Simplify the Closets

So in fact, narrowing down our choices means less overwhelm, and more creativity. -Courtney Carver

Some minimalist influencers suggest starting with clothes when one wants to simplify. We all seem to house our lives in our closets. Our past life, our current life, our future life. The jeans we once wore BC (before children), our favorite lived in tee worn every weekend, and the blouse we bought on sale for that perfect occasion that hasn’t materialized, yet.

Clothes can be incredibly difficult for some and incredibly freeing for others. In my experience, simplifying our closets has brought two things:

1. More space, less laundry
2. More creativity, Less overwhelm

How can less clothes=less laundry?

It might seem counter intuitive when I say less clothes=less laundry. But, it absolutely can. With four kids, there is always dirty laundry at our house. Always. But, the less clothes the kids physically have in their closets, the less laundry I have sitting in my dirty laundry basket. I do at least one load of laundry everyday. I put one in the washer in the morning and it must be in the dryer (preferably out and folded) before I go to bed. This simple rhythm aids me in keeping on top of the endless laundry chore.

How does less clothes=more creativity?

Dressing with less allows me to use what I have to put together outfits. Boundaries allow us to be creative and I believe that is true in our closets. When I buy a new piece of clothing, I think about how hard it can work for me. Can it be worn with more than one pair of bottoms or more than one top? Can it be worn for multiple seasons? Can it be paired with various accessories to change up a look? Keeping only the ‘hard working pieces’ in my closet allows for less in my closet overall.

How do I simplify?

I have lost count how many times I have simplified my closet and my babes’ closets. Many, many times. A simpler life is a journey, right? And each time I have simplified a closet, I have done it a slightly different way. I want to share the easiest and fastest way I have done it. Don’t take everything and put it on your bed (unless you really want to…GO YOU!).

A Simpler Approach to Closets

1. Take a look at your closet, big picture. What do you notice? Do you have clothes from every season in your closet? Are there things you haven’t worn since 7th grade still on hangers? Take a big picture inventory. If this is super overwhelming, you’re doing the right thing by simplifying your closet.
2. Take everything that isn’t in season right now and box it up. Label the box with the season. (For example, we are in the dead of winter here, so all shorts, tanks, and flip flops can go in the box.)
3. With only this season’s clothes, go through and sort out items that need mending or altered. Make a plan to get it done within the next week or so. If you know that isn’t going to happen, those items can go into the donate box.
4. Next, go through and donate anything that doesn’t fit you right now and hasn’t fit you in the last year-ish. You don’t need the past living in your closet.
5. Touch each piece and ask yourself: Do I love it? Is it beautiful? Do I feel like me in it? Donate (or give to a friend) anything you can’t give a confident ‘yes’. (Side note: I have a super cute, stylish friend who offers me pieces from her closet she is no longer loving and it is such a gift to me. If you know someone who could benefit from items in your closet, ask and then give!)
6. Donate the clothes as soon as soon as you’re able so they don’t find themselves back in your closet.

This is the most straightforward way I have found to simplify our closets. I have done this with mine as well as all our babes’ closets. I wholeheartedly believe visual clutter matters, even in our closets. Putting away the out of season clothes and donating or giving away things that no longer fit us or we no longer love eliminates some of that visual clutter. This goes for dressers and drawers, too.

Tell me, how do you simplify your closets? What is holding you back from simplifying your clothes? I would love to hear!