6 Easy Steps to Spring Clean Your Closet Today

It’s hard to believe February’s almost over! That means spring is coming, and with it comes the need to get your closet in shape for the new season.

I know: You’re busy. But please trust me on this, it is so worth it to tidy up your closet space, especially if you love fashion. I’m a messy person, and I tend to let my clothes pile up on the floor, or go too long without doing laundry. Not only does it make my place look gross and uncomfortable, but it stresses me out when I’m trying to pick out my outfit in the morning.

The beginning of spring is a great time to comb through everything and finally store/get rid of the clothes that are just getting in your way. We’ve covered spring cleaning on CF before, as well as closet organization tips, but this quicker guide is designed to be six steps that you can complete in an afternoon. (Do it today if you have time!)

Keep reading for a simple guide on how to execute your closet overhaul:

1. Divide everything into piles.

You’ve probably heard this one before – but that’s because it’s necessary! 

Start by taking all of your clothes out of your closet and drawers. Then, sort out ALL your clothes into piles, as described in the paragraph below. I know it sounds daunting, especially if you have a huge wardrobe. But it has to be done! You can also try doing it in pieces to minimize the amount of clothes you’re sifting through at a time. (Think activewear first, then jeans, etc.)

Here are the piles to make:

1. Clothes you wear often. Think favorites, basics, things you love and wear all the time.
2. Clothes you don’t wear very much or at all. Be honest here! You’re going to sort through these in detail later. Include the “why do I even have this?” items, and the “oh, I forgot I had this” items.
3. Clothes you WOULD wear if they fit right, or if they were repaired/altered. These clothes need some work to become daily wears.
4. Seasonal items – think heavy winter coats, boots, and other items you won’t need in the spring.

Alright, step one completed! Let’s move on to the next.

2. Now grab the fourth pile…

And store it. You’ll want your seasonal clothes next winter, so keep them in a safe, dry place that you won’t forget. Easy, step one over! See, this cleaning thing isn’t so bad…

3. Now, go back to the first pile.

You’re obviously going to keep most of the clothes you wear most often. If something is ripped, stained, or is no longer your size, move it to the third pile. The remaining clothes are your wardrobe staples. Keep those out, you’ll need them for the next step.

4. Take on pile two, what you don’t wear.

Now let’s tackle the second pile, the clothes you wear rarely or not at all. For each piece in this pile, ask yourself, why don’t I wear this? The most common reasons for not wearing your clothes are that they’re only for special occasions, not your style anymore, or that you have nothing to wear them with.

Keep your special occasion items and make a donate pile for what you don’t like anymore. That part was pretty simple. Now you’re only left with clothes you swear you would wear if you could only style them right! This is where your staple pieces from pile one come in.

Now it’s time to come up with three different outfits out of each article of clothing you don’t know how to style. Get creative! Ask a friend or Google for ideas on how to make them work. (Put our CF search page to work as well!) Write these outfits down or take snaps with your phone. If you can’t make at least three outfits with them, there’s really no reason to keep these pieces cluttering up your closet space. The most versatile pieces are the best pieces, just look at the clothes you wear the most!

If you can’t find three outfits, but you really love the piece, like a lot, make a vow to buy something that will match it soon. Otherwise, it’s time to say goodbye.

5. Deal with what’s dirty, damaged, or doesn’t fit.

You’ve been holding onto it for months because you swear you’re going to get it tailored one of these days. Or maybe you spilled soda on it, and you’re going to look up a trick to get a pop stain out of clothing next time you have a few free hours, you promise.

I get that you’re busy, and stuff like this tends to slip our minds when we’re scrambling to get a paper done or a big exam is coming up. But keeping clothing that is damaged or doesn’t fit is just wasting your limited closet space in your dorm.

My advice is to put all those pieces in a bag or box and bring them home, so they’re at least out of your dorm room. You’re more likely to have time to actually get them repaired when you’re on a break, anyway.

6. You’re done – now put everything back!

Take a breath, give yourself a high-five, you’ve made it. It’s time to put things back in your wardrobe and drawers (and organize them all pretty if you want bonus points).

I know that cleaning out your closet can be quite a process. It’ll probably take hours to go through the steps I gave, maybe even more if you hoard clothes like I do. But it’s so worth it when it’s over! It’s much better to have a smaller wardrobe full of pieces you love than a big wardrobe crowded with duds.

What do you think?

Is you in major need of a closet cleanse? Are you going to try some of the steps I laid out when you make the purge? Let us know in the comments below!