laiithy

a guide to making room in your closet

closet cleanouts have become a bit of a passion of mine over the past year. i started making videos on TikTok of clearing out my closet, and these quickly gained a lot of traction – probably due to the laughable amount of ill-fitting or untrendy clothes that i just can’t seem to let go of.

needless to say, 30+ episodes later, i would consider myself somewhat of an expert on wardrobe purges: what stays, what goes, and how to make up your mind. so, here are my closet cleanout tips for spring!

1. break down your closet into categories

while some people prefer the “get it over and done with” approach of emptying your entire closet onto the floor, i prefer to take baby steps. if you try to do it all at once, you might experience decision exhaustion and end up keeping things you don’t need, getting rid of things you actually like, and never really finishing the job.

i broke down my wardrobe into the following categories: tops: short sleeve tops, long sleeve tops, “fancy” tops, button downs, sweaters, cardigans, blazers, and coats.
bottoms: jeans, pants, skirts, shorts
dresses: long, short
shoes
misc: workout gear, comfies, bathing suits, etc

seeing it all written out may seem overwhelming, but taking on this task in bite-size efforts is so worth it. based on your energy and time, you can pick and choose which category to take on when you have a bit of time. by focusing on individual categories, you can identify items that may be doubles, and compare which items in this category you’re always reaching for vs the ones that never come off their hanger.

2. audits for spring? groundbreaking.

a closet audit isn’t a cleanout, but it’s very similar. instead of approaching your closet with the goal of cleaning it out, an audit is just a taking-stock of inventory.

the best time to audit a seasonal category is right when that season is around the corner. for spring, you can audit your cardigans, long sleeve tops, skirts, light jackets, and sneakers/flats.

if you end up getting rid of things during the audit – great! but this exercise is more to do with refreshing your mind and reminding yourself of what you have to work with this season – so you don’t end up buying something you already own!

3. my golden rules for closet cleanouts

i wish it was as simple as “if it sparks joy” for me…

here are some of my golden rules to maximize the impact of your closet cleanout

1. try *everything* on – notice how every item makes you feel, how it sits, how it moves
2. nostalgia is a valid reason to keep something, but be honest with yourself about it!
3. if it doesn’t fit you, it shouldn’t fit in your closet
   • if you “promise to get it tailored”, don’t put it back in your closet until you do!
4. if you’re truly stuck, class it as a “maybe” and revisit in 6 months
   • keep track of maybe’s by hanging them backwards or tagging the hanger

i like to think of closet cleanouts as an ongoing practice, not a once-a-year exercise. as you continue to prune your wardrobe, you’ll gain a better understanding of your shopping patterns, mistakes you tend to make, what shapes you enjoy. as you develop this understanding, you’ll be able to shop with a better sense of your personal style, and have less and less pruning to do.