Reorganising your closet doesn’t sound like this amazing thing. In fact, it sounds pretty annoying and something your mom would tell you to do. But the thing is, there’s a reason closets are used in so many metaphors. They are these little rooms where we hide away secrets we don’t want to show. Maybe it’s some pieces of clothing that are completely out of fashion, but we are hoping they will back in style? Or maybe it is some boxes filled with a project you started on, but never seemed to have the time (or energy) to finish? Heck, Carrie Bradshaw usually did her most insightful internal monologues in her closet.
As a result, our closet is a mess and may be holding us back in life as well. Reorganising your closet can help you reorganise your life. It sounds a little silly, but cleaning out that closet or nice looking trash can as I like to call it, help you get a fresh start.
A closet can literally weigh you down. We hold on to things for sentimental value, but unless you go to a lot of ugly bridesmaid dress theme parties or ask you to reenact your high school prom (in the same dress) then you have got to eliminate some stuff. Even if you have a lot of space (as a New Yorker I can’t even comprehend what having space is like. Sometimes in my dreams I have space.).
Paul Sirois of The News Tribune suggests getting rid of 70% of the contents of your closet. Now, I have to disagree and say that even people who aren’t fashion-obsessed would probably find it tough to get rid of that much stuff. Let’s aim for 30 percent. If you find that was easy, then move up to a bigger percentage.
But Sirois had good rules of thumb for deciding when to chuck something or not. Here’s the criteria:
1. Does the object remind you of something bad, scary, unhealthy or gross? Toss it.
2. Does the clothing fit you perfectly? No? Toss it.
3. Have you worn it in the last two months? If not, toss it.
4. Would you wear this to your high school reunion weekend? If not, toss it. You obviously don’t feel comfortable or ‘you’ in it, so it must go.
Cleaning out your closet is kind of like breaking up with your clothes, and it can get emotional. But you will get over it.
Lauren Conrad wrote, “Nevertheless, it’s important to remember that sentimentality should not warrant a precious piece of real estate in your closet.” And she’s right. If you are finding it hard to do, invite some girlfriends over and make it a little party. Maybe they’ll take some of it off your hands. One woman’s Forever 21 is another one’s Chanel. And if you’re feeling really good, you can reenact this fun scene from Sex and the City.
Just remember that getting rid of clutter is so helpful and will provide clarity in not only your closet, but in your life. No more will you struggle to find that pair of boots in the morning. You’ll see them right away and then you can go and march out the door and take on the world. All because you organised your closet.
