If you love clothes as much as I do, you know how easy it is to accumulate a ton of clothes over time. Eventually, you might end up collecting so many clothes that your closet is practically overflowing. 

If your closet is so full of clothes that they’re getting wrinkled and you’re having a hard time finding what you need, it’s time to declutter your closet.

Having a decluttered and organized closet saves you time, stress, and money. You can pick out what you’re going to wear without having to search high and low for it. Plus, you won’t look completely disheveled once you finally get dressed.

As a busy wife and mom, organization is crucial for my sanity. When everything has a designated space, our home looks so neat and clean. A little bit of decluttering and organizing works wonders for my stress levels! 

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the clutter in your closet, here are my best tips for helping you achieve that same peace of mind. 

How To Declutter Your Closet

How To Declutter Your Closet

Step 1: Take everything out of your closet.

The first step to decluttering your closet is to take absolutely everything out of it. Yes, everything!!!

This gives you a clean slate to start with so that you can start from scratch. It also makes it easier to see everything that you’ve been keeping tucked away. 

Step 2: Sort your clothes.

Then, sort through your keep pile. The most effective way to sort your clothes is to separate them into categories. 

You can organize them by type (i.e. bottoms, tops, undergarments, shoes, etc.) and then further separate them into subcategories (i.e. separate bottoms by material or occasion). 

Step 3: Select clothes you want to donate.

As you sort your clothes, take it a step further by sorting them into four piles: keep, toss, sell, and donate.

When deciding which pieces of clothing to keep, consider the following guidelines:

  • If there are multiples, only keep one (maybe two, depending on how often you wear it).
  • Does it look worn, stained, or otherwise untidy? 
  • Can you currently fit into it? Does it fit you the majority of the time, with the exception of minor weight fluctuations?
  • When was the last time you wore it? If it hasn’t been worn in a year or longer, get rid of it.
  • Do you feel comfortable and confident when wearing it? Don’t wear clothes that make you feel bad!
  • Does it match your (current) personal style?

Toss any clothes that are too worn down to be worn by others. Sell any designer or name-brand clothing that is gently worn, still looks like new, or still has tags on it. And then put any gently used clothing that still has enough life in it for someone else into a donation box.

Step 4: Clean your closet.

Take advantage of your empty closet and use it as an opportunity to deep clean the space. For my tips on deep cleaning and organizing without going totally crazy, click HERE.

Dust, wipe down shelves or other surfaces, and vacuum or mop the floor. Work from the top down, so that when you finish with the floor, you can clean up any dust or other debris that may have fallen while cleaning. 

How To Declutter Your Closet step by step

Step 5: Organize your closet.

By now you probably have a pretty good idea of the space within your closet. The next step is to figure out how to best use that space to keep your items organized. Take note of how much hanging space versus shelf space you have. Is there a designated space for your shoes? How does your current setup compare to your ideal setup? 

If your closet is lacking the kind of storage and organization you would prefer, consider ways you can add it in. Space-saving hangers or curtain rods can give you more storage space for hanging clothes. You can also hang an organizer on your closet door and use shelf dividers to prevent clothes clutter.

Step 6: Put your clothes back in your closet.

YAY!!! You finally made it to the fun part. Once you’ve sorted through your clothes and organized your closet the way you want, you can put the clothes you’re keeping back in your closet. 

Be sure to follow your new organization strategy, but don’t be afraid to make a few changes if you recognize a better way to do things. 

Step 7: Repeat regularly.

Repeat the steps above as often as possible to keep your closet organized. It will effectively keep your closet from becoming a cluttered, disorganized mess yet again. 

Steps to declutter closet

Does your closet desperately need to be decluttered and reorganized?

What is the main complaint you have about your current closet situation? Or, maybe you’re ahead of the game and you’ve already found a way to keep your closet neat and organized. If so, TELL US HOW!

For more of my home organization must-haves, shop my Amazon Storefront HERE.

You can read more tips and tricks for maintaining a happy, healthy, and organized home on the blog.