It’s Not Me, It’s You

With spring here and summer quickly approaching, it’s the time of year where a lot of people do “spring cleaning” and start refreshing their wardrobes for the new seasons. While having a clean bedroom and bathroom is nice, you should also go through your closet and determine what needs to go. I’m a really sentimental person, so sometimes getting rid of clothing (or getting rid of something I spent money on!) can be really hard. That’s why I’m sharing my best tips for breaking up with your clothes and finally saying goodbye. 🙂

When you sort through your closet, you should go piece by piece, making sure to try on anything that you’re unsure about or haven’t worn in a while. There are three main categories for getting rid of your clothes: they don’t fit correctly, they have rips or stains, or you just don’t like them anymore. I really get that giving away your clothes is hard. After all, you spent money on them and they may hold special memories of where you wore the item. When I was really little, my mom forced me to give away the cutest purple floral skirt with a matching butterfly top, and I was crushed. I actually cried and screamed as she took them away! While that’s probably a bit dramatic for you to do now, you still might feel slightly attached to clothing and not want to give them up.

To make it worse, I’m the type of person who hoards clothing. I keep things that I no longer like or that no longer fit, thinking and hoping that someday I’ll be able to wear them again. Are you like that?! As you can imagine, that takes up a lot of closet space and clogs up my view of all the clothing options I’ll actually want to wear each morning. That’s why it’s super necessary to clear out all the excess, especially when the seasons change and you’ll want to refresh your wardrobe for summer or the upcoming school year.

So without further ado, here are my tips!

• If you struggle with getting rid of your clothes, consider donating them. Thinking about the people who would receive and really need your clothing can give you the warm fuzzies inside necessary for you to finally commit to letting them go. I always think of it like this: maybe a teenager from a poor family wants to be a fashionista but doesn’t have the means to do so. You could help her embrace her fashionable side! Or maybe there’s a homeless woman trying really hard to get a job. Your classy dress or favorite blazer that doesn’t fit anymore could be the item she needs to finally get back on her feet. It always feels good to help someone, and donating your clothes can do just that.
• If you struggle with sentimentality, take pictures of your favorite items before getting rid of them. I started doing this with just regular things and it really helps. Sentimental items are important because of the memories associated with them, not so much the item itself. That’s why pictures are great: you can scroll through them and remember that special dress you wore on your first day of high school without having to actually keep the dress that no longer fits.
• If you struggle with throwing away money, meaning, you hate getting rid of your clothes because you spent dolla billls on them, consider selling them. I’ve never tried this before, but places like Plato’s Closet and consignment shops will buy your clothing as long as it’s in really good condition. You’ll never get back all of the money spent originally (probably not even half), but at least you can make a few bucks to fund your new shopping spree.
• If you struggle with the hoarding syndrome like me, and always want to keep your clothes until they come back into style, consider the outfits with which you can pair the items. For those few pieces I’m only keeping for the sake of having more clothing, I like to try to figure out if I can form three outfits with them. Most of the time I only have one outfit in mind, which means I’ll likely only wear the item once. You know me—I’m all about cost per wear and reworking your clothing. If it can’t be worn multiple ways, then it’s just taking up valuable space in your closet!
• If you struggle with the tedium of actually going through your closet, turn it into a fun event. Make sure you allow yourself plenty of time because trying on clothes can take a while (I always allot an entire day), and make sure it’s a day after you do all of your laundry. But to prevent it from being boring, turn on some of your favorite tunes really loud and get one of your favorite drinks to sip on throughout the process. You can even invite a friend to get an honest second opinion and an audience for all of your fashion shows and catwalks as you strut around, trying on items. 😉 Turn the process into something fun so that you have a better attitude—that’ll make it way easier to part with what needs to go. And don’t forget to celebrate once you’re finished! It’s a hard task going through your closet, so make sure to reward yourself with a milkshake or something like that. 🙂

I hope this post gave you some helpful ideas for sorting through your closet. I do it every year once school ends, and I know this year will have a lot of items to which I’ll have to say goodbye. Just remember throughout the process: getting rid of what doesn’t fit or what you don’t like anymore opens up closet space (and mind space) for what you truly love. Having clothes you love is important! It makes getting dressed each morning easier and it motivates you to take on the day.

With that said, have a fantastic Monday!

Miles of smiles,

Grace

White Collar Blouse: old school uniform, $22 // Blue Quilted Skirt: Francesca’s, $38 // White Heels: Kelly & Katie via DSW, $50, new