Closet Cleaning 101

Can't find a thing to wear, but your closet is crammed full? Regularly lose your favorite top in the dark wasteland that is your closet? Cleaning out a closet can be an incredibly daunting task. If your closet is anything like most people's, you have things in there that haven't seen the light of day since your senior prom. You could go all-out and pay for an organizational guru to clean up your clutter, or you could roll up your sleeves and do it yourself.

First, tackle the clothes. Start with three piles: a "love it" pile, a "hate it" pile and a "maybe" pile. Sort everything wearable that you can lay your hands on. This may sound simple at first, but when you are deciding on your "love it" pile, you must be firm with yourself. If you haven't ever worn it, won't wear it again or if it doesn't look good on you it must go in one of the other piles. You must love the item and you must wear the item. Sometimes this can work better if you have a friend to help you and offer support and make it a fun afternoon. Sometimes you'd really rather not admit you ever owned that day-glo orange sweatshirt dress, let alone show it to your best friend.

You will keep the "love it", get rid of the "hate it" and that leaves the "maybe" pile. This pile will need to be broken down further. It is okay to keep a few things for sentimental reasons like your wedding gown or the dress you just adore but haven't been able to wiggle into since little Buddy was born. If you are keeping more than a handful of things for sentimental reasons, you need to stop yourself. Do you really want a closet full of things that you can't wear? Do you have a closet or a museum?

Next, while you have all your clothes already out, look at your shoes. Again, if you haven't worn them and don't think you ever will, get rid of those shoes. For the remaining shoes, make sure they match a few outfits in your wardrobe. If they don't, you need to get rid of them.