As part of my sartorial goal to “Buy Less, Choose Well”, I’ve done a lot of closet purges in the past year. By now, I’ve likely gotten rid of nearly 50% of my closet and surprisingly – I don’t feel like I have any less to wear. After years of shopping on impulse and giving in fast fashion, I’d gotten tired of feeling like getting dressed in the morning was a headache – there was just too much junk to sift through. Additionally, my clothes could be of better use in someone else’s closet. I’ve gotten to be pretty ruthless with these closet cleans and to not hang on to anything that isn’t adding value to my wardrobe. So, how do I wisely choose what to keep and what to sell/donate? Here are some questions I ask in the process…

 

  • If I saw this while shopping today, would it catch my eye? Basically, I think this comes down to asking if it it still suits my style, which I think has evolved over the years. For instance, I would have been all over a lace skirt and polka dot cardigan several years ago, but these days those pieces no longer appeal to me.
  • Have I worn it in the past year? This one is simple: the things sitting in the back of my closet are just taking up space and collecting dust. There’s no point in keeping them there! Of course, there is the odd chance that I may one day want it again, but if I haven’t worn it in the last year – chances are I most likely won’t.
  • Does it fit? I mean – does it really fit? There’s no point in a closet full ill fitting garments. Perhaps one day I will lose the 5lbs to fit into those slightly too small trousers, but for now I’ll probably avoid wearing them, and even if I put them on…
  • Do I feel great in it? For me, this is key to building a closet of quality. I want pieces that make me feel good when I put them on, and for me that comes down to fit, fabric quality, and colour (for my skin tone).
  • If it went missing, would I even notice? I need to be honest with myself – would I? It can admittedly be fun to remember something I had completely forgotten about in my closet, but I’ve found that those are rare cases. Most of  the time, when I find something years later, I realize I haven’t missed it at all.
  • Is it an investment/vintage/very special piece? I am not at all sentimental with the things in my closet – they are, after all, just things. But once in a while, I come across a piece that is so special and unique that it’s almost like a piece of art. There are also things that I’ve saved up for, and ones will always be classics. In cases like that, I’m a full supporter of keeping the piece in my closet.

 

How often do you purge your closet? How do you decide if something stays or goes?

images via

13 comments on “Downsizing Your Closet: Questions to Ask

  1. Great post. I was just thinking about this the other day. I purge my closet every season, sometimes more if needed. When deciding to buy a piece for my wardrobe I keep in mind to see if it is a classic, basic, unique or functional. I may add different categories if need.

  2. Great post and tips! It’s true that we all know what we should do about our closets, but it’s truly harder to pass it to true life.

    <3
    http://zazzish.blogspot.pt/

  3. Great questions to ask! I went through a high shopping phase a few years into the real working world and I’ve been slowly editing in the last few years. (It was all about sweatpants and polo shirts in college for me.)

  4. I purge my closet perhaps once or twice a year and during my recent move, I had to purge even more. For me, I use similar guidelines to yours – frequency, fit, and style of the item.

    I love the new direction of your blog, btw. (I’ve been reading your blog since 2010!) I applaud you for tackling the issue of consumerism that is rampant among personal style bloggers. Kudos to you!

  5. I am in the middle of a closet purge, and the hardest part for me, as a new college grad working a casual office job, is definitely trying to define where my style is. There are the pieces that I feel are beautiful and fit my sensibilities, and then there are the workhorse items that are more versatile and fit my lifestyle (which I also feel much less attractive in). There is little intersection between the two and while it feels ridiculous to keep two separate wardrobes, it also doesn’t seem to make sense to cut out one in favor of the other.

    Clearly, I’m struggling.

    Since you’re new blogging philosophy involves the idea of being mindful in your purchases, could you enlighten readers, such as myself, as to how you’ve managed to buy in a way that maintains style as well as versatility? Especially in environments that don’t call for style (and may even discourage it), how do you reconcile your own stylish sensibilities?

  6. We are planning a move this year and I KNOW this will mean a major closet clean out. Fit is a big thing with me. Chances are if and when these things fit again I probably won’t be that into them! I am more likely to hold onto bags and shoes.

  7. I love this post! And I have been inspired by fellow South African blogger to go on a shopping break in an attempt to minimise my closet. Ive been thinking about doing this for a long time and now have the courage to just DO it!

    http://www.rubescloset.com

  8. I’m going through this right now. Last new year’s I turned all the hangers in my closet backwards. As I wore something I would turn the hanger back the right way. This new year’s it made it super easy to spot the things I hadn’t worn in a year since they were still backwards. I’m sentimental about stuff though (even though I know they’re just things) so there were a few pieces I kept and moved to the center of my closet.

    And I totally agree with only keeping pieces that make you feel good when you wear them.

  9. I love these tips, Jen, and I’m definitely of your mindset regarding closet purging. I did this earlier this year, and though I can’t boast purging as much as 50% (seriously, good job), I did a really significant shave down.

    I haven’t bought or looked for any new clothes since before Christmas, and guess what? I don’t even feel the slightest need to. I came to realize that I was collecting a lot of crap, and when I tried to slow down and just STOP, I realized that I really didn’t need new items every week or multiple times monthly.

    I’m going to do another purge soon, as reading your list made items stick out in my head as needing to GO. And I’m going to keep working on the simple philosophy of quality over quantity as much as I can.

    Thanks for the inspiration. <3<3<3

  10. After spending months purging my closet to a decent size, I now keep a strict one in, one out rule. In addition to preventing my closet from getting out of hand, it also forces me to ask the questions when I’m shopping, Do I like this MORE than something else in my closet? Do I like this enough to get rid of something I already have? Am I willing to have to choose something else to get rid of? Usually the answer is no and shows me I really don’t need whatever it is I’m looking at.

  11. Great tips, Jen!! The “if it went missing, would I even notice?” question is so on-point for me!! If I’m ever not certain I want to donate a particular item, I’ll put it in a bag in preparation for giving it away…but I’ll still hold onto the bag for a month or two. If I never dig around for it during that time, then I know I don’t want/need it anymore; away it goes to the Salvation Army!! And since my wardrobe space is so limited, purging is an ongoing project for me…if a new item goes in, something “old” must leave!!

    http://www.StyleIsMyPudding.com

  12. Pingback: The Closet Essentials No.1: The Black Pump | Her Waise Choice

Leave a Reply to S Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *