Decluttering your closet not only frees up space for new items, but also helps you refine your personal style and give unused pieces a second life. The key is to sort everything you own and make conscious decisions about what to keep, sell, donate, trash, or repurpose. By following the steps below, you can transform an overcrowded closet into an organized wardrobe that truly suits your needs.

Sorting clothes into “Keep,” “Donate”, “Sell”,”Trash”, “Repurpose” boxes is a great first step in closet declutter

Deciding What to Keep, Sell, Donate, or Repurpose

Empty and Sort: Start by taking everything out of your closet. This lets you see all your clothes and accessories at once. Set up five piles or bins labeled keep, donate, sell, trash, & repurpose. As you pick up each item ask yourself these questions to determine which pile to put them in:

• Keep: Does the item fit you properly and make you feel good when wearing it? Keep only the clothes you love and suit your current size, lifestyle, and style. If you haven’t worn it in the past year that’s a red flag. Clothes that fit well, look good on you, and are worn regularly can go back in the closet. Does it spark joy or serve a clear purpose? If yes, it’s a keeper.
• Sell: Is the item in great condition but not your style or something you have duplicates of? High-quality pieces, especially name-brand or trendy items, might be worth selling so someone else can enjoy them. Be honest with yourself – if you wouldn’t proudly give it to a friend, it is probably not good enough to sell. Valuable, gently-used items go in the “Sell” pile.
• Donate: Many clothes that don’t make the cut for keeping or selling can still be worn by others in need. If a piece is clean, in decent shape, but not worth the hassle of selling add it to your donate pile. Ensure donated clothes have no stains, holes, or damage. Charities can’t use unwearable items. Think of donating as giving your clothes a second life – if you’ve outgrown the style or size, let someone else benefit from it. However, if its heavily worn-out, skip donating and consider repurposing instead.
• Repurposing: Set aside items that are not suitable to wear or donate but could be repurpose. Old clothes with minor holes, outdated pieces with sentimental value, or fabrics you love can be transformed rather than tossed. If you’re crafty, put stained or damaged clothing in this pile for upcycling. Items that ruly can’t be salvaged should go in the trash.

Take time to try on anything you’re unsure about. If it doesn’t fit now, add it to the sell or donation pile – keeping clothes that are too small or too big will create clutter. Likewise, if something no longer aligns with your personal style or confidence, let it go. Our tastes evolve, and your closet should reflect who you are today, not who you were years ago. By the end of this process you will have a better idea of what deserves space in your wardrobe.