is a great project to do with a friend who can tell you kindly and honestly which clothes make you look great (and which don’t).
1. Does it fit me comfortably today?
- Often we hold onto clothes that don’t fit because we intend to lose weight and fit back into them. It’s better to donate them today and reward your weight loss with new clothes later.
- Try it on and notice if it pinches, pulls or sags anywhere. Put it in your “To Tailor” bag if it is a good, quality piece that you would wear frequently when it fits right.
- Prevent future clutter: Only purchase clothes that currently fit your body well.
2. Do I look great in this color?
- We all look great in some color families and not-so-great in others. Look up resources about the most flattering colors for your hair color, eye color and skin tone.
- Your friends can tell you what colors make you look your best. Donate anything that dulls your glow.
- Prevent future clutter. Do not purchase any new clothes outside your best colors.
3. Does it have a stain or need mending?
- Often clothes get stuck in limbo because they need repair. Collect them and take them to your tailor and dry cleaner.
- Prevent future clutter: Avoid purchasing cheaply made pieces or clothes that require complicated and expensive care routines you won’t keep up with.
4. Do I have duplicates of this item?
- We tend to purchase multiples of our favorite type of clothes but actually only wear the few we like the best. Weed out the extras and donate them.
- Even wardrobe staples like black pants or white shirts can pile up. Keep only the ones you wear because they are comfortable and flattering.
Rachel M. Gambone is the owner of ReOrganize with Rachel, LLC. In addition to general home organizing, she specializes in helping you organize your office, papers and digital information. Her signature approach is positive organizing where she builds on your strengths, helps you find your treasures, and teaches you life-long organizing skills. See more organizing tips and a link to her free podcast at reorganizewithrachel.com.
