The annual closet purge…. something we dread but also something that surprisingly relieves a lot of stress! Try to perform this purge either one a year after the summer or once a year right before or right after the new year. I perform a closet purge at least 4-5 times a year. With the constant influx of clothing coming in from companies, I absolutely cannot afford to keep everything. Here are some ways and tips to get rid of things and suggestions on what pieces to keep!
What to PURGE:
- What’s your vacant hanger count? I always try to refrain from buying new hangers. New hangers means at least 30 things that will be added to my closet (30 because thats usually the quantity sold in each pack). The idea of running out of hangers gives me anxiety, so when that time comes, I know it’s time to purge.
- Out with the old, in with the new. For every new thing you get, throw something out. This is super easy to do and helps you keep your closet relatively ‘up to date’ for the most part.
- The 100 day rule. If you haven’t worn it in over 3 months, PURGE! Unless it’s an item that is season (winter coats, fancy dresses, etc.), if you haven’t touched it in 100 days, you probably forgot you even had it.
- “Oh crap”. Simply go through your closet piece by piece. If the phrase, “Oh crap, I forgot I even had this” comes to mind, PURGE!
- Holes, stains, rips, PURGE! Unless it’s intentionally distressed, stains and holes are NEVER a good idea.
- Functionality. How functional is the item? How ofter are you going to wear that silver foil puffer jacket? Yeah, it’s cute, but you probably only wore it once and won’t ever wear it again. If it’s not functional, PURGE
- No more than 2. I have a bad habit of hoarding outerwear for some reason. So I’ve created a rule to have no more than 2 of the same type of coat/jacket/blazer. I.E. For my leather, I have one cropped/fitted and one oversized. For my denim jackets, I have one cropped/less oversized, one super oversized.
- Old hoodies. This one is tough. I didn’t realize how much ‘at home’ clothing I had until I cleared out drawers worth of them. Yessss they’re SO comfy but really, you don’t need more than 2-3 yucky at-home items per category. 2-3 hoodies, 2-3 sweat pants, 2-3 crewnecks, etc. Now this isn’t ‘cute lounger wear’ this is strictly crap you would wear ONLY at home because they’re too embarrassing to be worn in public lol. Just cut the chord, you don’t need your ex-boyfriends of 10 years ago’s hoodie.
- How often does it see the gym. One thing I fail to throw out are gym clothes. You know there are certain pieces you ALWAYS wear and others that you once in a blue moon wear but you don’t wanna toss cause ‘maybe you’ll wear it’. Nope, throw them out. You’re going to replace them with newer, cuter pieces anyway cause duh, gym is life in January of every new year.
What to KEEP:
- Good basics. I’ve had the same basic sweaters, jeans, and camis in my closet for at least 2-3 years. For someone who goes through new items on a weekly basis, that’s a very long time. AND I am still wear the crap out of them now.
- Good denim. It’s hard for me to come by a pair of jeans I absolutely love. Always keep a black, a light (beige/white), and different shades of blue jeans. Jeans that only have one knee rip, maybe two but very subtle, or no rips at all will be the ones that remain timeless. Super destroyed jeans are season and fast fashion.
- Blazers. Blazers will never go out of style. Boyfriend, cropped, fitted, they all get repeated every single season of every single year.
- Neutral items. Neutrals will forever be in style as well. Neutrals can be paid with all colors and be worn throughout the year which makes them the most practical. It’s worth investing in good neutral basic pieces because they’ll last you for years to come.
- Classic heels. Every year has their crazy trend of wonky heels and sandals but the shoe that stands the test of time are a classic, solid-colored, pointed-toe stiletto heel. Preferable in a nude or black.
- Sunnies. Aviators and specs will probably never go out of style. Hang on to these puppies.
- Purses. Now that I have began to splurge more on designer pieces, I really try to focus on buying vintage/timeless bags. The term vintage itself probably means that if it’s still being sold in the modern era, it’ll be in for many years to come. I just love a good vintage Chanel. When it comes to ‘summery’ bags, keep the shape and color tones practical and neutral. Cult Gaia styles are here to stay, rattan bags are here to stay, and straw/woven bags are here to stay.
- FAUX FUR. Faux fur can’t really be reinvented much other than being made in different tones or patterns, which is still subtle. Hang onto your faux fur even though you use it only a few times a year. I’ve had the same 3-4 faux fur/shag jackets for the last 5 years and people still gawk over them year after year after year.