5 Tips for Cleaning Out your Closet from a Stylist

I have clients who hire me to clean out their closets because they are unsure what’s in, what looks good on them, or how to style pieces they already own.

And in the midst of the warm weather that finally feels like spring, I can imagine a lot of us (myself included) are in the middle of spring cleaning.

That’s why today I’m sharing 5 tips to help you clean out your closet this spring. Keep reading to learn how to confidently say goodbye to things that no longer serve you.

5 Tips for Cleaning Out Your Closet

1. Define your style language

Before evening touching the clothes in your closet, think about your style language. Also, you should be the one to define your style, not the clothes already in your closet. What I mean is pick words that align with your aspirational style, even if the clothes currently in your closet differ from that definition. 

Here are some examples:

Sporty, functional, clean 

Feminine, polished, minimalist

Whimsical, colorful, mod

Masculine, smart, edgy

The list and combinations go on. But start here so that way when you’re evaluating the pieces in your wardrobe, you have a guideline to follow.

2. Identify your go-to’s

Plain and simple. What are the pieces that you tend to grab the most? Things like your favorite pair of jeans or trousers, a leather jacket or black blazer, a plain tee or white button down blouse, a cardigan or sweater, etc.

What makes them your favorite? The fit, quality, style? Use that criteria to score the rest of your closet as you go through because chances are, if your other pieces don’t meet that criteria, you won’t choose them.

Moreover, as you go through your closet, think about the last time you wore a piece. Or even went to wear the piece. What stopped you? The fit? Not as good quality as your go-to’s? Has your style changed since you purchased it?

If you anticipate continuing to find reasons not to wear something or will simply pick your favorites over it, ditch it. Even if you’re on the fence, get rid of it and get something that brings you true joy.

3. Invest in items that will last

On a similar note, oftentimes the reason my clients pick pieces over others is because of the quality. They bought it, wore it once but it didn’t hold up in the wash or it didn’t make them feel amazing wearing it.

I know for some it can be tricky to spend money on clothes. But I promise investing in high quality pieces will easily meet the cost per wear over the amount of times you would have to repurchase a cheaper iteration.

More specifically, if you have five white tees in your closet, pick your favorite or invest in one that will stand the test of time.

Additionally, think back to your style language. Are their trademark pieces that define that style? If so, look at your closet and see 1) if you have those pieces and 2) if the pieces you do have are of high quality where you’ll keep it forever and grab it regularly.

4. Stick with versatility

The reason you often feel like you have nothing to wear despite having a closet full of clothes is because you don’t have reliable, versatile basics.

But basics don’t have to mean plain or boring.

For example, if your style language is feminine and sporty, a black mini skort will be a versatile basic piece for you. You can style this for everyday with a white tee, sneakers, and a denim jacket or dress it up with tall pointed toe boots, a mock neck, and a leather jacket.

Similarly, if your style language is polished and timeless, a pair of black trousers will be a wardrobe staple for you. Dress them down with a graphic tee, sneakers, and a longline coat for something more streetstyle or dress them up with an off the shoulder top and pointed toe slingbacks for an evening look that is still true to your style language.

Additionally, if I am struggling to let go of a piece, I’ll also ask myself what are 5 ways I can style this – and 5 outfits that I would actually want to wear, not just for versatility’s sake. If you struggle coming up with 5 looks that truly excite you, then it’s probably time to say goodbye.

5. Eliminate excess & duplicates

Lastly, eliminate excess and duplicates. I know I touched on this a bit already but as someone who had over 10 pairs of essentially the same jeans (yes, shameful, I know), only keep what fits and is of high quality

If it doesn’t fit, can you have them tailored so they’ll stay in your wardrobe and become a favorite? Or is it time to find an improved replacement.

Invest in a single pair that you will always pick instead of keeping duplicates that each have a slight caveat that again prevents you from either picking them or feeling like your best self in them. This goes for all of your duplicates which I often see in the form of tees, tanks, sweaters, leather jackets, and of course, jeans.

The final final

All in all, the key things you need to keep in mind when you’re cleaning out your closet this weekend are your style language, the quality of pieces, and the versatility of pieces.

Anything that doesn’t meet the bar isn’t worth keeping, period. You will find something better. And after you’re done, allow yourself to actually invest in higher quality clothing because doing so is not only better for the environment but also for your confidence – and as a stylist, helping you feel your best is my main goal.

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Need help cleaning out your closet or finding higher quality replacements? Submit a Style Request Form here and let me do the work for you.